NEW HOURS

[holly123]

Hi, been hearing rumours about the new hours that they will be looking at doing in delivery, 9-5 six hour delivery , some staff in early prepping the walks then delivery staff come in bag up go out to do one walk go back for brake then out for round two , any one else heard anything

[taurus88]

It's ten to four where I am, and it's all but dark. This is how it is for at least three months out of the year. How on earth does any reasonable person believe that deliveries in this country can be running until later than 3.30pm? They could change it about in winter, I suppose, but that would just be stupid - although stupidity cannot be ruled out entirely when it comes to "modernisation". That said, while I can see deliveries being nudged back a bit in some places, I cannot see us ever doing 9 to 5. 7 to 3 or 8 to 4 cannot be ruled out entirely.

[Postie45]

we used to have the problem of doing deliveries in the dark....but that was because the sun hadnt risen yet! .. what a change this business has gone through the past 10 years, i dont see anything that has improved service to the customer. All we see is cost cutting and "efficiency". I dont remember walks EVER being cut off and not completed 10 years ago, now it happens routinely. A lot of it of course is because of the opening up to competition ie other companies collect mail then dump it on our doorstep as they know its not profitable to deliver the last mile, this is what regulation has done to this industry, at the cost to the customer.

[motherhubbard]

Hi, been hearing rumours about the new hours that they will be looking at doing in delivery, 9-5 six hour delivery , some staff in early prepping the walks then delivery staff come in bag up go out to do one walk go back for brake then out for round two , any one else heard anything

by dingo » Yesterday, 23:13

Look I have not met one senior rep who supports Royal Mail's business's strategy to move to a later delivery window. However the fact is unlike posters on here who can shout and scream no and think that Royal Mail will change their plans they are clearly wrong.

Royal Mail plans are driven by the fact that more and more big customers want later acceptance times into Mail centres up to 3 in the morning which means you cannot provide delivery the next day and there the growth in parcel delivery is moving torwards an evening service which is when workers come in from work 18:00 - 2200.

So Royal Mail wants to introduce more intonation which removes all your manual work with mancines which have already been trailed in Exeter.

The plan is to deploy their strategy over 5 years but with change taking place over the next 5 years. In fact Royal Mail have the capacity if they want too introduce.one wave in 50% of delivery offices in the UK as early as January! Basically all that means is you would not get any sequencing till around 9 with only manual work in your office before think what that will do.

This is not an issue which anyone want to tackle but it is a real issue nevertheless. This is the facts not dreamed up nonsense as some others quoted. The idea is too have significant less offices and less walks but over longer spans meaning less jobs.

[Ozzvaldo]

That said, while I can see deliveries being nudged back a bit in some places, I cannot see us ever doing 9 to 5. 7 to 3 or 8 to 4 cannot be ruled out entirely.

we've been doing 7 to 3 (residential areas) and 8 to 4 (rural) duty spans in my unit for almost 5 years, with management pushing for later starts than this as soon as possible.

[dave72]

8am - 4pm here, in the last 20 yrs my start time as gone from 5am, 6am, 7am, 7:15am, 7:30am and now 8am and talk of moving it to 8:30am

Not so bad now my kids are grown up, but a pain for those who have little ones topick up from school(a reason I took this job in the first place)

[mancpat]

Two things make me think it won't happen.

1. Most people took the job on the terms of the finishing times. If people currently in the job have child care issues or other activities after work such as another job them it becomes a problem for royal mail.
2. Would any right minded health and safety planner agree to postmen being out in the dark posting letters. Yes we did it years ago but health and safety has changed massively since then. And people do it now but that is purely by choice and in emergency circumstances such as overtime or extended delivery. It's not currently planned into the job. Thinking about the weather what about having postmen walking round for 6+ hours in 30c heat in the summer? I can't see it myself. Too many obstacles.

[bustedflush]

Two things make me think it won't happen.

1. Most people took the job on the terms of the finishing times. If people currently in the job have child care issues or other activities after work such as another job them it becomes a problem for royal mail.
2. Would any right minded health and safety planner agree to postmen being out in the dark posting letters. Yes we did it years ago but health and safety has changed massively since then. And people do it now but that is purely by choice and in emergency circumstances such as overtime or extended delivery. It's not currently planned into the job. Thinking about the weather what about having postmen walking round for 6+ hours in 30c heat in the summer? I can't see it myself. Too many obstacles.

You obviously don't live in Scotland then....

Seriously though, I took the job on due to being able to make the school at 15;15. So did many I know. Yes, it SHOULD be a 'problem for RM' but you can bet the bullying will encourage OPG's to think it's THEIR problem!
The disruption these possible changes will bring will surely result in strikes or at the very least some serious CWU consultation first.
With the muscoskeletal problems increasing just with (supposed) 4.5 hour walks, what the hell is going to happen?