Feeling down

[Stremy]

I don't know if this is the right place to moan but I am feeling so low at the moment.
Nobody in our office ever dares to upset the apple cart.We get shafted time and time again.
I feel like i'm one of the few who makes a stand and you get made to feel guilty because everyone else is grafting and that you are a trouble causer and aren't doing your job to the set standards if you moan.
Royal mail really needs to have a look what its doing to its staff.Many off us are hobbling around with niggling injuries and feeling low and all we have to look forward to is more cuts.
You have to collapse even when you know you don't have time.But the manager says you have and you aren't working to the set standards.Everyone does it because they lost the will to argue.Maybe at some offices there are strong characters but not at mine.
I really feel like packing it all in and don't know where to turn.Even the union seem useless.
I don't mind working a bit harder at xmas but this is just a joke.
Feel like job has broken me this last few months.

[Jpro747]

Maybe try and get a transfer to another office if it isnt too far away. Sometimes the grass really is greener

[Stremy]

Is there anywhere greener?
All I want is to come to work and do my job.8 hours and that's it.I don't want to be in a constant battle.
I don't mind collapsing if its easy.I don't want to make anything, just work my hours.
But they are just pushing and pushing.Easy day...collapse, hard day...oh well you'll still have to collapse.
What happened to couple of easy days and couple of hard ones.
They just aren't being fair and its pissing me off big time.And now we have some nice new collapsing plans due to come in after the new year.

[pants123]

i totally know how you feel, royal mail are pushing delivery staff to breaking point, they are crucifying its workers.... some are on the sick... all down to the impossible work loads... it wont be long before the whole delivery will be on the sick with the impossible work loads....

why are royal mail doing this ??? MONEY, the share holder....

they seen to not care about its workers,,, ive had counselling in the past, which can help, which may help you feel better, discuss how you feel with your doctor if you feel up to doing that..

but the job is on a decline, so sad but its true...

i know ive not been helpful, hope you feel better soon... your not the only one suffering.. take care.

[Stremy]

Thanks a lot.
I'm no hard case but I'm not usually over sensitive either and I don't know if its the time of the year or I'm feeling a bit poorly but I feel down in the dumps about the job.
I always thought It wouldn't get to me but I think it has.

[Jpro747]

Yes there is, it's hard to see outside of the box when you only see what's going on in one office but believe it or not there are some good offices out there. I am amazed your still collapsing in december, we stopped 3 months ago!

[osgoody1970]

I've just got out, IHR and couldn't be happier, I know I've made the right decision , but I,ve been in 40 years and could afford the gamble, former rep, I fought to get more duties in my office, one gone in this week, I told them, it needs to be three, they don't listen, phoned my manager yesterday on another matter, and asked him how things were, SHAMBLES SEZ HE, that's despite another duty??? I will be proved right in the end, I do believe the CWU has to get on top of this, and play an active role in lapsing, because a manager will blind you with figures, which at best are just a guess.

[Postie45]

Thanks a lot.
I'm no hard case but I'm not usually over sensitive either and I don't know if its the time of the year or I'm feeling a bit poorly but I feel down in the dumps about the job.
I always thought It wouldn't get to me but I think it has.

have a word with your union rep, if hes not willing to discuss the matter find out who the local rep is and talk to them. Explain you only want to work the hours your contracted to and do not wish to extend, then tell the manager this too. Have you even tried attempting this ?

[Stremy]

Yes but the thing that gets you down is that you have to do this every day when its busy.
You know what you are in for.
Work shouldn't have to be a constant battle.
If you cut off one day that isn't the end of it.The next day you have to go cap in hand,listen to the same arguments.Its like groundhog day.
The unions stance seems to be to put a docket in instead of stopping these cuts.
And jpro747, sorry no we aren't still collapsing but we did collapse up until the first week in December.As soon as we go back on the mondy after xmas i assume its back to collapsing.There is no good will at all.Its either work your hours or work over them.

[Stremy]

I know a bit of ot is expected at this time of year.If nobody came in sorting or went over a little the job couldn't get done.
But in the past I've felt a bit more pride in the job and that I owed it to pull my weight.
But how we've been treat this year makes me want to stick two fingers up and say, you fckin sort out this mess.

[Postie45]

dont be so emotional about it, just treat it as a matter of fact - theres too much work, just say" i dont think ill be able to complete what do you want me to do?"
any comeback of "why" or "everyone else is staying out" just deflect by saying "im not willing to do overtime" dont even give it a moments thought and dont get into arguments.

I know a bit of ot is expected at this time of year.If nobody came in sorting or went over a little the job couldn't get done.

NO NO NO. They may expect people to do ot but this is a HUGE problem within this business. You have no obligation to work over your contracted hours, no matter how busy it gets. The high volume of mail is a management problem, they have options of getting temporary staff in if they so choose to do the excess work, the reason they dont is because of this "expectation" that we`ll head out like mules and stay out to god knows what time. Its just not on.

[Stremy]

You are right but I've always chipped in but that was when walks took 3 hours at xmas not knocking on for 6.Its too much for me now.
The job is in a mess since they moved to these vans.
I'm going to try and toughen up but its hard and I just needed to vent some steam on here.
It has helped.

[Postie45]

good luck to you my friend !

[senior man]

Dont feel so bad about it there are better offices out there but there are also worse ones,we have been told the figures show we are down on last year so why are you booking over , it is intimidating and demoralizing, when there are no posties left to do the job who`s gonna earn the money for the fat cats?

[BeamishStout]

It is hugely ironic when you inform manager that you will be going over they readily accept that you get paid for it and can even be appreciative to boot. But if you have the same workload and you leave anything in then you are given the third degree with a hostile conversation then ensuing. That happened to me today and my P&L team had the morale-boosting comment of 'I'm disappointed in you'. Not very professional IMO. We finished right on our time and did not hang about at any stage.

So to answer the original poster's comments, I too feel down but will bounce back soon enough I guess determined not to let myself get bullied because this is what comments like the above are all about i.e. making you feel inadequate if you cannot do everything they want you to do. You need to be strong-minded to stand up to them. I was fortunate to have my partner back me up re no taking everything out.

But of course this is not bullying in management's eyes.