revisions and stuff

[newbie2011]

We're in the middle of a revision, to try to even out fairness in the office. The one thing about it which is baffling to me (I don't know if I'm stupid, or missing something, or just need to shut up and accept it!) is as follows:
a quarter of our office is on rural rounds, so they are on a 10 hour day (well, 9.48) with long weekends every three weeks. the rest of the office are on 8 hour days (well, 7.48) with a 1/6 saturday off, and off course the reserves are screwed over with saturdays. Our revision was supposed to make everyone equal in the office. After having the aspiration meeting, the majority of the office were told that having more saturdays off were out of the question. We then hear that the rural rounds are going to be on a 9 day fortnight, as well as one of the shared duties, as they specified that they want more saturdays off (despite the majority of the office being told no can do). And those left are going to still be on their 1/6 saturdays and the reserves screwed. Now, I don't know if I've missed something, but the rural rounds are going to be having say, 30 houses which is a bit out of their way, taken off them, and about 30 houses which but onto their round added. They are up in arms at having their rounds having bits added on. On a heavy day at the moment, they're making at least 2 hours a day each, and have been heard to say "I'm not working past 3 today, it's too heavy", although their finish time is 4. If a shared duty comes back at 1 instead of 2, they're made to go back our or do door to doors, yet as the DOM is gone by 1430, they miss the times they get back (or they simply hide at home/cafe).
have I missed something here? I thought a revision was supposed to make the majority of the office happy, not just 1/4? our rep is happy with this outcome.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Get everyone to ask for a vote, sounds like the revision will be rejected.

However, you are unlikely to ever be happy or get all you want. 1 in 6 is the way RM want all offices to go as it will be easier for them to staff both now, and when the bigger duties come in.

But, you might be able to write into the revision reserves getting an average 1 in 6.

[newbie2011]

I understand all that. Our revision is potentially being signed off at the end of the month. My confusion though is that the rurals who currently get 5 day long weekends every 3 weeks, and going forward going to be working 9 day fortnights, so they can get every second saturday off, but the rest of the office remain on 1/5 saturdays. The rural duties only account for a quarter of the office, which definitely isn't the majority of the office. The reply is "we can't please everyone" which i totally agree with, but my understanding is that the majority should be happier, which isn't going to be the case when 3/4 of the office are still going to be disgruntled with the rural rounds.

[steve1873]

Get everyone to ask for a vote, sounds like the revision will be rejected.

However, you are unlikely to ever be happy or get all you want. 1 in 6 is the way RM want all offices to go as it will be easier for them to staff both now, and when the bigger duties come in.

But, you might be able to write into the revision reserves getting an average 1 in 6.

I don't think there is anything needing written in to the revision. As far as I am aware, that is nationally agreed.

[Dorset Plodder]

It's been suggested that we have a Table Top Revision, due to the fact that it's that time of year when Royal Mail come looking to cut a couple of Posties worth of hours from the Office! Funny how that always happens AFTER us struggling to deliver all the mail at Christmas isn't it?

Don't hold out a lot of hope of getting a decent deal. Idle Unit Rep (just interested in feathering his own nest), usual Mafia of Old Full Timers (quite happy with the status quo as they've got the duties that SHOULD have more added to them), In-Experienced Manager (seems happy to let some of the afore mentioned Mafia organise & run his office for him)

It's been suggested that we should form a committee to try and sort the problem. I've suggested that this should have the Duty Reserves on it, hopefully they won't have a vested interest in any particular duty. The only problem with this is a couple of them are "Over Time Bandits", and would probably OK any duty that had a few hours docket on it!

Any suggestions on how to succesfully organise this?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

You could organise a committee but it would have no official or unofficial recognition. You could be an unofficial solidarity committee which would be there to back each other up, or act as one when other members are wronged. But you would have to tread very carefully in regard to starting unofficial Industrial Action either by design or by accident. There are consequences if you get this aspect wrong.

However, Royal Mail won't recognise you because they won't be able to recognise you as official representatives.

The CWU won't recognise you as you will be outside their structure.

The only official way to have any real effect is to get the rep unseated by a vote of no confidence and to get someone to stand against them in an election.

[Dorset Plodder]

Thanks for the advice TBT. The suggestion of a Committee was raised in WTLL by the DOM (as he hasn't got a clue). It will include the Unit Rep, and any others that are interested. Don't believe there's any threat of unofficial industrial action, most of my lot are bloody jellyfish anyway. It's hard enough to get them to strike, even if it has been balloted and authorised by the CWU.

I'll probably end up putting myself down as at least IMO I'll be a voice of reason, and I may be able to stop some of the more stupid suggestions. I'll probably end up ruffling a few feathers but then I don't treat work as some sort of social club. Too many Posties seem to hide behind frames whispering and slagging others off, but non of them have the bottle to say it to their faces.

[ArthurPewty]

For what it's worth, I think reserves should have the biggest input into in a revision. They have a knowledge of how 'long' each round really is. It takes variations in speed of different posties out of the equation (as Reserve A will complete each round at the same pace, so will reserve B,C etc even if the actual times taken are different). I'd get all the reserves to anonymously write down the difficulty of all the walks from 'easiest' to 'hardest' and I'm sure it would provide by far the most useful database in the whole process. There would be a bit of variation where rounds are similar, but the really easy and really difficult walks would stand out a mile and could be addressed fairly and properly.

[Supersonicvandriver]

be happy you still have your round. just had my rural took off me after 6 years on it. . they will get wise to it and cut indoor hrs in the end that's what happening. they want everyone outdoors all the time with little time spent in the office. while the dim gets fat sat on the asses.

[Dorset Plodder]

For what it's worth, I think reserves should have the biggest input into in a revision. They have a knowledge of how 'long' each round really is.

Thanks for the input AP. This was my initial thought to. The main problems that I could foresee with this is:

a) We've got a few "Overtime Bandits" on the Reserves List, which is why I believe it would be pointless to have them on the committee, "Rubber Stamping" all the existing Duties (because there's a few hours docket on this one).

b)Quite a few of the Reserves are Less Experienced Posties, and not very assertive characters (they may not want to upset the status quo)

However the idea of perhaps writing down which duties they think are too big/too small, and handing that in to the office is a good idea.

[newbie2011]

all very interesting comments. this week we're told the rurals are having the extra bit they currently do taken off, and they'll be doing a different extra bit. This will give them the choice of whether to do this and retain their 9.45 hour 4 days week with long weekends of 5 days off every 3 weeks - what they're doing now, or they can choose that or a 9 day week. the rest is pretty much staying the same and we need to lose two members of staff. this seems like an unbelievable waste of time and money etc. of course the rurals are going to stick with what they've got, although they can't understand what has happened and still feel hard done by. the union rep has decided to stand down in the middle of all this. and the new stand in dom has been heard to say that he can't understand how this has all happened and how it's even being proposed. with the additional house either having been built, or in the process of being built, losing a whole duty and two members of staff and the rurals retaining their inequal rounds, which only benefits 6 out of 50 posties in the office, he is in a state of disbelief as well. the remaining 40 odd posties are all happy to bitch and moan about it, but no-one has the balls to stand up and say no, this isn't right. one did in the meeting during the week and was given the response of "you can't please everyone" and he suggested surely pleasing the majority should be what they're aiming for, to which a shrug of the shoulders ensued. is this really worth pursuing through disagreement? the dom was heard to say if that did happen the company would be 100% behind it as it is wrong. it seems like complete madness, and the easiest seeing thing to do is take work of the rurals to give them 8 hours work, and create a new round using this excess combined with rejigging due to the new houses. any thoughts appreciated. i'd do it (the disagreement) but am worried about repercussions.

[Dorset Plodder]

Sounds like a right Balls Up 2011. I have no experience of these 4 day weeks but they sound like a cushy Number. I'm surprised 1/4 of the DO get the cushy number and the other 3/4 have to put up with a 1 in 6 Saturday off!

It's no wonder your Rurals are happy with the current status quo.... I think anyone would. I think you need to get an Independent Party involved, perhaps the Area Delivery Rep? Surely if it's put to a vote the majority will win (which in theory should be the 75% 1in 6) Again I've little experience of the agreements but then surely the Rurals would have to fall in line with the rest of the DO and perhaps everyone would end up with a fairer deal (which after all is all every Postie wants).