future of deliveries. email to bob gibson

[dvbuk55]

wake up and smell the coffee, RM are cutting hours because too many delivery staff are giving them the scope to cut hours. If delivery staff didn't do them things, then RM would be forced to put hours in

Do you really think that RM executives and their financial people look at how Bob the postie finished his round early or how Bill the postie didnt claim overtime??
The reality is that its a business and like every business they look to cut corners just like Bob does to finish early, even if we worked how you say we should these changes would still have come.

No of course not its Tosser Ted the manager who in making a name for himself cuts the hours he is told to and then realises its a rod to beat his and the delivery staffs backs with. Reality is that time is not elastic and there is only so much that can be achieved within a shift. There may well be good ideas floated around but cannot realistically be carried out either in a physical sense nor within the time scale allocated.

[daveyeff]

hello again dv. hows retirement?... you are well out of it now mate

[franco1]

Unfortunately the first to go will be non-drivers as the business is moving more and more into parcels.

[dvbuk55]

hello again dv. hows retirement?... you are well out of it now mate

You're right Davey, I obviously see the guys and gals out and about and they are really ticked off with it all and who can blame them? One chap I spoke to said 23 had left this year from the office I worked at Hope you're keeping out of trouble and have due deference and respect for your managers

[rambo1]

So if your delivery is 15 mins drive from office, you and your buddy drive 30 mins without doing anything productive just to get back to the office to take a 40 min break? Or do they expect the drive to be part of you meal break lol. Many straws being clutched at at the minute. Picking a moment to sell the shares I bought coz this whole thing is gonna come tumbling down if these are the hair brained ideas they're coming up with. When will they learn. Mail gets collected, sorted then delivered. It ain't rocket science, we don't need to reinvent the wheel!

[fishtank]

Please be aware that none of this is ever going to be a reality.

The business is far more aware of the difficulties involved in implementing a 6hr delivery span than a bunch of overweight and out of touch delivery reps and the even more out of touch Bob Gibson. Royal Mail will continue to use the tried and tested method of reducing full-time staff to reflect the reduction in indoor workload and the union will just have to suck it up..and perhaps have the courage to finally tackle its own ridiculous excesses to better reflect a predominantly part-time and shrinking membership.

Tough love but sadly true.

[motherhubbard]

Royal Mail will continue to use the tried and tested method of reducing full-time staff to reflect the reduction in indoor workload and the union will just have to suck it up..

Will the current rate of attrition remain acceptable in our brave new world?

[franco1]

No of course not its Tosser Ted the manager who in making a name for himself cuts the hours he is told to and then realises its a rod to beat his and the delivery staffs backs with. Reality is that time is not elastic and there is only so much that can be achieved within a shift. There may well be good ideas floated around but cannot realistically be carried out either in a physical sense nor within the time scale allocated.

Exactly, management are told to cut hours by higher above - the reason - its a business and like all business's they look to see if 1 person can do the job of 2 or 3 etc etc.
If they can but struggle they dont care, so long as he comes in next day for work.
Take a look around its happening everywhere, the only thing that can save us is our union, most work places dont have one and its a case of do it or someone else will.

Will our union help us?
There main objective is to keep us employed, even if it means we have to work harder for longer.
The only tools available to them to protect us are agreements between them and RM - remember BOTH sides must agree and also H&S regulations - this is their biggest most powerful tool.
From what i understand of unions today, strikes are a thing of the past, they prefer to come to an agreement - this is a good idea but what happens if both dont agree?
Unfortunately unions are the first to buckle and instead try to compromise to soften the blow - and convince its members that this was the best and only option - take it or leave it.
The future of the postie?
Whatever RM want it to be.

[fishtank]

Royal Mail will continue to use the tried and tested method of reducing full-time staff to reflect the reduction in indoor workload and the union will just have to suck it up..

Will the current rate of attrition remain acceptable in our brave new world?

In most areas of the country yes, in certain areas possiby not which is probably what's causing the panic at HQ. 6hr deliveries will never fly, not because the business cares about our health but mainly because it would actually be a resourcing nightmare with the part-time contracts we now have across the majority of the business.

Reducing the number of delivery offices is far more likely to be a direction the business could take to rationalise delivery. Could save jobs without impacting directly on workload, of course MTSF and travel allowance is a barrier and those certain areas would make a noise.

[SpacePhoenix]

Reducing the number of delivery offices is far more likely to be a direction the business could take to rationalise delivery. Could save jobs without impacting directly on workload, of course MTSF and travel allowance is a barrier and those certain areas would make a noise.

Relocating DOs is another thing that'll probably happen, moving them to locations so that 17 ton lorrys can be used instead of 7.5 ton lorrys, instead of DOs getting 2 or 3 runs during the night, they'd get the whole lot in one hit at the end of the night, ending all night shifts in DOs that aren't MPUs

[daveyeff]

the rep mentioned this today. saying RM are looking at reducing D.Os from 600 (this figure was off the top of his nappa) to say, around 400.

[dvbuk55]

I'm surprised they have waited so long to reduce the number of DOs particularly with the motorised organisation now.

[daveyeff]

one of our lads has had a reply from bob Gibson sayin he HAS'NT received any email from any north east divisional reps containing a statement that we should introduce 6hr spans..... for the record we HAVE the email on our notice board in our office for all to see. outlining the north sectors ideas for 6hr delivery spans in exchange for negotiable sweeteners. (new footwear). its in HQ's inbox sent by our divisional rep in HIS name. bob Gibson goes on to say it would appear to him that the message has got ''lost in translation ''. it would appear he is bending the truth in as much as he is saying the north division did not say to INTRODUCE 6hr spans or even stating that they support the concept. we know that bob.!! the email is stating THEIR IDEAS to help introduction of them..... it goes on to say..the outdoor dept at CWU HQ has held a number of briefings discussing the 'future of deliveries' around the uk, against a background of diminishing indoor workload due to automation, lack of growth, e substitution and other influencing factors. if we do nothing to counterbalance this, we will potentially end up with a part time workforce. what we have asked people to do is keep an open mind and without prejudice put forward ideas from reps and members that we can consider that will enable us to sustain full time jobs going forward. all of this is based on a strategy over the next 3 to 4 to 5 years. we have made it clear at all the briefings that people should not be intimidated in any way but should feel free to put ideas forward for consideration. to this end we have had many ideas put forward and they do contain longer spans, but that is as far as it goes. we have also asked people if they can identify where alternative indoor workload can come from and on this point have had minimum response. the whole idea of this exercise is so that we can engage our reps and members in a debate that we can all support going forward and this will continue for the foreseeable future. I will add that doing nothing is not a viable proposition. it makes my job and all the reps jobs easier in the short term but it will not protect jobs and in particular full time jobs going forward. I hope this allays your concerns and explains the situation regards Bob Gibson.... well people, draw your own views from that.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

the rep mentioned this today. saying RM are looking at reducing D.Os from 600 (this figure was off the top of his nappa) to say, around 400.

Actually I believe there are between 1400 and 1500 individual DOs and SPDOs.

[daveyeff]

well reduce those figures by a third will be around the ballpark figure