Recruitment/Seniority

[paulf0203]

We have a number of duties been advertised but there is confusion as to who is entitled to apply first, is it the case that posties in that particular office who have regular walks or rest day covers have priority to apply for the vacant posts and then to the reserves if they have not been taken then based on length of service ? or is it a free for all based on seniority? thanks in anticipation.

[bustedflush]

All seniority if no suitability criteria like say the enquiry office.
ANYONE can apply, reserve, round-holder or cover. Sometimes there are considerations like the job being 30 hours which may mean some FT''s do not apply but you need to see if the FT hours could be transferred in that case, and likewise if you are PT whether they'll up your hours (unlikely) if you apply for a FT round.

But seniority will get it. especially if a 'nice' round.

[paulf0203]

The Way Forward Agreement is a bit ambiguous and I'm still not sure whether you are right or not with respect

[franco1]

I started 5 weeks ago and was put on a duty holders round which i think no one else wants cos its a bit of a pig.
I asked dom what my chances are of staying on this round cos although tough i prefer to do same walk each day then to be here there and everywhere which i know also has its advantages but i prefer consistancy.
Anyway dom said my chances are "very good".
I know theres a seniority thing at RM and i agree with it but obviously i have to be selfish and look after myself.
Does anyone think i will be kept on walk or this just dom talking fantasy talk?

[paulf0203]

To be honest franco I'd rather you open your own post than hijack mine I need answers to my posting

[pj2001]

I started 5 weeks ago and was put on a duty holders round which i think no one else wants cos its a bit of a pig.
I asked dom what my chances are of staying on this round cos although tough i prefer to do same walk each day then to be here there and everywhere which i know also has its advantages but i prefer consistancy.
Anyway dom said my chances are "very good".
I know theres a seniority thing at RM and i agree with it but obviously i have to be selfish and look after myself.
Does anyone think i will be kept on walk or this just dom talking fantasy talk?

Sick of reading about new starters going on about seniority being unfair. Get some time in and then you'll realise seniority is the fairest system. Five weeks and you would prefer the consistency of a regular walk, dream on, get some time in and earn a walk holder position.

[feduppostie]

To be honest franco I'd rather you open your own post than hijack mine I need answers to my posting

well in that case why don't you open your own forum and ask the question there?

How rude he has every right to ask a relevant question on this thread

And in answer to your question ( which you have already been given) unless there are specific skill requirements for a duty then it goes to the most senior person that applies

[ThatsNotPlumb]

Sick of reading about new starters going on about seniority being unfair. Get some time in and then you'll realise seniority is the fairest system. Five weeks and you would prefer the consistency of a regular walk, dream on, get some time in and earn a walk holder position.

The reason the majority of them feel it's unfair is because the majority of the walks are so badly imbalanced meaning the newest starters are given the heaviest & longest duties while the most senior men get to pick the nice handy numbers for themselves. If the walks were what they should be & equally balanced there would be no complaining because it really wouldn't matter what you were on as they'd all be nearly similar. Obviously for that to happen the walks & duties would need to be changed constantly ie say every 3 months to reflect any rises/drops in mail/packets.

In it's current form, it's a far from fair system, I think it actually puts off a lot of newer starters from staying in the job for longer than they need to.

[pj2001]

Sick of reading about new starters going on about seniority being unfair. Get some time in and then you'll realise seniority is the fairest system. Five weeks and you would prefer the consistency of a regular walk, dream on, get some time in and earn a walk holder position.

The reason the majority of them feel it's unfair is because the majority of the walks are so badly imbalanced meaning the newest starters are given the heaviest & longest duties while the most senior men get to pick the nice handy numbers for themselves. If the walks were what they should be & equally balanced there would be no complaining because it really wouldn't matter what you were on as they'd all be nearly similar. Obviously for that to happen the walks & duties would need to be changed constantly ie say every 3 months to reflect any rises/drops in mail/packets.

In it's current form, it's a far from fair system, I think it actually puts off a lot of newer starters from staying in the job for longer than they need to.

You could NEVER equally balance walks, if you have the same number of delivery points some will have tougher terrain some will naturally have more parcels etc. We all know that some walks are easier than others because of these factors but when you've been trudging around the streets for thirty plus years I think that you deserve an easier duty. Don't forget the senior duty holders have shovelled a lot more sh1t for a lot longer to get the seniority in the first place.

[ThatsNotPlumb]

You could NEVER equally balance walks, if you have the same number of delivery points some will have tougher terrain some will naturally have more parcels etc.

Correct they'd never be completely equal and identical, but could they actually be better balanced than they are now? Hell yes they could. Really I feel duties should be changing constantly to reflect changes in the volumes of mail/packets. I'm not talking major changes, just adding/removing 20-30 minutes based upon say mail/packet decline/rises in the area can make some duties easier to complete, which in turn would give management less headaches.

We all know that some walks are easier than others because of these factors but when you've been trudging around the streets for thirty plus years I think that you deserve an easier duty. Don't forget the senior duty holders have shovelled a lot more sh1t for a lot longer to get the seniority in the first place.

Do you hell!

So say for arguments sake 2 employees are both 50 years old, employee A has been with the company for 25 years, employee B has been with the company for 30 years, so you think employee B 'deserves' to be on an easier duty than than his colleague because he's been with the company for longer? In what reality would that be fair as you believe?

It doesn't matter if you've been with the company for 30 years or 30 days, 1 person shouldn't have to do a monster duty while another is cruising on his handy number just because he's been with the company for longer. Don't forget there are actually new starts that aren't 21 years old & fit as a fiddle, some new starts are actually 45+ with the body & recovery time of a 45+ year old. So what do you think is going to happen when they are told - "Yeah, you'll get off doing the s**t pig duties that nobody wants when you get some seniority." ? They'll not stick around very long I wouldn't imagine if the duties they are being put on are particularly difficult.

[paulf0203]

To be honest franco I'd rather you open your own post than hijack mine I need answers to my posting

well in that case why don't you open your own forum and ask the question there?

How rude he has every right to ask a relevant question on this thread

And in answer to your question ( which you have already been given) unless there are specific skill requirements for a duty then it goes to the most senior person that applies

Surely it's up to franco to respond is it not? and I did not want to be rude far from it but when he asks a question as well my issue could be forgotten and it was important for me to get the information I asked for before a meeting took place this morning. Sorry if I offended you franco.

[franco1]

I take no offence.
I think a good point was made as to the balancing of walks.
Only in this way could all of this unfairness between walks be settled.
All would be equal.
After all were all doing the same job and getting the same pay arent we?
What i cannot understand is all this "you have to put up with s**t like all the rest of us had to" talk.
Its no wonder we are no longer a solid working unit and instead get pushed from pillar to post when instead of trying to make things easier and more equal we instead wish only the worst for fellow new starters.
There seems to be an element at work that take satisfaction from seeing new starters suffer.
Perhaps you would also like us to grovel and kiss your feet each morning whilst you whip us like donkeys.
Instead of thinking that new starters should suffer like you once did dont you think it would be better to try and change things so NOBODY ever suffers again???

[TrueBlueTerrier]

2-hour deliveries when 2 bags was a busy day and back to the office for breakfast, and then maybe 30 minutes for 2nd delivery - all that and back home for between 11 am and Noon.

This job has never been easy, but before SDD it wasn't as punishing or so soul destroying. It's like comparing Champagne and sparkling wine.

To clarify, I can say this as I started just as 2nd delivery was ending and I am quite low on the seniority pole, yet I agree with seniority. However, I also disagree with those who say everyone should face the crap because I have, at the very least we should be trying to make it better for those that follow.