Sole Purpose Of Being A Reserve

[clashcityrocker]

Being a reserve is the worst job in a DO.
It shouldn't be left to the least experienced posties in the DO.
The reserves should all be experienced f/t posties and they should be given a weekly financial reward for doing the crappiest job.

The workplace coach should be a reserve so they know all the duties.
The rep should be a reserve to get away from this cushy number accusation.

[Judgee]

.... and the line managers should all be reserves and the DOM!


EARN YOUR SENIORITY and STOP MOANING!

[clashcityrocker]

.
EARN YOUR SENIORITY and STOP MOANING!

What makes you think I don't have the seniority to have my own walk?

[fishtank]

EARN YOUR SENIORITY and STOP MOANING!

The problem now is the job has changed but seniority hasn't.
When SDD came in and duties moved to 3.30 this inevitably led to fewer duties in the office and dragged out the time a reserve stayed a reserve.
Now duties have lengthened again under park&loop there are even fewer duties to pick.
Reserves have gone from waiting 2-3 years for a duty to 7-10 years.
That's without mentioning the ways that seniority is now bypassed.
Seniority has gone from a natural stepped progression through the jobs in an office to an elitist club of 15 years plus members...of which i am one by the way.
I think we may need to think the unthinkable shortly.

[RedBagMan]

Absolutely right TBT, allow me to explain my comments or enter the forum of debate as you would say.........

At some point soon after joining RM, the concept of seniority is explained to you. It's not complex or difficult and if you didn't understand at the time perhaps you needed pictures. Live with it. To be moaning after 2 years that you don't have your own walk is at best naive and at worst idiotic.

I have been off work for the best part of a year with a serious illness. I've been to the funeral of a colleague that didn't survive so, I thank my lucky stars that a) I'm now healthy enough to get on my broomstick and go back to work and b) I've got a job to go to. I don't have a lot of time for whingers who have the luxury of sitting in a nice warm house in front of an computer moaning about a job most people these days would be very happy to have. And if you don't want yours, I know a few people who would be happy to have it and your strength and health to be able to do it.

In short: If you don't like it, go somewhere else you whinger!

You sound like a barrel of laughs ... or a manager

[Redyam]

I agree that the reserves should be the most experienced staff. They know the job, know best how to deal with new walks and areas, deal with the drivers and get keys. They should be encouraged to do this with extra cash. I also agree that work place coaches should be reserves too. They would have experience of the walks and be in a better position to help people.

New starters should be on the same walk for quite a while, in order to learn the job and get used to it. The problem is there are just too many long term employees that bleat on about seniority and only think of themselves.

[Judgee]

" The problem is there are just too many long term employees that bleat on about seniority and only think of themselves."


...and reserves don't?

[losharapidoras]

Since we are talking about Reserves, I got a question...

If you are a Reserve, can the manager send you to work to a different office, which is local?

And if yes, is there some kind of limit to that? I've been to 3 different offices this week.

[PhilthyPhil]

Yes, any surplus staff can be sent to another office within their duty time. It is up to RM to get you there and back though, unless you want get there yourself and claim expenses.

[losharapidoras]

Yes, any surplus staff can be sent to another office within their duty time. It is up to RM to get you there and back though, unless you want get there yourself and claim expenses.

So I CAN choose whether I want to go there myself or let them take me/bring back? For example, if you have a car, they may try to force you to drive there yourself and ask you to claim expenses, but what if you simply don't want to use your car and ask them to take you?

Do you know where I can find some official paperwork for this? Where is this mentioned?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Yes, any surplus staff can be sent to another office within their duty time. It is up to RM to get you there and back though, unless you want get there yourself and claim expenses.

So I CAN choose whether I want to go there myself or let them take me/bring back? For example, if you have a car, they may try to force you to drive there yourself and ask you to claim expenses, but what if you simply don't want to use your car and ask them to take you?

Do you know where I can find some official paperwork for this? Where is this mentioned?

There is some mention of it in the flexibility part of the 2007P&M agreement - we have it in downloads. However it does not go into detail. You may need to contact your rep because Local Agreements are allowed on this when referring to who to use, volunteers, reserves etc.

[fishtank]

Do you know where I can find some official paperwork for this? Where is this mentioned?

Working in nearby offices - Areas will identify and agree with the CWU locally an approach (which could include the use of Volunteers and Reserves) to working in nearby offices within employees’ contracted hours which will include travel times and appropriate travel and subsistence arrangements.
http://cwule.org/RMPayandModernisation.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.cwumerseyamal.org.uk/Pay%20& ... reement%20(Phase%202" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).pdf

Considerations and Suggested Activities
Design and agree a fair approach for people to work in nearby offices. This approach should then be shared at
area level so that an area plan can be agreed and put in place that deals with foreseen and unforeseen
requirements. Weekly resourcing meetings should be used to identify any foreseen requirements. All training and
travel requirements should be included in the agreed plan.

Establish and agree an approach/process for working in nearby offices (including training).
Jointly review to ensure arrangements are robust and fair

[losharapidoras]

Do you know where I can find some official paperwork for this? Where is this mentioned?

Working in nearby offices - Areas will identify and agree with the CWU locally an approach (which could include the use of Volunteers and Reserves) to working in nearby offices within employees’ contracted hours which will include travel times and appropriate travel and subsistence arrangements.
http://cwule.org/RMPayandModernisation.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.cwumerseyamal.org.uk/Pay%20& ... reement%20(Phase%202" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).pdf

Considerations and Suggested Activities
Design and agree a fair approach for people to work in nearby offices. This approach should then be shared at
area level so that an area plan can be agreed and put in place that deals with foreseen and unforeseen
requirements. Weekly resourcing meetings should be used to identify any foreseen requirements. All training and
travel requirements should be included in the agreed plan.

Establish and agree an approach/process for working in nearby offices (including training).
Jointly review to ensure arrangements are robust and fair

Massive THANKS, that's perfect, exactly what I was looking for.

Based on this line "which will include travel times and appropriate travel and subsistence arrangements", I believe it's fair to say that it's my management's responsibility to arrange my travel going to AND coming back from the other office, UNLESS I choose to travel myself and claim the expenses.

[fishtank]

[/u][/b]", I believe it's fair to say that it's my management's responsibility to arrange my travel going to AND coming back from the other office, UNLESS I choose to travel myself and claim the expenses.

Exactly.

[MinisterofCucumber]

EARN YOUR SENIORITY and STOP MOANING!

The problem now is the job has changed but seniority hasn't.
When SDD came in and duties moved to 3.30 this inevitably led to fewer duties in the office and dragged out the time a reserve stayed a reserve.
Now duties have lengthened again under park&loop there are even fewer duties to pick.
Reserves have gone from waiting 2-3 years for a duty to 7-10 years.
That's without mentioning the ways that seniority is now bypassed.
Seniority has gone from a natural stepped progression through the jobs in an office to an elitist club of 15 years plus members...of which i am one by the way.
I think we may need to think the unthinkable shortly.

Members of this "elitist club" are often not required to absorb work, get the most popular annual leave weeks every year and get more than their fair share of overtime (if an aggregate system is not in place). Favouritism will break the Union if the favourites believe that management are providing the benefits because favourites are not willing to upset management in case they lose their perks. Also, if juniors believe that the Union only looks after the seniors, they will pull out of the Union. This could be one of the main reasons the CWU is losing members.

The Union should always support using objective criteria for selection but we should realise that seniority is not the only objective criterion available. It seems that seniority has created a group of favourites (Fishtank's "elitist club") and the CWU needs to decide whether it is better for the Union to control who gets favourable treatment or is it better to stamp out favouritism altogether.