Getting A Saturday Off

Raggedy Man · Post by **Raggedy Man** » 21 Jan 2018, 20:22

I started with Royal Mail towards the back end of last year.

My day off has always been a Tuesday. Apart from the weeks which Christmas and New Year fell in. Then I lost that day off due to more senior staff having a Tuesday as their lieu day.

I'm now starting to wonder am I getting screwed here. Tuesday is a light mail day, so why am I always on a day off when it's an easier day while others get their day off on heavier mail days thereby having an easier working week. I'm also wondering why I'm having to miss family time each and every week when others in the office get a Saturday off on a semi regular basis. Possibly on a 1 in 6 basis ?

I've read lots of what seems contradicting information on the board (probably my newness to the business and not understanding things fully) and wondered where I stand. Is there a national agreement for 1 in 6 ? My contract doesn't state my set day off is a Tuesday in fact it just states I'm employed on a 25 hour contract. The advert I replied to even stated 25 hours over 5 days working Monday - Sat thereby implying no set day off.

I'm not wanting to complain for the sake of it but fairness seems to be a somewhat unknown thing in our workplace. Any pointers that would enable me to query things would be hugely appreciated.

Post by **ArthurPewty** » 21 Jan 2018, 20:48

I'd start by sounding out the union rep. If you're lucky he'll agree how unfair it is and accompany you to the DOM's office for a 'chat' about how you're being shafted and how it could be construed as victimisation.
More likely is he'll tell you it's tough on you but you were last in....your time will come... and other crap, as he is benefiting from you being off every Tuesday.
In that case you'll have to either accept the status quo or let the manager know that you're not happy with this and want some other days off (including a few Saturdays during the year). If you do overtime and don't cut off you'll be in a stronger position as you can hint (I wouldn't outright say it at this point) that you feel a bit of give and take would be appropriate, and as you are doing your bit by doing the O/T to get the job done, he can do his bit by giving you days off other than Tuesdays every week. The only thing that's certain is that if you don't say anything it will carry on. Good luck

joewyan · Post by **joewyan** » 21 Jan 2018, 20:50

You will find that you will usually get a Tuesday off as a reserve. Nationally a lot of people get a 1in6 rotating day off but they are people on signed walks. Reserves are pretty much given Tuesday. Unfortunately there isn’t anything you can do about this apart from ask for a different day off on a specific week as your contract (like everyone) stipulates 5 days out of 6.

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 21 Jan 2018, 21:01

joewyan wrote:.......... Unfortunately there isn’t anything you can do about this apart from......................

Demand a different day off!!

I keep a diary type record of what office/round I've worked, what hours I worked and what O/T I've done - and from that what days off I've had.
That way when you can say after say two months when you've not had a Saturday off - 'Look I've not had a Saturday (or other) day off for x weeks.
I need a different day off!'

If you don't say anything they won't change anything!

olilew · Post by **olilew** » 21 Jan 2018, 21:26

This is bullshit! Tell your gaffer you are entitled to 1 in 6 weekends just like everyone else and you want them. He can't refuse and if he does tell him you are going to put a grievance in. he will soon sort it.

MissKazzyB · Post by **MissKazzyB** » 21 Jan 2018, 22:52

Hey

You basically need to speak up for yourself !!!
I’m a reserve & I started last year. I get a rotating day off each week so one week I’ll have Monday off, following week I have Tuesday off, following week I have Wednesday off & so on. So every 6 weeks I have a nice long weekend, Saturday, Sunday & Monday off.
I’ve founf with RM that if you don’t speak up then they will take the piss with you.

Good luck

Post by **97gaz** » 22 Jan 2018, 08:55

MissKazzyB · Post by **MissKazzyB** » 22 Jan 2018, 16:36

97gaz wrote:
MissKazzyB wrote:Hey

You basically need to speak up for yourself !!!
I’m a reserve & I started last year. I get a rotating day off each week so one week I’ll have Monday off, following week I have Tuesday off, following week I have Wednesday off & so on. So every 6 weeks I have a nice long weekend, Saturday, Sunday & Monday off.
I’ve founf with RM that if you don’t speak up then they will take the piss with you.

Good luck
Reserves don't usually get rotating days off. Sounds to me as if you're covering the same duty all the time so getting the days off the duty is due.

I am a reserve & cover different walks. I cover days off, sick days & annual leave

Seymour Buts · Post by **Seymour Buts** » 22 Jan 2018, 18:05

Seems to work this way at our place:

If you're a walk holder you got one long weekend per month because your day off floats: Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

Our reserves however get a random day. Typically it'll be Wedsnesday or Thursday as all the walk holders are in on those days. It's virtually never a Saturday; management know they'll have knockups on a Saturday so you never get one.

You need to ask, before I signed to say I'd do 6 days I used to tell 'em I'd like x Saturday off because I'm going to the football and I'd usually get it. I'd never get one without asking though; they told me specifically at my interview that I WOULD be working Saturdays so I couldn't really complain. I suspect they probably said the same to you so you might not get anywhere. It's a new contract thing I think.

Good luck though.

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 23 Jan 2018, 16:35

to the OP. are your hours different on each day or are you 5 x 5hrs each day. reason I ask is because they tried that bullshit with a reserve at our office. our Tuesdays are a shorter working day 07.15 - 14.30. so the guy was getting every Tuesday off, thereby meaning over the weeks he was owed time by RM because he wasn't getting his proper time off. he was working more hours than he should have been because our Wed, Thurs. and Fridays are longer days. if this is the case in your circumstance then they WILL owe you time. bring it up.

Shaders · Post by **Shaders** » 23 Jan 2018, 17:23

If you support the same football team as the Dom or are female, that normally gets you regular Saturdays off in my office.

Post by **General Mannerheim** » 23 Jan 2018, 17:32

Shaders wrote:If you support the same football team as the Dom or are female, that normally gets you regular Saturdays off in my office.

You missed the bit out about if you don't like football your a raving poofter.

Sir Henry · Post by **Sir Henry** » 24 Jan 2018, 20:39

The truth of the matter is that you should get THE EQUIVALENT of 1 in 6 Saturday's off. No one is going to win this one for you, get onto your rep and keep on to your rep. If they're not playing ball go above their head to area and so on. The screws will continue to screw you out of your Saturday's and your colleagues don't give a f**k as they're all right Jack. I started making a noise about it and strangely enough I've had three Saturdays off in about six weeks. Don't believe the shite that you get the day off designated for the duty you are covering, they soon change it when it's a Saturday if they think they can get away with it ( happened to me countless times )