postslippete wrote:
I don't know if its still the case now but Firefighters were generally expected to retire early because of the physical demands of the job,
The retirement age for a fireman is expected to be 55, and to do that you need to have a very good pension plan.
I think they pay in about 15% and I think their pension plan is still final salary.
That makes sense because the Fire service expect the job to be done by fit young men. If the staff are older and not as physically active then they are not only putting other people at risk but themselves as well.
And so it goes with the health and wellbeing of Royal Mail staff. I don't know of many posties at our depot that are under 30 and yet I have heard discussions on this forum previously about less indoor work and longer delivery spans!!
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
Agree just focusing on over 50s just adds to divide and rule. Everyone deserves a reasonable workload which they can complete comfortably by working at a decent pace. Just cos under 35s can zap round carrying out these huge and growing workloads more quickly with no apparent ill effects now doesn't mean it's not causing them significant medium/long term damage. This is where RM/CWU''s work every minute policy really causes grief. Of course job and knock is abused by the runners, but need to build some slack back into walks to allow for age/physical differences. But RM prefer to set walks at an unsustainable level of physical effort and wait for older posties to throw in the towel before they keel over - then keep newer/younger posties PT short-term contracts, trusting that they'll be well shot of them as employees before health issues arise in later life.
All I need on my trolley-exempt rural (Pennine)van share is less packets, something to help me up the hills and steps and a DOM who realises that rural duties are NOT the same as townie ones - otherwise I approach my 59th birthday with glee. And yes this week has been absolute SH*TE what with my driver being on hols, me doing the driving instead and being paired with a virtual newbie. Yeah plenty of docket - but Christmas Pressure has not yet kicked in ... I really fear for Christmas up our end .........
"We're under model" - oh no we're not - stick your lapse elsewhere ...