National Delivery Review

[dvbuk55]

Perhaps dingo would like to enlighten us on what the new incentive scheme involves in this competitive supermarket - hope it's not magic beans.

[chrisj]

I still think it is too presumptuous for the Union to say at this very early stage that they have stopped this and that.

Sure a commitment followed by legal protection is in place but breaking up, franchising etc of all the examples given and of any company did not start immediately after privatisation. Royal Mail has only being privatised for about 4 months+

Furthermore, the government still own some shares in RM so talking about profiteers at this early stage is too premature. They will definitely be there to feature more heavily when the final traunch is sold - they are building up a stake and only time will tell what will happen - for better or worse...

Lets just hope the Review is totally honest and transparent. But a Unit Rep claiming that not one psotie comes in early or not take the meal relief is somewhat dubious; especially given the set up of the office with some many 20+ hours staff, pt staff asked to come in early (why?) and incompatible finishing times.

[Lincox]

The trouble is with efficiency targets Dingo, is that on paper by manipulating figures you can make anything more efficient.
It is the poor sods at the coal face that have to make those paper efficiencies work and at the moment Royal Mail and the CWU are treading dangerously close to some serious health and safety issues and in many areas stepping over the precipice.
Will it take one or two cases of corporate manslaughter to make them face up to the realities that there is a vast difference in the physical and mental capabilities of each individual and that they are ultimately responsible for the well being of each individual whilst at work, and that a one size fits all attitude could be deemed as gross negligence.

[dvbuk55]

Dingo says its about agreeing realistic efficiency targets but it's already been demonstrated that neither RM nor the union KNOW what a realistic work load is by their own admission otherwise the problems within deliveries would have been resolved in the agreement.

[BernardBresslaw]

"We've already stopped a two-tier workforce"

Erm, no you haven't. In fact there's more tiers than on a wedding cake! If you have offices in London doing less work than an office in Dundee, then that IS a two-tier workforce, as they are doing less work for the same pay!

[chrisj]

It is the poor sods at the coal face that have to make those paper efficiencies work and at the moment Royal Mail and the CWU are treading dangerously close to some serious health and safety issues and in many areas stepping over the precipice.
Will it take one or two cases of corporate manslaughter to make them face up to the realities that there is a vast difference in the physical and mental capabilities of each individual and that they are ultimately responsible for the well being of each individual whilst at work, and that a one size fits all attitude could be deemed as gross negligence.

Very sensible post. Working every minute, every hour is fine in theory but sickness and stress level has to be taken into consideration... I know the attendance and sickness procedure is fine on paper but managers are under so much pressure with budgets that they are putting undue pressure on some staff...

We need to find what is a reasonable standard and pace of work for the 'average' and then tailor that to the individual who might be on the wrong side of average for whatever reasons.

As long as posties are reasonably honest with the Review, most of the issues will be revealed. I am particularly interested in the Industrial Engineers contributions.

[dvbuk55]

"We've already stopped a two-tier workforce"

Erm, no you haven't. In fact there's more tiers than on a wedding cake! If you have offices in London doing less work than an office in Dundee, then that IS a two-tier workforce, as they are doing less work for the same pay!

Erm - actually more money Outside of London you also have the FT/PT two tier workforce, the PT workforce are definitely treated in a different manner as anyone with a large proportion of PT ers will know.

[chrisj]

The thing is how come some offices end up with so many part time staff... Surely, as a member or even as a Rep we cannot control who and what contract our employer/manager decides to employee?

Once someone is employed, what can you do?

Or are those offices to blame, again.

* It is not only that the Part timers are treated differently - with very little slack and often working over because they are being rushed, pushed, cajoled or even subtly threatened or blackmailed.

But, having so many part timers also affect the whole ways of working - for example the FT/PT combo that sort of bypasses seniority and difficulty of getting more saturdays off (unless in offices where they are 'clever' and geographically located to employ part timers that specifically work on saturdays - even just on saturdays).

Or offices where there are just a few part timers that can simply outvote the part timers when it comes to preferences. There was no way we could have voted for anything other than a 1 in 6 in my office - why would the established part timers and even the new ones vote to either work most saturdays or have hours reduced to accommodate others or why would anyone accept having mostly Tuesdays off?

[BernardBresslaw]

"We've already stopped a two-tier workforce"

Erm, no you haven't. In fact there's more tiers than on a wedding cake! If you have offices in London doing less work than an office in Dundee, then that IS a two-tier workforce, as they are doing less work for the same pay!

Erm - actually more money Outside of London you also have the FT/PT two tier workforce, the PT workforce are definitely treated in a different manner as anyone with a large proportion of PT ers will know.

I was going to mention that but the 'cost of living' argument is a fair one, to a point.

[dvbuk55]

"We've already stopped a two-tier workforce"

Erm, no you haven't. In fact there's more tiers than on a wedding cake! If you have offices in London doing less work than an office in Dundee, then that IS a two-tier workforce, as they are doing less work for the same pay!

Erm - actually more money Outside of London you also have the FT/PT two tier workforce, the PT workforce are definitely treated in a different manner as anyone with a large proportion of PT ers will know.

I was going to mention that but the 'cost of living' argument is a fair one, to a point.

To a point is correct, but I'll bet there are people down there on minimum wage - take the cleaner for that minister for example, who's probably claiming benefits as well.

[daveyeff]

dingo, you say improved efficiency can come from MORE d2ds, MORE packets, MORE delivery points. how will these aims be achieved?? from the current workforce?? do you not think delivery staff are doing enough now? if this is the ideas of the cwu as well as royal mail then you's need to get a serious look at the reality of working at a d.o. on park and loop. it simply CANNOT happen. automation was supposed to do away with the vast majority of indoor work but it hasnt. we have staff sorting on the primary for almost 3 hours in the mornings. our office had 4 lots of d2ds last week so it took posties an hour to prep and sort them into frames BEFORE a letter was even touched. they put extra staff on in the mornings to come in on overtime to help get it cleared. they have part timers coming in early every day on overtime just so they dont get as many handbacks.! but it still isnt enough. people hand back every day so it has to be covered on overtime. more d2ds more packets and more delivery points will make it worse. mail is not declining, they are manipulating figures. if it was on the decline would tnt be trying to get into a market that is in decline. no. the top brass of the royal mail and cwu need to do the job at the factory floor level for a month to realise the job cannot be done in the timescales and the workload is too much....yet you's STILL want more?? get a grip.

[janitor]

That along with the fact that shareholders stated just after privatisation, that staff levels could be reduced further, so more work and less staff.

[daveyeff]

you cant get a pint into a half glass,,end of. they live in cloud cuckoo land

[BernardBresslaw]

you cant get a pint into a half glass,,end of. they live in cloud cuckoo land

Sadly it sounds like the union leaders are cohabiting with them.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Now improved efficiency can come from a range of things automation , circulation changes ie Mail centre closures , improved working methods , resourcing to work load , more door to door , more packets , more delivery points and numerous of other issues.

The CWU and Royal Mail now have to review what is Royal mails current plan on efficiency to see if it is accurate , realistic , sustainable and achievable? You see if you have an office say at 100 BSI but 20 people are coming in early then they are not working at 100 they are work less but because those figures do not reflect the fact someone is coming in before their time then it assumed that the indoor performance is being clears only by the hours which the revision agreed.

It's now about making sure that we agree what is a. Realistic efficiency target.

Its also about getting reps into offices where the Union is not represented, strong offices will be ok during AFG implementation, weak or poorly represented will be turned over and if the CWU just shrug their shoulders and blame the staff, then they will have made the final step in morphing into another level of management. I hope this never happens because if it does AFG will be remembered as the CWUs suicide note.