New postman, couple of questions

[leebest66]

Hi.

Im a new postman been doing the job for about 3 months now.
I am currently a reserve.

Recently i had a situation come up where the person i was suppose to work with said she'd rather work by herself and therefore i was moved to a different walk.
I dont drive. I was just wondering is this acceptable? or should it be the case that ive been put on that walk and that person should just work with me and get on with it?

Another question if i can. Another situation has come up before where i was moved to a different office because there was no available walks. However I then went to my usual office to get my bag (the office im in covers lots of different areas) as i picked up my bag i noticed a few employees were getting overtime for doing different walks. Surely i could of been placed on that walk.
I was just wondering is this normal. Or should the reserve get a walk if its available and then look to see if theres any overtime available after the reserves are put on walks.

[osgoody1970]

if they have to put on o/t to cover walks, then you should not be placed at another office, you are only moved to another office if there is no work for you to do, clearly putting on o/t tells me there was work for you to do.

[Newbie001]

I wouldn't take anything personal on this. Some posties don't like like working with the P/T reserves as they like to come in early and finish early and just think you'll hold them back. Especially if god forbid you do the job properly and they have to wait on you at any point to provide guidance. And as to delivery office politics, best not to even question it. You'll just upset yourself needlessly.

[clashcityrocker]

if they have to put on o/t to cover walks, then you should not be placed at another office, you are only moved to another office if there is no work for you to do, clearly putting on o/t tells me there was work for you to do.

Unless he is a sector reserve.
If he is based at office A and office A is 2 walks down but they have two docket whores who will cover the duties, while office B is one walk down with nobody to cover it, the reserve goes from office A to office B.

[OnAFlyer]

I wouldn't take anything personal on this. Some posties don't like like working with the P/T reserves as they like to come in early and finish early and just think you'll hold them back. Especially if god forbid you do the job properly and they have to wait on you at any point to provide guidance. And as to delivery office politics, best not to even question it. You'll just upset yourself needlessly.

Not necessarily true. After working with certain people in my office I refused to work with them again because they were either taking the p*ss or incompetent. Taking nearly 3hrs to do two loops isn't acceptable.

So let's not pretend that everyone at RM is a competent, capable member of staff and everyone else just wants to finish early because that's BS.

I'm not saying this is the case here btw, especially if the woman concerned had never worked with the OP before. She should have just got on with it.

[ted_e_bear]

Just wondering how she managed to work by herself if it's a shared van duty.

[Justanotherstar]

Just wondering how she managed to work by herself if it's a shared van duty.

I'm also about 3 months in and I get it quite often, they go out in a van to do their own walk and i'm sent out with a HCT to do the other...despite the fact the walk takes half hour to get to with a HCT...and that i'm probably just as, if not more capable than most of the posties

Just try not to take it personally :)

[chrisj]

I doubt that there is anything like a sector reserve as a defined role... However, the managers in some sectors/areas do cooperate with each other in the scenario that was highlighted.

I have not seen this happen to a senior or not-so-senior reserves only new pt staff.

Yes, some offices have more people willing to do OT than some other offices... Moreover, it much easier for the OT folks to work in one office rather than finish in one office and travel to another for OT - that will not be sensible or cost effective.

It is tough! (also it is best not work with people that do not want to work with you in a P&L)

[chrisj]

Just wondering how she managed to work by herself if it's a shared van duty.

I'm also about 3 months in and I get it quite often, they go out in a van to do their own walk and i'm sent out with a HCT to do the other...despite the fact the walk takes half hour to get to with a HCT...and that i'm probably just as, if not more capable than most of the posties

Just try not to take it personally :)

The above is so so wrong! The people wanting to work or their own should be using the HCT and we can then see just how fast and efficient they are.

Also, why is the new postie not driving - I thought the ability and willingness to drive is now a prerequisite. Or is that you have not done the changeover?

[postslippete]

Recently i had a situation come up where the person i was suppose to work with said she'd rather work by herself and therefore i was moved to a different walk.
I dont drive. I was just wondering is this acceptable? or should it be the case that ive been put on that walk and that person should just work with me and get on with it?

Another question if i can. Another situation has come up before where i was moved to a different office because there was no available walks. However I then went to my usual office to get my bag (the office im in covers lots of different areas) as i picked up my bag i noticed a few employees were getting overtime for doing different walks. Surely i could of been placed on that walk.
I was just wondering is this normal. Or should the reserve get a walk if its available and then look to see if theres any overtime available after the reserves are put on walks.

1. A good manager would have forced her to work with you. Does she have a chip on her shoulder or summat?? Royal Mail need workplace coaches

2. Management are messing you about. It has happened to me; albeit some time ago. I got taken off the walk that I was doing and was asked to cover another walk in a different section for staffing reasons. When I found out the next day that they paid someone on overtime to do the walk that I was originally doing, I went ballistic in front of the manager!!!! I don't suffer fools gladly and it never happened again

[Justanotherstar]

Just wondering how she managed to work by herself if it's a shared van duty.

I'm also about 3 months in and I get it quite often, they go out in a van to do their own walk and i'm sent out with a HCT to do the other...despite the fact the walk takes half hour to get to with a HCT...and that i'm probably just as, if not more capable than most of the posties

Just try not to take it personally :)

The above is so so wrong! The people wanting to work or their own should be using the HCT and we can then see just how fast and efficient they are.

Also, why is the new postie not driving - I thought the ability and willingness to drive is now a prerequisite. Or is that you have not done the changeover?

I can drive and have done the changeover...It Just depends on the Postie who is doing the other walk...Would cause one hell of a shitstorm if the manager tried to send the full timer out with a HCT and gave a Sat only the van haha

[chrisj]

But that is what a good manager should have done or threaten to do, to discourage some folks taking advantage of the seniority system (I suppose we can substitute full time for seniority in this case).

People being moved around for the sake of OT is not necessarily and not always a bad things for a reserve or even a walkholder. A reserve that is not bothered and has been approached nicely will gladly swap walks - sometimes for easier or preferable ones.

For example, it is easier to do overtime (1/2 or more) on a paired walk for a walkholder of the other half of the pair... It saves OT staff time and will be more efficient all round rather than coming back to the office to pick up OT for another walk in some other direction, also the prep will most likely be done properly.

The main problem is manager just being unfair and picking on certain members or class of staff.

[Nondescript]

I wouldn't take anything personal on this. Some posties don't like like working with the P/T reserves as they like to come in early and finish early and just think you'll hold them back. Especially if god forbid you do the job properly and they have to wait on you at any point to provide guidance. And as to delivery office politics, best not to even question it. You'll just upset yourself needlessly.

The full timer I was working with today nearly blew a gasket when I came in at my scheduled start time and took my full break. He was shouting and swearing at every vehicle in front of us as we drove to our first loop. I have to admit I found it funny, but I can understand why he was frustrated.

[terry2972]

i had similar problem today i was sent to another DO got there about 40 mins after start time worked on a frame i didnt know had to throw in lots of parcels whilst I was doing this the driver completed his walk bundled up and then went for his break so i did best i could bundled up he came back and then I went for my meal lol with his words ringing in my ears " I will be waiting in the van "

[Himaggen]

Why has nobody specifically said that this is an example of a lack of dignity and respect, (technically bullying and harassment).

It is unwanted and unfair selective discrimination against an individual and the Manager instead of fulfilling his duty to prevent such behaviour is exacerbating it.

Report it by contacting both the CWU B&H help number on 08001071909 and also RM's Independent B&H number on 08005874777.