Vacancies at HWDC?

[Johny O]

Greetings.

With our centre "Woking VOC" in a grey area at the moment as far as closure goes I was wondering if anyone knew the situation at HWDC.

Are there any vacancies there?

What do people think would be the best course of action if I were to consider transferring there, would it be best to contact the union at HWDC and try to find out the score?

I realise we are still in the early stages of possible closure (most people here think it is a done deal) but as far as I can see the best chances of a job in this area are HWDC, maybe Jubilee MC, Langley, Gatwick MC and maybe a few others.

I don't really have a lot of faith in these teams that come in and try to find us jobs so I was thinking of doing a bit of research myself as far as vacancies go.

What would members recommend my best path to tread when investigating possible vacancies at centres around the Surrey area?

I have just read in another thread that seniority is not much help and the members who are already receiving shift allowances will be given the first pick of duties that qualify for allowances.

I will have to read through the MTSF agreement to verify this.

Any advice most welcome.

Thanks.

[oggie]

Johny o, are you indoor staff or a hgv driver at woking voc?

[Johny O]

I am indoor staff.

[denhamhoop]

To Jonny O the teams who come in for the revision are Clear Choice and if they're like they were at watford when it shut down good luck.They are rarely ever there they supply all information from royal mails point of view have no understanding of resigns and job payment protection.The management will try to force you to follow the work no matter what else.Your best hope will be to try and get ur Union reps backing and fight fight all the way claiming unreasonability when they offer u a shift u have never done before and a place you cannot get to.I also wanted to go to HWDC as a 2nd option if i had not got Greenford MC but was told there were no vacancies only to lo and behold find Royal Mail advertising to outside people of jobs at HWDC.The air in the Unit Relocation teams office was very blue that afternoon>Keep faith and stick too your guns do not accept that there are no jobs elsewhere for you

[Johny O]

That's great advice Denham and I thank you for it.

I guess I really need to start looking for vacancies that are advertised on the Royal mail site and also in the local papers.

HWDC use a lot of casual staff so I have been told so this is a good place to start.

Information seems to be the name of the game, what's the union like at HWDC, indoor wise, are they any good, are they worth a call or will the door be shut in my face?

We still have not been given any dates for closure.

[wiser112]

Union at HWDC are not bad at all they do there best or close to it
the managers well thats another story
i understand a resign is happening as OPGs and whatnot are coming from mount pleasant
casual numbers have been cut down
i would try calling the CWU

[Johny O]

I understand a resign is happening as OPGs and whatnot are coming from mount pleasant
casual numbers have been cut down.
I would try calling the CWU

Any idea how many are coming over from Mount Pleasant, what sort of numbers?

Thanks.

[rainbowwarrior72]

Johnny you might be able to get into Jubilee as well they will have a shortfall of staff form the SW migration. We've got a few of the BSD boys there already also speak to your rep about vacancies at Guildford hub

[Radio]

Union at HWDC are not bad at all they do there best or close to it
the managers well thats another story
i understand a resign is happening as OPGs and whatnot are coming from mount pleasant
casual numbers have been cut down
i would try calling the CWU

I drive into HWDC every evening and what a hell-hole. My night colleagues hate that place because of the queues and staff and managers who really don't care (HWDC= Here We Don't Care). Nobody wants to work these days as a resign is taking place which has stitched up everybody. The area rep has resigned and many of the London staff want to go back. They are willing to repay all the money and just want out of there. I speak to dock staff and situation is really bad there. People are coduct coded for health and safety reasons and managers pull 2 yorks themselves when it suits them. Loads of casuals are given short term contracts.

[Martin Walsh]

There is a resign going on at HWDC where unlike many other office HWDC is actually increasing duties. There were 272 duties which came over with the inward foreign from London , not just the Mount but East and South London staff transferred.

There have been lots of problems with the resign , petitions and letters from the people who transferred from London who claimed that the majority of their duties had to go into the resign and the majority of HWDC staff had flow through duties and therefore did not have to go into a resign. The London staff had more seniority and the claim which had substance did seem to had their duties altered more than the current HWDC staff some of who had only transferred a few weeks prior.

There national talks held last week and some changes have been made. The revison allows for 162 fixed term contract staff to be made permanent and Royal Mail will have to recruit up too 200 more FTCs to fill the remaining jobs.

Someone said that the Union is good in HWDC and no one doubts they try and do the best they can in differcult circumstances and with limited experience , however the fact that the revison never went to a vote of the membership in the unit is not acceptable and weakens the whole union when some a thing happens.

The London people who have transferred are used to not only to be consulted at the end of the revison but at the start and during it.

Johnny I would suggest you wait until the consultation period starts and concludes you have at least 180 days of consultation and then we deal with the peoples issues. During this process you will have a preference exercise and if you want a transfer to HWDC then this will be action under a compulsory move and therefore it will attract MTSF.

[The wanderer]

The London people who have transferred are used to not only to be consulted at the end of the revison but at the start and during it.

Well let's hope the London boys have a positive impact there and encourage more Union involvement.

The area rep has resigned and many of the London staff want to go back.

The area rep resigned, what was his name and why did he resign?
I'm really curious to know, was it a problem at branch?

Thanks.

[britwrit]

I transfered into HWDC a year ago and worked at three other mail centres in London before that. Honestly? It's not that bad and certainly not the worst I've seen. Like a lot of other places, it really depends on which job/shift you do.

One thing I've noticed is that the workforce tends to skew young. Lots of folk in their early to mid twenties. So if you're used to being around us "oldies" (i.e. those with mortgages and families and the like,) it might feel a little diffrerent.

[Winseer]

Some big questions, now it's been 2 years since I took yorks into langley...

(1) How much do HWDC network drivers get compared to say, inner London and elsewhere outside the M25, such as ELDC, Gatwick and Rochester? (I've hunted high and low for this year's "in print" pay deal for network drivers - but do you think I could find it?)

(2) If they are recruiting, what's the deal for sideways transfer?

(3) Double Decker duties. Are there going to be any extra duties on these laid on?

(4) Under MTSF, are any offices going to actually be recruiting whilst still undergoing VRs under the MTSF?