What do you guys do when it's all over?

[POSTMAN]

Some of you seem to have been doing the xmas casual thing for years.
So is it back to JSA for most of you.

[hodge2002]

Try and find something back in my industry next year. Here's hoping!!!

[ndevr]

Try to do find another job, otherwise do a casual job at the local horse racing track over the summer.

[The Cat]

Go back on JSA and liven up my otherwise pointless life with a good gruelling struggle against Angard over holiday pay

[Rhys0]

I left work as a Casual in mid 2012 after eight months... trained up and got a job as a teacher at a local secondary school in London.

Working for Angard has pretty much left me immune to any bullshit the kids can pull; the benefit of perspective. We had a kid try to incinerate the classroom a few weeks back with a can of Lynx and a lighter. I'd still take immolation to working for Angard.

Angard is a sham company that treats its 'employees' with a level of contempt that's breath taking. I went a month without pay and when I phoned up their bullshit premium rate phone line to ask how exactly I was expected to survive without any money, I was treated like I was taking an absolute f***ing liberty. Ninety percent of their staff would be excellent candidates for retrograde abortions. Their system for contacting the payroll; ie, you can't, is a lesson in controlling your blood pressure.

So, Angard/RM take a load of people from vulnerable financial backgrounds and throw them in with sod all promise of actual work. Most of the time you're simply on the books. If you're lucky enough to get actual consistent work you've got the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head all the time; you never know if the shift you're on is going to be your last. Whilst that's the nature of agency work, the way you're treated by your managers is pretty much on a par with your average plant life. You're spoken to like a piece of s**t scraped off their shoes. My favourite was the day shift manager at my old site; the c*** used to walk around like Tony Montana. Everyone seemed to be afraid of him, except for the long term regulars who all knew that he was brilliant at intimidating women and those dumb enough to believe his hype, but that he was an absolute tart if you stood your ground. His favourite past time was hanging around outside having a cigarette whilst surrounded by his entourage of junior lackeys kissing his ass; most of whom were constantly knifing each other in the back to be the flavour of the week. You'd sit there as a Casual, most of us on JSA, while he sat there loudly going on about how he was getting his swimming pool done whilst looking over at us with this sort of arrogant little sneer on his face. Nice bloke.
The junior managers, the lackeys, are still some of the funniest people I've ever met in a work environment. We had a lot of university leavers; pleasant for the most part, but ruthless little f***ers aware they were out of their depth and, in some cases, with worse job security than us. We usually had one of these clowns in charge of us on PPI. Our one was at heart, I think, a nice lad that had found himself in a job he really didn't want to do, but had got caught up in targets, assessments and the general ethos of senior managerial stupidity. He'd pop out for a fag every five minutes; but God help us if we tried to go for one after a few hours. As a Casual you were under no illusions that you were a second class worker in regards to treatment.

Their favourite line was 'work really hard, and you'll get a full time job here'. That was absolute garbage from the get go; I know of no one in the time I was there or since that's gained a full time position; which is hardly surprising when they were refusing EVR and screwing regulars over left and right. If they're going to be treated with contempt, we had no chance.

f**k knows why I'm writing this; probably because I never really bothered to tell anyone about my time working for RM, so figured I'd get it off my chest here and now if anyone's bothered to read it.

The positives were I met a lot of good people; honest and very hard working, regulars and casuals alike. The long term regulars were brilliant people for the most part and over time the distinction between us as Casuals from the rest of the work force blurred to nothing. When you're all in the same river of s**t, it's hard to have distinctions. As a white boy I was in the minority by a good 85% but there was never any racial tension; morale amongst fellow staff members was generally very good, which is further proof that really, your mates are one of the few things that keep you sane in f***ing awful jobs.

The problem with the job, Angard being about as much use as a cock flavoured lollipop aside, are the managers; most of them are clue less arseholes. Far too many of them resort to trying to intimidate you to get the job done; we had one bloke in distribution that thought he was an Indian version of the Terminator; the Hinduminator, in other words. He used to walk around with an incredible Bermondsey Bop. He behaved the way he did because of pressure I suspect; I swear he aged about thirty years in the time I was there. The other explanation, of course, was that he was a c***.

Take your pick.

So, in conclusion, if you're starting down the path of being a RM Casual, understand a few things.

1) No one cares if you work really hard. You're not getting a full time job and sooner or later you'll be shown the door.
2) You're completely and utterly disposable. Have no midguided belief that you actually matter.
3) Angard do not give a flying fuckeroo whether or not you're paid on time, or properly, in Pound Sterling, Drachma, or anything else because ultimately, please refer to rule 2.

Good luck to all of you; I really do wish you the best. I probably even worked with a few of you; who knows. Here's hoping bigger and better things for you in the future.

[Sidley]

Would read again, may all your endeavours reap success and keep kicking against the pr**s. God knows there's enough of them.

[payetwhu]

do they never ask u to stay on after then nah?

[Motherwell18]

I was asked to stay on last year but by that time I'd had enough of it and my feet were aching, so I made my excuses.

On our last day we cleared the whole place, so I can only assume it meant moving to another centre

[goggler]

yeh i've done it about 4 years now. Not last year though they messed up my application so i didnt get contacted.

Probably back onto jsa i guess unless i manage to find another job which i doubt. Kinda keeps me sane getting to atleast work 1month every year. And gives me a chance to stay afloat pay of overdue bills buy new cloths etc. Wouldnt be able to keep going without it.

I do miss how it was when I first started royal mail xmas work though through reed. 2-3months work at xmas then not 3weeks. was getting 92hrs a week 12hrs a day most days. Higher pay i was getting almost £10 a hour for my night work which i was happy with as a temp. managed to earn about £3,000 in 1month first xmas i worked their, and the kitchens were awesome roast dinners for £1.50.

Kinda went down hill from then though shorter work, less hours, lower wage and kitchen was closed if you were a temp. which if u are doing a 8hrs shift and you can see everyone in their eating roasts and chips and stuff and you have a sandwich kinda sucks :(

Still easy work and I need the money so i do it . Though its not enough alone anymore so im hoping to do 2 xmas jobs

[Garshin]

Some of you seem to have been doing the xmas casual thing for years.
So is it back to JSA for most of you.

Usually Xmas JSA then back in Jan on deliveries covering for holidays/catalogue avoiders. That can last til Seasonal work at the seaside, then repeat process. Unless like me you totally trash your wrist half way through February [& discover why you never see 1-armed postmen]. Long given up on who's responsible for the injury - Angard/RM/me for tripping over in 1st place....

[waveydavy]

As a year-round Angard casual, I look forward to being laid off again this Christmas. I suppose I'd better sign on until January.

[freelunch]

As a year-round Angard casual, I look forward to being laid off again this Christmas. I suppose I'd better sign on until January.

As an ex-Angard casual, I can only dream of being laid off for Christmas

Hope they keep you busy, fingers crossed for you

[waveydavy]

Thank you. Very doubtful though. Cheap labour etc.