RM terminology!

[Kikidee]

Hi

Started last week and just trying to get to grips with all of the abbreviations and words used in RM...DOM PHP etc Also, I've been described as a floater and a reserve - both of which I'm not really sure what it means? And was also wondering what's meant by seniority (I know what the word means just not sure what the line up looks like from top to bottom). My contract says permanent - 25 hrs per week.

Just trying to get to grips with it all!

Thanks in advance

Kikidee

[GT85]

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=12657

[Kikidee]

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=12657

Brilliant...thanks. So i've just discovered I'm meant to cover hols/sickness (noone has explained any of this), how long should I expect to be a floater for? Is it a bad position to be in?

[miles_peters]

ive been with RM for over 10 years and im still a reserve, but you may get lucky.

[Kikidee]

ive been with RM for over 10 years and im still a reserve, but you may get lucky.

when you say lucky, how do you mean? what are the differences? Is it simply a case of getting your own route or more to it than that?

[miles_peters]

getting your own duty (route) usually requires quite high seniority but as I say you may get lucky i.e a number of people leaving in a short span of time, but in most cases depending on the size of the office of course it can take many many years to get your own duty

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=12657

Brilliant...thanks. So i've just discovered I'm meant to cover hols/sickness (noone has explained any of this), how long should I expect to be a floater for? Is it a bad position to be in?

Depends what you and your office are like - some like the variety, some don't.

As to how long you'll stay a reserve/floater its all depends how long it takes to go up the seniority ladder (time served) its not quite dead mans shows, but it feels like it sometimes A reserve can be good if you are looking for a lot of overtime as you will know most, if not all, the duties within an office.

You may not be a reserve yet, new starters are meant to be placed on a duty for a length of time to help them get used to the job and processes. After that you'll become a reserve.

In my office the 2 (reserve and floater) are 2 different types of cover. A floater is someone who floats between certain fixed duties, usually the holders day off. A reserve usually covers the annual leave of the duty holders. In either case they can be moved from duty to duty.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

ive been with RM for over 10 years and im still a reserve, but you may get lucky.

Same here but I got a duty just after a year - it is seen as one of the worst in the office though.

[miles_peters]

ive been with RM for over 10 years and im still a reserve, but you may get lucky.

Same here but I got a duty just after a year - it is seen as one of the worst in the office though.

I did get a duty at one point but lost it in a resign, this must have been around 5 or 6 years ago now, so it is possible to get one with quite low seniority but if theres a resign, the chances of keeping it are usually low

[kirstyx]

I was a reserve for 16 months then we had our revision and I signed for a hot round that gets split for summer savings 6 months of the year but we are so short staffed that since new year we have been lapsing 3 rounds every day

[Jpro747]

So I'm guessing your coach said something along the lines of:

"Welcome to RM as a new OPG. When you get to the DO the first thing you will need to do is prep your frame. Put 1/6th D2D in a day. Then put the mech mail in. Go on IPS for half an hour, packets go in the yorks. Kill off any 'not at this address' letters. After that see the PHG for your specials and tracked. Take your meal relief before you go out on delivery. The DOM will love you forever if you take your lapsing. Dont forget to use an LWT or HCT on delivery. If customer isnt in try D2N or leave a P739. If you can't do the OT then cut off. Are you taking all this in?"

Yes, clear as mud

[Kikidee]

So I'm guessing your coach said something along the lines of:

"Welcome to RM as a new OPG. When you get to the DO the first thing you will need to do is prep your frame. Put 1/6th D2D in a day. Then put the mech mail in. Go on IPS for half an hour, packets go in the yorks. Kill off any 'not at this address' letters. After that see the PHG for your specials and tracked. Take your meal relief before you go out on delivery. The DOM will love you forever if you take your lapsing. Dont forget to use an LWT or HCT on delivery. If customer isnt in try D2N or leave a P739. If you can't do the OT then cut off. Are you taking all this in?"

Yes, clear as mud

Haha, spot on!

[Decky Boy]

Hi Kiki and welcome to Royal Mail Chat ... and Royal Mail. I hope you are settling in well. Don't let the nomenclature get on top of you. Others before me have posted good glossaries which should help. I take it there's not much money to be made in music anymore.... I liked this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T2Dxgn-lls" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you did with John back in the 70's

[Postie45]

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=12657

Brilliant...thanks. So i've just discovered I'm meant to cover hols/sickness (noone has explained any of this), how long should I expect to be a floater for? Is it a bad position to be in?

The thing with being a floater in most offices is you wont have a routine day off, meaning you can never plan to do something on your day off as you wont know exactly when it is, unless your schedule gets posted a few weeks in advance. On the other hand, id be very cautious signing a duty that becomes available to you with your seniority as if no one else wants it there has to be a reason for it !

[penlanpostie]

In our office a float and a reserve are slightly different , a float covers the same jobs as part of the rest week cycle
Ie week 1 b1 , week 2 b2 , week 3 b3 week 4 off ,
But a reserve just covers annual leave and sick leave