A stop to early starters

[SierraOscarBravo]

I start at the correct time I am supposed to and not a minute before. I also will not work over my finish time and not get paid for it. Unfortunately in my office there are scores of colleagues who come in early (40 minutes or an hour or more). There are a couple of mugs who work together on park & loop and when I signed in at the start of my duty the other day (half an hour before they are supposed to start) I noticed they had all their door to doors in, sequenced thrown in and packets all sorted. This is nothing but panicking. When I do that walk or any walk I always start at the correct time and most days I complete it within the time. If I don't I book the overtime. Simple.

[Hitcher]

This has just been introduced at our office this week - start at proper times and take meal breaks - but within a day the linos were apparently telling their favourites they can still come in early and finish early!

[bogstandard]

They were told if they went on their own frames they would be taken down the conduct code.

That's what you call dumping the rep in the deep and smelly stuff.
While I can't condone starting early and applaud his intentions I wouldn't accept a member being conducted for something like that.

this is a really good post because what has been missed or overlooked is the possibility that the rep has raised their concerns that these actions of those coming in early are queering the pitch and the DOM has gone in feet first. Or so it appears at firs glance.
As you have suggested FT you wouldn't accept members being conduct coded for this, so now you are in the office defending it, thus producing the outcome the DOM wanted of dishing out more absorption.

[Plod]

It is the norm at our delivery office for staff to start before their scheduled time even post revision with new outdoor delivery methods employed and van sharing now in. The vast majority of 120+ are in 30mins to over 2hours in the worst cases. Only a small minority of staff start at their correct time. Often less than 10 staff take their daily meal break Monday to Friday which they are supposed to take before leaving on delivery (20 + 20 min split - 20 mins before you go out and 20 off the end of your duty time). Saturday it is usually only 4 people taking a break. 99% of the staff fail to do their proper vehicle checks on a daily basis instead using the 15 mins as extra prep or sorting time. The majority of the staff prep D2D in their own time rather than work time. Some buffoons even come in to work on annual leave weeks and floaters to prep these items on a Saturday morning after everyone has gone out on delivery so they are all done for when they restart work again on the Monday! Hardly any of the people on delivery are using trolleys with nearly all having heavy filled mail pouches on their shoulders so they can race about more easily.

Whilst daily attendance finish times are staggered, the first full time staff start coming back around 1215 with most done by 1330 as a result of cutting corners when scheduled finish will vary between 1408 and 1458. Absorption will be back soon big time as a result of these idiots actions. Neither the majority of staff themselves,the CWU or management are interested in changing these bad practices despite a briefing pre-revision that meal breaks would be enforced,staff would not be allowed to start early etc.

[Postie45]

It is the norm at our delivery office for staff to start before their scheduled time even post revision with new outdoor delivery methods employed and van sharing now in. The vast majority of 120+ are in 30mins to over 2hours in the worst cases. Only a small minority of staff start at their correct time. Often less than 10 staff take their daily meal break Monday to Friday which they are supposed to take before leaving on delivery (20 + 20 min split - 20 mins before you go out and 20 off the end of your duty time). Saturday it is usually only 4 people taking a break. 99% of the staff fail to do their proper vehicle checks on a daily basis instead using the 15 mins as extra prep or sorting time. The majority of the staff prep D2D in their own time rather than work time. Some buffoons even come in to work on annual leave weeks and floaters to prep these items on a Saturday morning after everyone has gone out on delivery so they are all done for when they restart work again on the Monday! Hardly any of the people on delivery are using trolleys with nearly all having heavy filled mail pouches on their shoulders so they can race about more easily.

Whilst daily attendance finish times are staggered, the first full time staff start coming back around 1215 with most done by 1330 as a result of cutting corners when scheduled finish will vary between 1408 and 1458. Absorption will be back soon big time as a result of these idiots actions. Neither the majority of staff themselves,the CWU or management are interested in changing these bad practices despite a briefing pre-revision that meal breaks would be enforced,staff would not be allowed to start early etc.

this happens a lot in many offices. If I were you id make a point of signing in and out, so if any added absorption comes in you can point to the fact that youve not been making any time previously so wont be able to take in any extra work load.

[SierraOscarBravo]

Can someone please explain how an early starter who routinely comes in 40 minutes to an hour early to prep his d2d and sequenced mail in can then have the nerve to protest to his line manager that he is not working a minute over his time? I cannot get my head around this.

[Cornishpostie44]

I returned from two weeks leave to discover that this ****t has all but killed my rural delivery and I wish there was something I could do about it. My hours are 07 30-15 30 so I arrive at 07 25 and basically do the job properly, D2D's, two meal reliefs and so forth. I appreciate the fact that I have enough time and finish on time as a rule. After far too many years I recognise that cutting corners is counter productive.
Anyway, this reserve chap decided to come in at least an hour early (sometimes more) every day, didn't take his breaks and ran around like an idiot, the usual story I know. What makes it worse is that he drove back to office at midday every day (11 30 on saturday wtf!?) THREE hours before me! I know he's already an hour and forty mins ahead but I'm no slouch when in delivery mode. Today several of my regulars informed me that he was literally running...

Imho it's unforgiveable that he did this, we are undergoing a post-revision revision and we all know what results from such actions. I took him to task about it today, a vacant look, a waste of my time.

[lovehunter]

Has the early starters began creeping in again or has the DOM stayed on top of it???

[eastie]

I start normal start times and when I do my redirections and missorts the other early starters have either bagged up or left.
redirections are 1st class but the DOM doesn't want to know

[wabbithunta]

Never thought I would see this day! The DOM (who is normally an a***hole) gathered us all together yesterday morning and informed us that effective immediately no-one would be allowed to come in early to throw their own sequenced mail in. If they wanted to come in before their official start time they were welcome to sort letters on the IPS or packets in the bullring. A few sorry souls still came in early this morning and were amazed to find the DOM in already (this is unheard of!!!) They were told if they went on their own frames they would be taken down the conduct code. Hopefully this continues and we'll get a true reflection of where we are post revision. Is this just us or are others having a similar thing happening?

People should not be in before their start time full stop. You could cite various laws etc at them because if they have an accident etc and it occurs during the time they were in prior to their official start time then they'd all be in the poo, management included.
At the company I used to work for, if you came in early to work you were sent away and told to return at the correct time but they would, however allow you in about 15-20 mins prior to your official start time so you could go to the canteen or sit at your workstation - not working -

The simple answer is to work to your contracted time. Don't come in early and work for free, because you're not helping us and you're not helping yourself, you're only helping Royal Mail! However RM don't give a toss as it's people like this that save them money by working for free and the end result is what we have today, people like this make the job what it is today!

[Hitcher]

I start normal start times and when I do my redirections and missorts the other early starters have either bagged up or left.
redirections are 1st class but the DOM doesn't want to know

Our out-of-office redirections can build up for a week before getting sorted!

[SierraOscarBravo]

Never thought I would see this day! The DOM (who is normally an a***hole) gathered us all together yesterday morning and informed us that effective immediately no-one would be allowed to come in early to throw their own sequenced mail in. If they wanted to come in before their official start time they were welcome to sort letters on the IPS or packets in the bullring. A few sorry souls still came in early this morning and were amazed to find the DOM in already (this is unheard of!!!) They were told if they went on their own frames they would be taken down the conduct code. Hopefully this continues and we'll get a true reflection of where we are post revision. Is this just us or are others having a similar thing happening?

People should not be in before their start time full stop. You could cite various laws etc at them because if they have an accident etc and it occurs during the time they were in prior to their official start time then they'd all be in the poo, management included.
At the company I used to work for, if you came in early to work you were sent away and told to return at the correct time but they would, however allow you in about 15-20 mins prior to your official start time so you could go to the canteen or sit at your workstation - not working -

The simple answer is to work to your contracted time. Don't come in early and work for free, because you're not helping us and you're not helping yourself, you're only helping Royal Mail! However RM don't give a toss as it's people like this that save them money by working for free and the end result is what we have today, people like this make the job what it is today!

Well said. I completely agree. It makes my blood boil when I come in at the correct start time to find that my park and loop partner has put all of his and my d2d in and thrown in all the sequenced mail in on both walks. He is not due on until 30 minutes after me and yet every day without fail he is in at silly o'clock panicking and trashing the job for everyone. Worst thing is that he is in such a panic to get out that we end up finishing 90 minutes to 2 hours before we are due off. So back to the office we drive only to be thrown onto the IPS or worse still sent back out to do some lapsing. I just don't understand his mentality. Come in early and work for nothing. Rush around like an idiot to get back early and be asked to do even more. It drives me crazy because I want to do the job properly and start at the correct time and take my meal breaks, but this idiot is the driver and management just doesn't care.

[OnAFlyer]

Well said. I completely agree. It makes my blood boil when I come in at the correct start time to find that my park and loop partner has put all of his and my d2d in and thrown in all the sequenced mail in on both walks. He is not due on until 30 minutes after me and yet every day without fail he is in at silly o'clock panicking and trashing the job for everyone. Worst thing is that he is in such a panic to get out that we end up finishing 90 minutes to 2 hours before we are due off. So back to the office we drive only to be thrown onto the IPS or worse still sent back out to do some lapsing. I just don't understand his mentality. Come in early and work for nothing. Rush around like an idiot to get back early and be asked to do even more. It drives me crazy because I want to do the job properly and start at the correct time and take my meal breaks, but this idiot is the driver and management just doesn't care.

Then tell him straight that you don't want him touching your frame before you get in. If he still does it, keep pulling it all out again until he stops.

[hj4k]

Has the early starters began creeping in again or has the DOM stayed on top of it???

The DOM has kept on top of it. The office seems a much more relaxed place with people not constantly trying to make a bit of time. The only time you see people in early is when it's the DOMs day off and they revert to the old ways. We have no scope for lapsing because people are not running round their walks any more so get back closer to their scheduled finishing time. All in all it has been the best thing that has happened in our office for years!

[Hitcher]

Lino's are letting people come in early again.