How do you manage....

[NewPostieUK]

... to finish all your deliveries by 1 or 2 in the afternoon?

The only time I could ever finish on time is an easy tuesday, but lapsing has put a stop to that.

The stupidly high workload thrust upon van sharers means they never finish on time. The other duties, mainly rurals, that were left untouched, have it easy as there has been a drop in mail volumes, and they have learned the best corners to cut, they run, leave the office early (often before I have even started) and do other sneaky sneaky things.

There was a time not long ago when I'd say don't worry about what other people are doing, just do your own job properly. The huge sense of injustice and the frustration amongst those like me mean people are getting bitter.

[Dorset Plodder]

Whats the betting in 20 years time it wont be you in the disability scooter, it will be the runner

You're right Eastie. Used to have a Runner in my old DO. Used to carry REALLY overladen Bags. "Once you start delivering mail they get lighter" was his answer when asked how he could carry such heavy bags!

Surprise Surprise years later he's out of the job using crutches because his knees are shot and he's got a bad back! I wouldn't wish ill health on anyone but some Posties just will not listen when you point out the dangers of some practices.

[Dorset Plodder]

There was a time not long ago when I'd say don't worry about what other people are doing, just do your own job properly. The huge sense of injustice and the frustration amongst those like me mean people are getting bitter.

You're right NP. It's hard to be philosophical about this type of thing. I've always been a Team Player but I've never met a more selfish bunch of individuals as I have in Royal Mail. Watching the recent WW1 programmes about the "Lads" Battalions (where groups of lads from the same Companies, including the Royal Mail) all joined up together and fought under their Civvie managers, I shuddered to think about it! Most of my colleagues wouldn't lift a finger to help another Postie , if it meant they wasted 5 mins of "Their own time"!

I try to ignore it as well, but must admit to being pissed off when you come off IPS and some Posties are already Bundling up (and you haven't even thrown off yet). Or when Posties are wheeling yorks out the door to load up and you're still prepping!

There are a few Sarcastic comments thrown about the DO at these times such as, "See you've got another heavy day then Fred"? The amusing thing is that these guys still complain about being hard done by and don't see the irony of the situation!

[Postie45]

I have however followed the example of other posties in only delivering D2D items only to those who have letters that day but I do make sure that by the end of the week, letter or no letter, all the D2D items have been delivered. I hope this is correct? Manager(s) have not pulled me up on that if it isn't.

unless you have particular rules in your office i dont see a problem doing it this way, the d2ds are usually contracted to be delivered that week. What i was talking about was posties who just would never deliver the d2d if the household didnt have any other mail on the day they did their d2ds.

[eastie]

Dorset Plodder
How are people bundling up when you are finishing IPS ??
What about Redi's and missorts from other posties and whats left in the IPS frames
Doesn't the DOM have a clear frame policy or get the runners to go back out afterwards when they return or does he allow willfull delay??

[NewPostieUK]

Dorset Plodder
How are people bundling up when you are finishing IPS ??
What about Redi's and missorts from other posties and whats left in the IPS frames
Doesn't the DOM have a clear frame policy or get the runners to go back out afterwards when they return or does he allow willfull delay??

I often walk through the car park on my way to work and some are loading their vans! Any redirections and missorts are left. And by missorts, I include packets.

One person inparticular I never see from one saturday to the next. He's long gone by my start time mon - fri.

[mudmonster]

There was a time not long ago when I'd say don't worry about what other people are doing, just do your own job properly. The huge sense of injustice and the frustration amongst those like me mean people are getting bitter.

You're right NP. It's hard to be philosophical about this type of thing. I've always been a Team Player but I've never met a more selfish bunch of individuals as I have in Royal Mail. Watching the recent WW1 programmes about the "Lads" Battalions (where groups of lads from the same Companies, including the Royal Mail) all joined up together and fought under their Civvie managers, I shuddered to think about it! Most of my colleagues wouldn't lift a finger to help another Postie , if it meant they wasted 5 mins of "Their own time"!

I try to ignore it as well, but must admit to being pissed off when you come off IPS and some Posties are already Bundling up (and you haven't even thrown off yet). Or when Posties are wheeling yorks out the door to load up and you're still prepping!

There are a few Sarcastic comments thrown about the DO at these times such as, "See you've got another heavy day then Fred"? The amusing thing is that these guys still complain about being hard done by and don't see the irony of the situation!

You forgot to mention that these same posties are the one,s that finish at least 2-3 hrs on a Saturday while you are still out on the rurals so what are they making on normal days during the week or the so called team members who off load onto your round because the managers believe them and you are taking the pi**

[Dorset Plodder]

Dorset Plodder
How are people bundling up when you are finishing IPS ??
What about Redi's and missorts from other posties and whats left in the IPS frames
Doesn't the DOM have a clear frame policy or get the runners to go back out afterwards when they return or does he allow willfull delay??

A Thousand Offices & a Thousand Different Systems Eastie! If a Postie comes in and hour plus earlier than they should...Doesn't have to prep Households (because he's done them all on Saturday)..... Doesn't do any IPS because he's got such a BIG Duty....and has a "Relatively" small frame with less delivery points (because there's a lot of driving) it's easy to get prepped quickly.

They can feed in any mail from the IPS, as we have porters delivering it to their frame, they normally pick out an armful of packets at a time (if they're still being sorted) and they can do their Redirections as soon as they're ready. If mail arrives after they've bundled up they can just sort it in delivery order and throw it on the dashboard.

I suppose you could say that there's Wilful Delay But TBH there's never many missorts left in the missort frame. Perhaps our Posties are quite good at IPS?

Can't recall ever hearing of Runners being sent back out again if they come back early. And we all work for the same Company apparently!

[Dorset Plodder]

You forgot to mention that these same posties are the one,s that finish at least 2-3 hrs on a Saturday while you are still out on the rurals so what are they making on normal days during the week or the so called team members who off load onto your round because the managers believe them and you are taking the pi**

You're right MM nothing changes. The lad on Firms always makes me laugh. He has most of the Firms on Saturday Retention so manages to make up loads of time. When a few of us had a go about it his answer was, "Yeah but on Monday I have to spend more time delivering, because I've got all of Saturdays mail as well"! You've got to laugh at their brass neck A Manager might fall for it but as a Postie you know that you're going there anyway and it's already in the frame/box so what takes the extra time? Probably talking about the Football results with his mates in the firms I expect!

[Dorset Plodder]

I often walk through the car park on my way to work and some are loading their vans! Any redirections and missorts are left. And by missorts, I include packets.

One person inparticular I never see from one saturday to the next. He's long gone by my start time mon - fri.

That sort of thing's Really Good for Morale NP.....Not! I was working in the next town's Delivery Office, and had a later start. My Postie (whose a Runner) used to deliver my mail before I'd even left for work FFS!

[Jpro747]

Most of the posties in my DO have thought of every single way of taking shortcuts, even the little things! this includes (and roughly how much time they might be saving);

Coming in early (30 min)
Throwing off all d2d on a mon/tues (20min for the rest of the week)
Doing any redirections while waiting for the next wave (a few seconds)
Loading van out of fire exit (15 min)
Stuffing almost every packet in the frame (2 min)
Making HUGE bundles (5 min)
Not bothering with van check (5 min)
Not wearing seatbelt (5 min)
Leaving van running all the time (a few seconds)
Working from tray of mail on passenger seat (20 min)
Running (1 hour)
Carrying heavy bags on shoulder (10 min)
Skipping break (40 min)
Cutting across lawns, hopping fences etc (20 min)
Doorstepping, Signing for parcels (20 min)
Not filling out the whole P739 (3 min)
Ignoring anyone who talks to them, asks for directions (1 min)
Speeding (1 min)

And many more....

[bustedflush]

I find working on my own helps an early finish. I had a van to myself last week, 580 calls plus 78 on lapsing. Finished 11:10 on the Tuesday, 12:40 on Weds rest of days in between. Yes, came in 25 minutes early and had prepped all my D-2-Dustbins on the previous Sat (In THEIR TIME as was back 12.10).
And I never doorstepped, failed to scan a 2D square. Yes, only took d-dustbins where I was going. You may criticize 25 mins early each day but that's far less than I saved in early finishing. I do that because of traffic - I leave home at 6:50 takes 12 minutes to get to DO. Leave at 7:15 lucky to get there in 25 minutes.

Manager rolled his eyes and made comments on a couple of days like "You f*cker's would all be complaining if you went over blah! blah!" but let me and others go early. Admittedly one day I threw the (just my calls) lapsing d-dustbins off for them when early off my own back.

The shorter the time I'm at work, the better. No claiming extended, punters get mail early and lapsing done so DIM happy, me home early, me happy!

I had a quick smoke and swig of coffee between each loop for a couple of minutes. It's amazing how much time solo working saves - no waiting for partner and work at your own pace. I have found I can do many 4.5 hour rounds in 2 hrs. 40 - 3hrs 20. That said, our managers do try and get us out early, Sat we left between 8.05 and 8.30. That's very important - late out means more stress and late back or cutting-off.

I've yet to walk round a churchyard and see "Here lies John Doe - he wished he'd worked more hours".......

[chickenwittle]

been in job 25 years now and have learnt to do whatever it takes to get you through the day , if that means not doing the job 100 % correctly well so what, managers dont seem to care so why should you . Dont stress yourself about what the guy next to you is doing or what time he finishes , it will only wind you up more . Royal Mail is only about profit for the shareholders now , you are only a number to them so chill and do the job how you like.Guys in our office walk in as late as they like in mornings hardly bother comming on ips and manager hardly says a word so everyone is past caring these days.

[ScousePostie]

Is it because the said managers have gone home themselves?

Yes!

[Chewster]

There's quite a few in my office who come in early, and bloody well get paid for it too! I almost always come in maybe 10-20 minutes early, maybe half an hour if i'm ready early and bored at home (I just like turning up to work early, done it with every job I've had....except the really rubbish ones). Once I learned that these managers favourites got paid for coming in early, I tried claiming for coming in early too. Manager says that's a no no so of course I asked him why certain others get paid for it and he didn't have an answer for me. I still come in early most days but I do tend to spend most of that 10-30 minutes pissing about and drinking tea and eating sweeties. "There's sorting to be done" the manager tells me, "sorry boss, I'm not due in for another 20 minutes yet" I say.