Rant Already

[Rafiki]

Seems the Monday to Friday at the centre I'm located at has been reduced. Monday to Wednesday done. Thursday night, you are not needed, Friday night come back in, What on the social night of the week? Monday you are not needed. What was the point in accepting Christmas Casual Work if the hours are then just reduced by the line manager? It's not on, I was relying on this 4-5 weeks for Christmas, the money is poor without the cut the weekly wage after tax is like £150 anyway. It's just appalling. Working a night shift at £6.20 is bad enough, but then with these hours cut the cash I gain is going to be way low.

I know there are plenty of people out there who would all but willingly replace me, and I should be grateful that I have been given some work. I just expected November/December time to be nothing but extended hours on top of what you have done. I worked with Angard last year and despite all the messing about, I will probably earn more with them in that three weeks than I will do 5 with the Mail this year. It's a longer travel, the hours are getting cut, you don't get paid for the 40 minute lunch. I'm just annoyed. It's even worse for some of the other people who have been told not to attend, when they are much older than I am, have to support theirselves, partners etc.

Just not on.

[NWpostie]

Looks like the lessons of Angard fiasco last year have not been learned and I'm not surprised.

[jaym]

Hi Rafiki,
That's terrible news, do you know if you have lost those nights for good this Christmas or is it because you have been called in comparitively early so the volume of mail has not yet picked up enough in the system? Will you get those nights back when the volume of mail picks up closer to Christmas?

[Rafiki]

Hi Rafiki,
That's terrible news, do you know if you have lost those nights for good this Christmas or is it because you have been called in comparitively early so the volume of mail has not yet picked up enough in the system? Will you get those nights back when the volume of mail picks up closer to Christmas?

I honestly don't have a clue. It seems to be day to day news. I was only told last night not to bother attending on Thursday. It's just crap though, because we are only on a temporary 4 or 5 week contract anyway, you take just one day away and the wage suddenly looks even more rubbish than it already is. If I was on a longer contract I wouldn't have reason to moan because I know I would be working again, but the Christmas Casual jobs are only until Christmas. It's just crap knowing you may not even be working the full length.

Seems to be plenty of work available. I saw absolutely loads of yorks coming in with mail on them, but no I wouldn't say it is at it's busiest just yet.

One aspect is the same in the mail place. The staff like to pull their faces at the ones in the light coloured hi viz's :). They all seem to be the boss in that place, all dishing out different rules. This is coming from the Royal Mail staff not the managers.

[bluesmurf]

Hi Rafiki,
That's terrible news, do you know if you have lost those nights for good this Christmas or is it because you have been called in comparitively early so the volume of mail has not yet picked up enough in the system? Will you get those nights back when the volume of mail picks up closer to Christmas?

I honestly don't have a clue. It seems to be day to day news. I was only told last night not to bother attending on Thursday. It's just crap though, because we are only on a temporary 4 or 5 week contract anyway, you take just one day away and the wage suddenly looks even more rubbish than it already is. If I was on a longer contract I wouldn't have reason to moan because I know I would be working again, but the Christmas Casual jobs are only until Christmas. It's just crap knowing you may not even be working the full length.

Seems to be plenty of work available. I saw absolutely loads of yorks coming in with mail on them, but no I wouldn't say it is at it's busiest just yet.

One aspect is the same in the mail place. The staff like to pull their faces at the ones in the light coloured hi viz's :). They all seem to be the boss in that place, all dishing out different rules. This is coming from the Royal Mail staff not the managers.

£6.20 for a night shift is terrible, just 1p about minimum wage. The day workers get paid more than that where I am, I think they are on £6.95.

Work has been somewhat slow where we are, often they have moved us from doing the packets for the postcode area we are in to the 2nd class stuff, which I assume the day workers do mainly, as there was a lot of it by the end of the night just sitting there. Also group of people who were meant to be doing letters have also been put on packets many times this week where I am, mainly as there were not enough letters for them. Hopefully it should pick up in the next few weeks and they will ask you to do Saturday's on some weeks.

[viki83]

Seems the Monday to Friday at the centre I'm located at has been reduced. Monday to Wednesday done. Thursday night, you are not needed, Friday night come back in, What on the social night of the week? Monday you are not needed. What was the point in accepting Christmas Casual Work if the hours are then just reduced by the line manager? It's not on, I was relying on this 4-5 weeks for Christmas, the money is poor without the cut the weekly wage after tax is like £150 anyway. It's just appalling. Working a night shift at £6.20 is bad enough, but then with these hours cut the cash I gain is going to be way low.

I know there are plenty of people out there who would all but willingly replace me, and I should be grateful that I have been given some work. I just expected November/December time to be nothing but extended hours on top of what you have done. I worked with Angard last year and despite all the messing about, I will probably earn more with them in that three weeks than I will do 5 with the Mail this year. It's a longer travel, the hours are getting cut, you don't get paid for the 40 minute lunch. I'm just annoyed. It's even worse for some of the other people who have been told not to attend, when they are much older than I am, have to support theirselves, partners etc.

Just not on.

Are you talking about Stockport MDEC night shifts ?

[Rafiki]

Are you talking about Stockport MDEC night shifts ?

No, I was talking about the Manchester Mail Centre.

I just don't want to be coming away feeling I have wasted my time earning a very small amount. If you take tax, transport, rent etc into consideration even at my young age then I need to be doing as many hours as possible. If they are taking days away then I'm not really earning anything.
'
I'm just hoping it doesn't happen from now on until the day I leave. Overtime is not a problem, I'll do it if offered, as I want to get as much cash as possible.

[jaym]

Rafifki
Are you claiming Tax Credits on top as that might help a bit ? As I think you are eligable? From what I remember you need to be doing 30 hours a week or more and the job must last a min of 4 weeks? So Based on that you qualify. I think you can apply for them online but I'm not shure if they are back datable? A problem might be you may not know have the min 4 weeks left on your contract? But I'd still attempt an online tax credits application as soon as possible anyway, as it's a case of nothing ventured nothing gained as it doesn't cost anything to apply.