Absorbing

[SexyLegs]

In my DO last week the management made all the FT Town Walk staff do absorbing every day, but the other staff, some PT, some another DO which is in the same building, rurals, firms etc didn't have to do any absorbing.

I found this totally unacceptable and questioned the manager who gave the instruction, his answer was 'that's how I'm dealing with it this week' So my question is:-

Can he do that? Obviously he did and all the FT staff accepted it and got on with it but, from a fairness point of view Can he do it?

I've done a Duty Breakdown of the duties in my office below, quite interesting:-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

DUTY TYPE A - Absorbing FT Town Walk (8hr Attendance)

40 minute meal relief
2 hours IPS (average, some days up to 20 minutes more, some days 10-20 minutes less)
This leaves 5 hours 20 minutes to run in, tie up, cycle to, or be conveyed to and deliver their rounds and get back from their rounds which are based on 3 hour 30 minute delivery spans.

DUTY TYPE B - FT Rural Delivery (8hr Attendance) ********** & ****

40 minute meal relief
35 minutes IPS (average) - Initial 25 minutes IPS (may be called back, normally for additional 5-15 minutes)
10 – 40 minutes driving time to get to first call and back from last call
This leaves 6 hours to 6 hours 35 minutes to run in, perform vehicle check, load van and deliver their rounds which are based on 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minute delivery spans.

DUTY TYPE C - FT ************** Town Walks (8hr Attendance)

40 minute meal relief
1 hour 45 minutes IPS (average, some days up to 15 minutes more, some days 15 minutes less)
This leaves 5 hours 35 minutes to run in, tie up and be conveyed to and deliver their rounds and get back from their rounds which are based on 3 hour 30 minute delivery spans.

DUTY TYPE D - PT Town Walk (6hr Attendance)

30 minute meal relief
No IPS
This leaves 5 hours 30 minutes to run in, tie up, cycle to, or be conveyed to and deliver their rounds and get back from their rounds which are based on 3 hour 30 minute delivery spans.

DUTY TYPE E - PT ******* Town Walk (7hr Attendance)

35 minute meal relief
No IPS
This leaves 6 hours 25 minutes to run in, tie up, cycle to, or be conveyed to and deliver their rounds and get back from their rounds which are based on 3 hour 30 minute delivery spans.

DUTY TYPE F - PT Town Walk (5 hr Attendance)

25 minute meal relief
No IPS
This leaves 4 hours 35 minutes to run in, tie up, cycle to, or be conveyed to and deliver their rounds and get back from their rounds which are based on 3 hour 30 minute delivery spans.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I see no justification for DUTY TYPE A to have done all the absorbing.............your thoughts???

[realitybites]

Duty type F would apply to me and does in my DO. I beleive it is 30 minute break for a 5 hour duty. Mine goes like this

30 minute break
30 minutes tying up
15 mins cycle to first delivery point
3 hours 30 delivery
15 minutes cycle back to DO with undeliverable items

5 hours (though usually have remainder of letters, parcels and re-directions to do as well)

[SexyLegs]

Yes, you're right 5 hours to 7 hours is a 30 minute meal relief.

[realitybites]

When P&L does finally arrive at my DO I don't know how they will re-structure around some of the shorter contracts (20, 22.5 and 25 hour contracts)

[fishtank]

When P&L does finally arrive at my DO I don't know how they will re-structure around some of the shorter contracts (20, 22.5 and 25 hour contracts)

They will probably offer them a shorter week.

[SexyLegs]

Back to the original question...........what can/should the rep be doing???

[clashcityrocker]

Back to the original question...........what can/should the rep be doing???

What if the answer is more duties should be lapsed?
Perhaps duty options C and D should also be lapsing?

Should the rep argue for more duties to be lapsed?
Or is sacrificing duty A the best of a bad situation?

[DGP1]

Do I need to say it again?

[easter bunny]

Have you time in your duty for absorbing ?

[POSTMAN]

Facts,figures charts or whatever means nothing......if you can absorb without a problem.
There is the old RMC saying,you lapse................because you can.

[Cheetah]

Surely any disagreement ends here:

Delivery Offices
Absorbing Hours & Covering for One Another

Aims

• To jointly identify/implement genuine opportunities to absorb outdoor and/or indoor workload where time exists within approved attendance times/normal paid work hours.

If anyone has time in their normal paid hours then they are expected to lapse, if they do not have time they should not simple, nothing at all to do with the type of duty they are on or anything else, lapsing should be done in paid hours, not overtime paid or unpaid......

[SexyLegs]

Is it not a case of:-

If 1 absorbs then all absorb?

I would have thought that was the fairest way..........or is fairness nothing to do with it?

All the other DUTY TYPES are getting back with time to spare so in theory could comfortably absorb so why pick on one set of DUTY TYPES?

DUTY TYPE A have time to absorb but so does all other DUTY TYPES, so why are DUTY TYPE A the only ones absorbing?

This doesn't affect me in any way as I'm DUTY TYPE C but I've been asked the question and said I'd ask on here................................................

[fishtank]

so why are DUTY TYPE A the only ones absorbing?

That's something only you guys could know or maybe your manager and rep.
We haven't a clue,it sounds strange but if you want to kick off it states clearly in the guiding principles for absorption that...• All staff involved on an equal and fair basis.

[Cheetah]

Is it not a case of:-

If 1 absorbs then all absorb?

I would have thought that was the fairest way..........or is fairness nothing to do with it?

All the other DUTY TYPES are getting back with time to spare so in theory could comfortably absorb so why pick on one set of DUTY TYPES?

DUTY TYPE A have time to absorb but so does all other DUTY TYPES, so why are DUTY TYPE A the only ones absorbing?

This doesn't affect me in any way as I'm DUTY TYPE C but I've been asked the question and said I'd ask on here................................................

We have had that argument in our office Sexy legs, but is it fair that one duty that is supposed to be 4 hours yet cannot be done in less than 4&1/2 hours, then another duty which is also supposed to take 4 hours, only takes 3&1/2 hours but both get paid the same, yet one goes home early and the other one works over?. We all know no matter how many computer programs they throw at it, it's impossible to get all the duties equal, as the mail on the day also has a bearing (i.e bulk posting on one round and not another)....
So absorption is a fair way to equal up the work load and it is up to those who's duty runs over to decide if they want to work over or not. Obviously this doesn't take into account anyone running round, finishing early then being asked to lapse, or people coming in early finishing early being asked to lapse and complaining (if they are daft enough to do any of those in my opinion they should be lapsing), or someone who swings the lead and drags a duty out to avoid lapsing (but that is up to management to sort out, not the union).....
In my opinion lapsing is a good idea to ensure we all work our paid hours and do our even share of the workload but will only work when we do the job properly and not come in early, or do the job in our own transport, run round and take shortcuts and we also approach it with the attitude of a fair days work for a fair days pay and work at a fair and reasonable pace, to ensure a level playing field to see who has time in their duty to lapse and who doesn't......
Most of all it needs management to approach absorption properly and only instruct employees to do it when they have time in their paid hours and scrap any rota or other nonsense idea to make them look good to their bosses. If not enough people have time in their paid hours to cover the rounds they plan to lapse then they must be done on overtime.......

[SexyLegs]

so why are DUTY TYPE A the only ones absorbing?

That's something only you guys could know or maybe your manager and rep.
We haven't a clue,it sounds strange but if you want to kick off it states clearly in the guiding principles for absorption that...• All staff involved on an equal and fair basis.

Where would I get a copy of these guidelines fish?