Christmas pressure period

[Lou84]

What is the actual period of 'Christmas Pressure' ?

I was lead to believe the 4 weeks prior to Christmas was classed as the pressure period and therefore all leave blocked, but our office has extended the pressure period into the whole of November so no leave is available next year.

Is this correct ? is there a national agreement for Christmas pressure or does each office make it up as they go along !

Thanks

[Judgee]

It's usually the three weeks immediately prior to xmas for deliveries or four for mail centre staff. I guess they figure the delivery fairy posts all the extra mail that the mc sort in the first week of pressure!

[Lou84]

Any union input ? are they able to block the whole of November also ?

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

legally they can block leave at anytime of the year, they just need to make sure that there is enough slots for every one to take the time off, blocking off another month is cutting availibility leave slots by quite a lot is there enough space left for everyone to take all their leave?

also in the summer months make sure that the union is insisting that extra leave slots are made available under summer staffing

if not happy with November being blocked the rep can put in a disagreement over it, so if a few people not happy may be worth approaching the rep

[feduppostie]

we have 4 weeks of xmas pressure and reduced leave for the 2 leading up to it

[Lou84]

Our Union rep is off long term sick at moment.

They'll supposedly open up November at a later date, if you believe that !

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Our Union rep is off long term sick at moment.

They'll supposedly open up November at a later date, if you believe that !

you could push that if that's the case it should be opened up now as all next year's leave should be sorted by end of October under national agreement

[SpacePhoenix]

s all next year's leave should be sorted by end of October under national agreement

[Whysoslowyehcfc]

Should RM still be allowed to stop annual leave in December, the reason December was blocked off as far as I remember was because they used to pay extended delivery to everyone, but this hasn't happened in my office for at least 5 years.
I also know that there are some offices where they have annual leave through December and also managers also have annual leave

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Should RM still be allowed to stop annual leave in December, the reason December was blocked off as far as I remember was because they used to pay extended delivery to everyone, but this hasn't happened in my office for at least 5 years.
I also know that there are some offices where they have annual leave through December and also managers also have annual leave

any company can stop leave at any time of the year of year if they want as long as the minimum statutory leave is given through out the year, on the west of scotland it is still not unheard of construction companies to say annual leave is the "fair fortnight" and 2 weeks at Xmas plus a week at easter, there is no law giving you a right to when you can choose your leave just a law saying you have a right to take minimum amount of it

so i would highly doubt any future national agreement would be allowed by royal mail to include the removal of xmas pressure period as a large amount of offices use the reserves at this time of year to vastly reduce the overtime potential