ANNOUNCEMENT : ALL OF ROYAL MAIL'S EMPLOYMENT POLICIES (AGREEMENTS) AT A GLANCE (Updated 2021)... HERE

ANNOUNCEMENT : PLEASE BE AWARE WE ARE NOT ON FACEBOOK AT ALL!

Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
Sergeant Blast
Posts: 140
Joined: 24 Feb 2010, 22:09
Gender: Male
Location: Up North

Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by Sergeant Blast »

Will RM ever take the well being of its delivery staff seriously? The revisions have led us to walk unrealistic distances each day. We all seem to be complaining about painful knees, hips, backs etc. Yet have RM introduced better footwear to protect our bodies? NO! It's about time we were provided with shoes that cushion and protect our feet. CAT trainers are crap and the others aren't much better and are too heavy for summer use. Of course none provided have ever been waterproof. How about getting a company like ECCO to supply our footwear? It's a bloody disgrace that this company are literally crippling its delivery staff. It's about time the union forced action on this issue too. I'm fed up of living in almost constant pain. Enough is enough!
Captain Scarlet
Posts: 322
Joined: 02 Jul 2007, 15:23
Location: Fifer

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by Captain Scarlet »

If enough people complain to the Union Outdoor Sec. will he not do something about it, my shoes are lasting 6 months on delivery :crazy:
tb35
Posts: 40
Joined: 09 Jun 2010, 19:00
Gender: Male

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by tb35 »

Captain Scarlet wrote:If enough people complain to the Union Outdoor Sec. will he not do something about it, my shoes are lasting 6 months on delivery :crazy:
your lucky my cat trainers last me two months!!!!
Sergeant Blast
Posts: 140
Joined: 24 Feb 2010, 22:09
Gender: Male
Location: Up North

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by Sergeant Blast »

Well I've just emailed Hayley Nutley about this. She is the senior secretary on the outdoor section. If others do the same maybe they will realise how strongly many of us feel about this. Email address is hnutley@cwu.org
spen
Posts: 531
Joined: 18 Jan 2011, 19:53
Gender: Male

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by spen »

Nobody in my do has been able to get any shoes/cats for months,,no matter what size you want there always out of stock. Were wearing our own footwear at the mo
krussel
Posts: 5300
Joined: 26 Jan 2009, 18:03
Gender: Male
Location: Out on the streets.

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by krussel »

We once were given a genuine pair of Clarkes £50 shoes. I saw them in the shop and other than a logo stamped in the leather they were the same. Thet were great both light and waterproof. Everyone was more than happy with them and no one complained. They did wear out quickly but had good grip in the wet.

Of course once RM found out they could offer us much cheaper rubbish they were withdrawn and we have had sub standard rubbish ever since. :sad:
Rows of houses all bearing down on me........I can feel their blue hands touching me.......All these things in all positions.........All these things will one day take control..........
Brain Fury
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 664
Joined: 07 Apr 2011, 18:03
Gender: Male

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by Brain Fury »

krussel wrote:We once were given a genuine pair of Clarkes £50 shoes. I saw them in the shop and other than a logo stamped in the leather they were the same. Thet were great both light and waterproof. Everyone was more than happy with them and no one complained. They did wear out quickly but had good grip in the wet.

Of course once RM found out they could offer us much cheaper rubbish they were withdrawn and we have had sub standard rubbish ever since. :sad:
Not true actually. Clarkes might have been £50 plus in the shops but RM didn't pay anything like that for them. The reason they and the DMs were withdrawn was because they weren't slip resistant enough. The replacements weren't any cheaper. RM was always going to be on a loser with trainers because they aren't designed to be worn all day every day.
Beaker54
Posts: 27
Joined: 15 Oct 2009, 18:46
Gender: Female

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by Beaker54 »

Most of our office have the CAT trainers and as our rounds are 4 to 5 hours they last about 2 months in the wet they are lethal when will Royal Mail stop cutting corners and get us some decent footwear getting us cheap crap must be costing them a fortune
beria
Posts: 35
Joined: 30 Apr 2012, 05:36
Gender: Male

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by beria »

The answer is AMMO boots! :chuckle
P13
Posts: 1016
Joined: 11 Oct 2007, 14:35
Gender: Male

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by P13 »

Captain Scarlet wrote:If enough people complain to the Union Outdoor Sec. will he not do something about it, my shoes are lasting 6 months on delivery :crazy:
Your delivery must be too short if they are lasting 6 months :Very Happy :wave
DB1100
Posts: 1976
Joined: 10 Sep 2007, 14:30

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by DB1100 »

beria wrote:The answer is AMMO boots! :chuckle
Burnt with a spoon and bulled.
For we were soldiers once,and young
lhb
Posts: 19
Joined: 17 Oct 2008, 18:20
Gender: Male

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by lhb »

Althought RM have always said there is nothing wrong with the Cat trainers, they are/were trialing 2 new types of waterproof trainer recently.

A few months ago I asked my DOM for new Cat trainers, the reply was 'NO, you've had your ration'. Luckily my Line manger returned from holiday, asked why I was wearing worn out shoes, and ordered me new Cats. I can only assume the the cost of footware comes out of my DOMS bonus. Probably the same reason he refuses to pay docket.
DB1100
Posts: 1976
Joined: 10 Sep 2007, 14:30

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by DB1100 »

lhb wrote:Althought RM have always said there is nothing wrong with the Cat trainers, they are/were trialing 2 new types of waterproof trainer recently.

A few months ago I asked my DOM for new Cat trainers, the reply was 'NO, you've had your ration'. Luckily my Line manger returned from holiday, asked why I was wearing worn out shoes, and ordered me new Cats. I can only assume the the cost of footware comes out of my DOMS bonus. Probably the same reason he refuses to pay docket.
Only trouble with waterproof footwear is it makes your feet sweat really bad,and that can be worse than having wet feet.I cannot see royal mail having winter and summer trainers so it will be terrible in summer.
For we were soldiers once,and young
ploppy
Posts: 39
Joined: 11 May 2013, 18:11
Gender: Male

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by ploppy »

beria wrote:The answer is AMMO boots! :chuckle
They were not waterproof either and you had to learn to walk again in them.Until you had got the hang of them you either minced or spent most of the time on your arse.
Silly Sarah
Posts: 112
Joined: 06 May 2010, 22:13
Gender: Female
Location: wild west

Re: Footwear Not Fit For Purpose

Post by Silly Sarah »

I ache every day after my delivery. I would rather buy a decent pair myself. Of course if I then fall or trip I risk being disciplined. RM bang on about H&S and reducing accidents etc but we know they don't really care, its just more propaganda.
What have I done to deserve this?