Is 'seniority' even legal anymore?

[the mad woman]

I'm 58 and really finding the job to hard whats the answer to this as can't retire for about 8 years

[dvbuk55]

I'm 58 and really finding the job to hard whats the answer to this as can't retire for about 8 years

It was a mistake for the union to cave in so easily over the pension options. You would have been eligible to retire at 60 and to claim benefits under the old scheme but now of course with the government bringing in the later OAP to 66 in your case as you are the same age as my wife it makes it increasingly difficult to retire. Not least of all the second pension scheme doesn't allow you to take all the pension when you retire but lose 5% pa. How about IHR or VR?

[the mad woman]

Never and chance in delivery offices

[dvbuk55]

Never and chance in delivery offices

Any chance of buy down and a part time duty?

[clashcityrocker]

I don't know if this is the case nationally but locally if you're in a DO you've got more chance of landing on the moon than getting VR,

.

It depends where you are.
I believe the Cricklewood office (NW2?) has just gone through the revision process resulting in 12 VRs and the Willesden office (NW6or10?) resulting in a 25 full time headcount reduction.
They are not all understaffed.

[chrisj]

NW2 and NW10 - where?

Sorry! It is the Elephant in the room, again!

But saying 'nationally' is obvious a generalisation... I also think that RM now knows that, if offered, there will be some sort of stampede for VR in a lot of delivery offices; and with the Shares to take away as well, it is very attractive...

[TrueBlueTerrier]

NW2 and NW10 - where?

London

[dvbuk55]

NW2 and NW10 - where?

London

Really? Well that's somewhere I'd never have guessed

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

I'm 58 and really finding the job to hard whats the answer to this as can't retire for about 8 years

One possible answer is separating indoor work from the more physically demanding outdoor work. Less physically able staff (of whatever age/seniority) start earlier, prep the frames and once the delivery staff have arrived and taken that day's mail, the next day's D2D is thrown in by the indoor staff.

We all have different strengths and weaknesses in the job, yet we are expected to be competent "jack of all trades" OPGs.

[aiden01]

NW2 and NW10 - where?

London

[morselll]

as far as i know it is still used in the services although i have been out for 20 years or so but with the rank structure yes as you go up in rank you get jobs that other ranks cant do the higher the rank the father you get from the basic job just like an opg and line manager, i work in a mail centre am 50 ive been on the rounds im classed as disabled but having been through kidney disease right through transplant i dont consider my self dead wood as some one put it i dont rely on my collegues to help me at all infact its more the other way round !! happy new year and dont forget dont let them grind you down :D

[borders]

I'm 58 and really finding the job to hard whats the answer to this as can't retire for about 8 years

It was a mistake for the union to cave in so easily over the pension options. You would have been eligible to retire at 60 and to claim benefits under the old scheme but now of course with the government bringing in the later OAP to 66 in your case as you are the same age as my wife it makes it increasingly difficult to retire. Not least of all the second pension scheme doesn't allow you to take all the pension when you retire but lose 5% pa. How about IHR or VR?

spot on Dvbuk , all the younger posties might want to bear in mind , as we are all supposedly living longer , that they will be probably working well into their seventies before they get a state pension if the Government has their way. they might be glad for seniority and the chance for an easier job/round by then.

[dvbuk55]

I'm 58 and really finding the job to hard whats the answer to this as can't retire for about 8 years

It was a mistake for the union to cave in so easily over the pension options. You would have been eligible to retire at 60 and to claim benefits under the old scheme but now of course with the government bringing in the later OAP to 66 in your case as you are the same age as my wife it makes it increasingly difficult to retire. Not least of all the second pension scheme doesn't allow you to take all the pension when you retire but lose 5% pa. How about IHR or VR?

spot on Dvbuk , all the younger posties might want to bear in mind , as we are all supposedly living longer , that they will be probably working well into their seventies before they get a state pension if the Government has their way. they might be glad for seniority and the chance for an easier job/round by then.

I can speak from experience when I say the OAP won't keep them in any manner they're accustomed to. Without other pensions it would be a very hard life. I don't know how people could manage on just that. The fact that we have a pension is good but as you say nobody can deliver forever and if you need to retire early to lose part of that pension because you are under 65 is just not on.

[cuddyhung]

the only people who moan about seniority are the younger ones who haven't put in the years to get it ,, if you have slogged your guts out for 20 -25 years and you can pick an easier round ,, fair play ,, no managers favourites cherry picking the best duties ,, its as fair a system as any other ,, just remember ,,those boys at the top were at the bottom once and they done there time in the crap jobs

[Martin Walsh]

Did we get an answer to the original question?

Is seniority legal anymore?

Is it still used in the services and forces? I doubt it as it opens up employers/organisations to discrimination doesn't it?

Yes it is legal ! Royal Mail have tried to remove it but it's written into our current agreements ie the way forward and MTSF.

Seniority is a fair method for selecting a duty within the same grade and resigns have been restricted by the way forward in any case. Redundancy use to be based on age and seniority ie those between 55 and 65 on seniority but the age discrimination law changed it to just pure seniority.

Obviously those who have served more than 20 years get 6 weeks annual leave and there is a sliding scale for those under 20 years.