Transfer queue to doll queue

[Likemercury29]

Apologies for the length of this, it is a letter I am sending out trying to get read by the top brass
"I am a full-time permanent postman in London. I am coming to the end of my extended paternity leave after my fiance and myself started a family and my son is now a bouncing 1 year old. I have been a postman for 7 years starting as part time and upgrading to full time after a successful transfer from a delivery office in Norfolk to my now permanent office in London 6 years ago. At that time I joined the transfer list and was fortunate enough that a position became open so I jumped at it.
We have decided to move back to Norfolk to be closer to family and I was hoping to do the same again. After ringing HR to find out again about transferring I was told, by a particularly blunt and uncaring 'HR' adviser, that the transfer list does not exist any more and I would have to apply in the same way as everyone else looking for work.
I have to say that after 7 years of hard work for the company I felt like I was being chucked on the proverbial scrap heap. I explored other avenues but kept being told to APPLY ONLINE, I even traveled up to Norfolk to my old office to speak to the manager. He refused to speak to me and said through a messenger, as everyone else has told me, APPLY ONLINE. Do we mean so little as royal mail employees these days? Does the years of service mean nothing? Do I not have the skills required to do the job?
I understand if there are no vacancies there is nowhere to go, surely though if you want the right people for the job the transfer pool was the best place to look? Why has it been done away with? Cutting costs again?
I also understand you have to advertise externally so I did as I was told and went online. A job came up in Norfolk, 16 hours a week post-person, I sat there and filled in all the forms online, all my details, did the online tests. I honestly figured that being as experienced as I am it would be simple.
I received an email saying 'after your tests you do not have the SKILLS REQUIRED' What have I been doing 40 hours a week for the last 7 years!! I have an impeccable record, am well regarded in my office by colleagues and management as a hard conscientious worker. I take the response to my application and this whole process as an insult to my commitment to Royal mail. This along with so many other things that happens to employees these days is just plain wrong. I AM saying that I was the best candidate for this job as I have the experience and years to prove it. I didn't even get an interview. Disgusted. I am critical of the online testing process. I don't know how I did but it couldn't have been that bad. I am no fool and can read. In my 7 years on the job I have never had to compare telephone numbers on a computer whilst being timed. I have had to get up at 4:30 in the cold and rain 6 days a week and do a 5 mile delivery in the snow. Test for that.
It is my choice to move and I am not expecting a position to be made for me. I am expecting to be top of the list as I know how to do the job as isn't that what you need to get a job? Experience and qualifications? I have both in spades.
I am now looking at the prospect of unemployment due to this blatant disregard for the care and well being of existing staff members. I AM looking for preferential treatment, I think we deserve it. I and so many others like me ARE the best people for the job. We have proved it. Taking away any opportunity to transfer and stay within royal mail has removed my family security and made me feel like my commitment over the last 7 years has been a waste of time, for that I am ashamed of the treatment I have received from a company I have held quite dear to my heart. I am not asking for more pay, more holiday or even a full time job, part-time would be fine, I just want to work and provide for my family doing a job I know inside out. Well done royal mail. After the new inexperienced post persons employed have mis-delivered for the 10th time, brought work back, gone sick and the barrage of customer complaints, I hope getting rid of the experienced postman was worth it. I have never been much on conspiracy theories by postman and Royal Mail wanting to get rid of us experienced postman, I always figured that our hard work would shine through. Apparently no. Knowing how the business runs this along with so many other things implemented within the system is yet another nail in the coffin of the company. Can anyone help

[k979aaa]

Fulltimer = death sentence for a transfer.

[SpacePhoenix]

Have you tried contacting any of the DOMs in the area that you're moving to, it may be worth a shot

[Cedar_Room]

I've mentioned it on here before,I am full time & have been waiting over 6yrs for a move to my local office!

I know for a fact there are f/t's down there who have had buy down's to 25hrs,taken the money & continue to make their hours up to 39/40 via Docket.

As soon as a Full Timer leaves they are replaced with a Part Timer & the spare hours are mopped up by Overtime,so I guess I'm doomed.

[Likemercury29]

The point in me writing this letter to the top brass was because there is no transfer list anymore. To move to a different office you have to agree it locally. To move to a different area you, in affect, have to re-apply. I did so and was told I don't have the skills. It's a disgrace and in my eyes another getting rid of the list or pool save money and gets rid of full-timers.

[Likemercury29]

Latest update after a phone call to HR. this guy was a lot more helpful. There is still possibilities internally. Go onto the intranet and set up alerts on IRIS so you will be notified of available positions before they go live to the public. You can then apply that way and they will know the application is coming internally. Manager should have known this.

[cyberheater]

Clearly a company that values it's staff...

[wacko74]

Excellent post/letter...very well said. Have you sent this to 'tell Moya' or whatever it's called?

The fact that such a big, national company can't even bothered to have some form of internal transfer system in place is for me the perfect example of just what utter contempt and sneering disregard our wonderful employers hold for us, the workforce.

I would say ''we're just a number to them'' but I don't even think they regard us as that important!

[mandelsons_toenail]

Two full time colleagues recently transferred to other delivery office across the uk with full time contracts

[Likemercury29]

Its good to see a lot of interest in this. I have been on this all day trying to get some straight answers. I have spoken to HR again. There is a lot of talk of the RMG internal site that appears only available on PSP now. So see the governor.
I have been contacted by the CWU who have shown a lot of interest in my letter and have been a real great help, they have sent me the Transfer Guide published march 2012 explaining all. It is available on the RM intranet on and off PSP.
Bottom line is the pool is now gone. You have to identify the position you want to transfer too by setting up alerts or just looking everyday. You can only transfer to a permanent job and you have to wait. The problem is there are no permanent jobs being offered so your wait may be a long one. Catch 22. My point was we should still have first refusal on any jobs offered. Its tough out there and we at least deserve some sort of security.
All this palaver was started by a very ill-advised HR 'adviser' telling me absolute rubbish. It does seem like this whole system is floored though.

[Likemercury29]

Two full time colleagues recently transferred to other delivery office across the uk with full time contracts

Congrats to them. They are the lucky ones. It can happen. The chances these days are all but gone. Who has an office with a governor getting staff as apposed to cutting staff? I know that nearly every office in west london has vacancies but the fight to fill them is being lost. Meanwhile absorb absorb absorb

[flaminmoses]

HR told me when i was sacked that as i was summary dismissed i was due no holiday i had accrued.

now if i was sacked for stealing then i could understand that....because that acrued holiday would be used to repay some value that was stolen.

fortunatley i had dealt with parts of employment law for the best part of 2 decades so i knew they were talking ****.

they havent a clue basically and imo have not been trained.

problems is you really have to ring up more than once to get a an "idea"...shambles of a set up.