Got fed up with management

Post by **White Reflection** » 05 Mar 2017, 16:43

My office has become so badly run the last year when a new DOM was introduced. Everyone is fed up in the office which is relatively large, 4 are transferring in beginning of April, 5 are waiting and praying redundancy opportunities come back and they will try and snatch it up as quick as possible and around 10 I've spoken to are looking for new jobs.

From only personally what he's done to me is as follows:

- I had a customer put in a complaint that I was racist because I didn't hand her parcel over the front counter without ID, Line manager pulled me in the office and just wanted to know what happened and didn't take it seriously because it was a ridiculous accusation, DOM overheard it and wanted to take it serious and they ended up arguing about it. Fortunately, things didn't go further.

- I had a dog bite (Large dog, Mastiff), and was told by line manager to call the police the next day. Meanwhile DOM went to owners house after withholding mail a week later, he told the owners everything was sorted and if they listen to his actions to keep posties save by keeping the door shut as they have no gated drive then they will resume mail and nothing will happen. Line manager didn't notify him that he told me to call police and a few weeks later when the police take the dog away and the owners get nasty coming up to the office, I get the DOM having a go at me for calling the police and taking further action. Meanwhile, after being injured by the dog, I still came in every. Single. Day. Didn't take any time off for it.

- Been given agency to work with me and when I don't complete on time and give them enough notice (tell them before I leave the office and at 12), I still get grief and conflict because I should be helping them out and should be completing on time, regardless if they don't know how to do tracked, 739's or use the PDA.

- Been told by colleagues when I had an accident and had to have time off by doctors order, that he was badmouthing me behind my back to other people. Calling me a liability and taking the piss with time off. Even though I couldn't carry any weight because I had injured my back. I tried going back two weeks later due to feeling pressurised but made things worse and had to take more time off.

- In the past the DOM has asked me and other people to prep the lapsing frame rather than queue up for specials and when everyone went to finish off their frames as the reason they were queuing then is if you are at the bottom of the queue the min time you are waiting for them is 20minutes. As I didn't want to be the only one to prep the frame and I still needed to bundle and load up my bags for loops and the others had already done so, I cracked on. He targeted me only out of the five and yelled at me to do the task given to me regardless of my progress. My colleague that witnessed it as well behind my frame was shocked by the way I was spoken to as well.

- I've also had the DOM come over to me whilst I have been prepping my frame (I am a leave reserve and frequently move around), and he started badmouthing my partner who has autism. He started saying how he was useless and people "like him" should not be in the company and if he had it his way he would get rid of him.

These are just a handful of things that have happened but he's also caused one of my friends to go off sick for stress as he was pressurised too much to complete and given so much stick reglardless that he has a pending operation for his arthritis on both his knees. He's been off for 6 months now.

If this is how the company is going then I'm so glad to say that I've already left the job and now have a new career. It's a shame, because the job itself is nice.. being able to stay in office for a bit and then go off outside to deliver. It kept me fit and being outside made me happy. However, I kept not wanting to wake up for work and I was getting incredibly depressed. I really hope no one else gets any of this kind of stick and if you are miserable, I'd really just say move on.. It's so much better being happier where you are and what you are doing. I'm now in a non-corporate job that actually appreciates you and you're not a (walk) number anymore.

Ricardo44 · Post by **Ricardo44** » 05 Mar 2017, 17:03

Good luck in your new job..at least you are one of the lucky ones who was able to get out and put it behind you and move on.

There will be many posties across the country who are having similar problems.

Post by **bustedflush** » 05 Mar 2017, 18:24

Jesus! It almost sounds Dickensian, lucky your office doesn't have chimneys.

Pompey Boy · Post by **Pompey Boy** » 05 Mar 2017, 20:09

Like I've said before, this is happening in loads of DOs and these aren't the ideas of local linos and DOMs - they are national instructions. Can't understand why CWU aren't doing anything about it

Jpro747 · Post by **Jpro747** » 05 Mar 2017, 21:20

Ffs

if the company aren't going to sort these muppet managers out then why don't we (the union) do it ourselves with mass walkouts across the country. Come on CWU sort it out! Bullying/harrassment has got to be one of the biggest issues in delivery offices and it's been going on for years and only seems to be getting worse. Enough is enough!!!

Post by **POSTMAN** » 05 Mar 2017, 22:16

White, you need to send this to justsayit@royalmail.com and name names, you never know...

tommyrep · Post by **tommyrep** » 06 Mar 2017, 15:55

Jpro747 wrote:Ffs if the company aren't going to sort these muppet managers out then why don't we (the union) do it ourselves with mass walkouts across the country. Come on CWU sort it out! Bullying/harrassment has got to be one of the biggest issues in delivery offices and it's been going on for years and only seems to be getting worse. Enough is enough!!!

Jpro 747. I agree with you totally!
This sort of local management behaviour is allowed to persist unabated. Both by senior RM management AND our underactive unions duty protect staff/members. Without clear union leadership support, un-official action is the only option. Getting any support from colleagues ?? well, that's harder to achieve. DOMs know there is no fight left in many units and the CWU have become a joke ! Sad but true. Spineless !

seeker019 · Post by **seeker019** » 06 Mar 2017, 17:04

Managers can abuse the work force as they see fit because they are are all bulletproof. FACT!!!

As seen in the past if a postie bullies another postie then they are sacked. FACT!!!

And the union have no power at all. FACT!!!

Post by **Lincox** » 08 Mar 2017, 22:53

The main problem with the CWU is that they have no idea how to manage local problems. There are no regular member meetings, something that is essential to establish and iron out local problems, no regular managed visits from area or divisional cwu representatives so they have no idea what is happening in the delivery offices, and complete non appearance of management level cwu grades to make the membership feel that they do care.

tommyrep · Post by **tommyrep** » 09 Mar 2017, 10:50

Lincox wrote:The main problem with the CWU is that they have no idea how to manage local problems. There are no regular member meetings, something that is essential to establish and iron out local problems, no regular managed visits from area or divisional cwu representatives so they have no idea what is happening in the delivery offices, and complete non appearance of management level cwu grades to make the membership feel that they do care.

tommyrep · Post by **tommyrep** » 09 Mar 2017, 10:51

seeker019 wrote:Managers can abuse the work force as they see fit because they are are all bulletproof. FACT!!!

As seen in the past if a postie bullies another postie then they are sacked. FACT!!!

And the union have no power at all. FACT!!!

tommyrep · Post by **tommyrep** » 09 Mar 2017, 10:52

Pompey Boy wrote:Like I've said before, this is happening in loads of DOs and these aren't the ideas of local linos and DOMs - they are national instructions. Can't understand why CWU aren't doing anything about it

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 09 Mar 2017, 18:56

Management might argue that some people are just not cut out to do postal work. But I disagree with that. The job ain't perfect and I can relate to quite a few things that the OP has said.

But it really is high time that the CWU seriously looked at backing up its own members for working to time. Decent Union reps would have no trouble at all recruiting new members as well if staff simply want to work to their time. Because sometimes all these staff want is someone to just back them up in front of managers to tell them to drop a few loops or packets/parcels etc.

Dorset Plodder · Post by **Dorset Plodder** » 10 Mar 2017, 16:34

postslippete wrote:Management might argue that some people are just not cut out to do postal work. But I disagree with that. The job ain't perfect and I can relate to quite a few things that the OP has said.

But it really is high time that the CWU seriously looked at backing up its own members for working to time. Decent Union reps would have no trouble at all recruiting new members as well if staff simply want to work to their time. Because sometimes all these staff want is someone to just back them up in front of managers to tell them to drop a few loops or packets/parcels etc.

Many members comment that they have Good Union Reps, and I believe them. I've met a few in my time as well. The problem seems to me that many Unit Reps are just not "Big Enough for the Job". They allow personal gain to take precedence over the general good of the Delivery Office. Admittedly they've been set a good example by people such as MPs, who think only of improving their own lot.

The Good Reps I have met have put other Posties interests first and have often taken time, and effort, to try and sort out someone else's duty, or problem. They've gained respect (which has to be earned) and trust by such actions. And I believe the rest of the DO is then more likely to listen to any suggestions they have to make.

I realise that a lot of Reps are probably only in the post because nobody else wanted to do it. I can therefore understand their reluctance to perhaps take on more work. Especially if their DO has a high proportion of Whingers, that like to bend the Reps ear every 5 mins with pathetic problems, such as "Someone keeps nicking my parking space" etc. However I'd find it hard to look at myself in the mirror if I thought I was only in the job for what I could get out of it.