Are we entitled to 1 in 4 Saturdays or not?

[Parke9037]

As the title says. Are we entitled to them or is it not in the agreement? Put your office name down if u get 1 in 4

[fishtank]

Innovative Attendance Patterns & Duty Structures

Royal Mail Position
Workplan being used as excuse. Delivery Offices being moved to 0700 or later starts. Royal Mail strategy from day one has been to undermine this aspect. Royal Mail state that 1 in 6 protects and provides for more full time duties that 1 in 4.

CWU Position
Members being deterred by misinformation produced by Royal Mail managers, resulting in not enough Saturdays off. Royal Mail need to supply statistics to CWU. Any member who wants more Saturdays off should be provided with them.

National Agreement States
Page 17
Introduction And Key Objectives
It means creating a fresh role for Delivery employees through the introduction of flexible working practices, improved attendance patterns (including fewer Saturdays), a better work-life balance, and by continuing to provide reasonable levels of take home pay.

Page 24
Attendance Patterns and Duty Structures
It is jointly recognised that the end product of duty revisions and their successful deployment are paramount to the success of this agreement, employee and customer satisfaction and the future success of Royal Mail. This will be achieved where duty structures and attendance patterns are innovative and meet the aspirations and needs of both employees and the company.
Best practice in this area will be jointly discussed and shared at regional and national level and will be used as a source of information to assist others.
As part of the operational transformation the vast majority of full time delivery duties will start no later than 0700.

Page 25
Family friendly duties and attendance patterns including religious holidays and requirements for time off will also form part of local discussions at the weekly resourcing meetings and during the revisions process.

Page 25
Saturday Attendances
In addition to the above it is jointly recognised that Saturday attendances and in particular the number of Saturdays worked require special attention in order to meet the aspirations of employees and the needs of the business.

In recognition of this Royal Mail and CWU commit to providing more Saturday off options as part of improved attendance patterns for delivery employees

Royal Mail and CWU commit to achieving at least 1 in 4 Saturdays off for the majority of employees (including reserves) during the roll out of the operational transformation programme. In some circumstances this may be exceeded utilising jointly identified options to provide 1 Saturday off in 2 or 3.
Progress on all the issues/objectives above will be jointly monitored and reviewed at national level on an ongoing basis.

CWU Response
No agreement should be given locally if the revision does not provide at least 1 in 4 Saturdays off and that is the wishes of the membership. Do not change Saturday attendances unless members get more Saturdays off. Register disagreement, where necessary unilaterally or on a Point Of Principle.

[madmartin]

Page 24
Attendance Patterns and Duty Structures
It is jointly recognised that the end product of duty revisions and their successful deployment are paramount to the success of this agreement, employee and customer satisfaction and the future success of Royal Mail. This will be achieved where duty structures and attendance patterns are innovative and meet the aspirations and needs of both employees and the company.
Best practice in this area will be jointly discussed and shared at regional and national level and will be used as a source of information to assist others.
As part of the operational transformation the vast majority of full time delivery duties will start no later than 0700.

How come when we had our revision whenever an employee said what they would like to happen because of family commitments or a social life we were told it cant be done because it's not what royal mail want or its not the way royal mail want to do things.

[Ahebban]

I know a Delivery Method Revision has the option for more Saturdays off available.
Would the same apply to a Walk Sequencing Revision (inclusive of other objectives in the 6-phase process of agreeing a WSR).
I wonder if the same 'menu of options' are available to a table top revision?

[fishtank]

I wonder if the same 'menu of options' are available to a table top revision?

I would doubt it.
Innovative attendance patterns generally mean longer delivery spans.
Longer delivery spans generally mean delivery methods.
If you could get it to work then fair enough but it wouldn't be easy.

[Ahebban]

Agreed - not having the necessary equipment available to take the 'weight from the shoulder' would limit delivery to 3.5 to 4 hours max.

I would argue 4 hour delivery span via cycle even for a walk-sequencing revision, as again, the weight is not removed from the shoulder as would be the case for a delivery methods revision, thereby limiting options for more Saturdays off.

The Business Transformation Agreement has a lot to answer for - promising much at a glance but delivering little in the detail

[gary1975]

talking about saturdays off are part timers allowed a saturday off or not. as i have not had one in a year unless a holiday what is the crack can i demand one ,whats the position?

[RedBagMan]

talking about saturdays off are part timers allowed a saturday off or not. as i have not had one in a year unless a holiday what is the crack can i demand one ,whats the position?

+1

[bigcol]

talking about saturdays off are part timers allowed a saturday off or not. as i have not had one in a year unless a holiday what is the crack can i demand one ,whats the position?

1 in 3.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

talking about saturdays off are part timers allowed a saturday off or not. as i have not had one in a year unless a holiday what is the crack can i demand one ,whats the position?

If you are a reserve or a cover then you should get at least some Saturdays off during the year, normally when the duty you are covering is due theirs.

If however, you picked into a fixed day off pattern on a specific duty, then sorry until you have a revision and/or change the attendance pattern - No. Because of this I have not had a Saturday off, except leave, for 7 years.

[meercat]

talking about saturdays off are part timers allowed a saturday off or not. as i have not had one in a year unless a holiday what is the crack can i demand one ,whats the position?

You are not allowed - by law - to be treated any differently to any other employee in a similar or identical role. If as said above you are on a fixed day duty that includes working every Sat then bad luck. On the other hand if you are comming in every week and being told 'you are of tues this week' and 'you are off thurs this week' then you are being discriminated against because you are being used as a cover guy but not getting what every other cover guy gets which is a rotating Sat off with Monday (long weekend) every 5weeks.

See rep, see boss, if no luck put in a harassment form and take it further.

[Zootsuit]

Veeeeeery iiiiiiinteresting. I haven't had a scheduled Saturday off in the year I've been here and even though I have been on the same walk for a couple of months due to someone being sick I am not on the same work cycle as my partner. I just find out on Saturday morning which day off I have the following week.

I knew it didn't seem right, some people don't seem to work Saturdays at all, it's us part time whipping boys (and girls) that get stitched!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

it's us part time whipping boys (and girls) that get stitched!

Depends on the office - I am FT and have not had a Saturday off in 8 years - unless Annual Leave etc. Ptimers here seem to get rotating duties and the covers get regular Saturdays off. Not complaining though as I chose this duty knowing the fixed day off, but posting to try and stop this, FT versus PT which keeps cropping up. We have to be wary of it as its a classical union bashing tactic that RM have played for years and recently seems to be working more and more.

Which the combat of is not helped to be honest by the Winners and Losers frame of mind from HQ, and the lack of oversight of branches and rogue reps.

[gary1975]

talking about saturdays off are part timers allowed a saturday off or not. as i have not had one in a year unless a holiday what is the crack can i demand one ,whats the position?

You are not allowed - by law - to be treated any differently to any other employee in a similar or identical role. If as said above you are on a fixed day duty that includes working every Sat then bad luck. On the other hand if you are comming in every week and being told 'you are of tues this week' and 'you are off thurs this week' then you are being discriminated against because you are being used as a cover guy but not getting what every other cover guy gets which is a rotating Sat off with Monday (long weekend) every 5weeks.

See rep, see boss, if no luck put in a harassment form and take it further.

nah mate i'm not on a fixed duty as you said come in find out what you are on ,then they will change it half way through the week never a saturday ive been on a duty where the long weekend is due then you get ghosted on another turn and you get shafted,lost count how mant tuesdays in a row ive had,i pulled them on this and it was just go and see him or whoever i don't do the rota blah blah blah operational needs do they think only fulltime posties have a life

[nowt on the wireless]

We get them in Durham, there's about 15 who don't after the repick