Giving up

Gladysrocker · Post by **Gladysrocker** » 02 Jun 2018, 22:19

I’ve been with RM for just over a year on a 30 hour contract. The advertised job was 8-2 five days a week and at the interview they said I’d be walking between 5 and 7 miles a day and implied I’d get a walk that I’d do regularly. That was the fairytale. Now for the nightmare. On my first day I was told that the hours I applied for wouldn’t suit the office I was in because they operated on a nine day fortnight which when explained to me I thought was going to be great! How naive of me. What wasn’t explained to me either in the job specification, at interview nor was it stated in my contract was that I was going to be a ‘reserve’, also known as a second class citizen, a mug and a dogsbody. For the first couple of months I was messed about being sent to other offices etc and had a pretty awful time of it to be honest, but was then sent back to my original office where I managed to settle in a bit.
My problem now though is this. Despite most of the office benefitting from long weekends every month, as a lowly reserve I’m obviously not afforded such luxury but I don’t even benefit from one, let alone 2 four day weeks. To fit in to the nine day fortnight pattern I end up working 33 hours 40 minutes every week but only getting paid for 30, as my contract. The five to seven miles a day has turned out to be well over ten and to be honest I’m exhausted. I’m walking in excess of 220 miles a month with no proper time off for my body to recover and I don’t know how much longer I can carry on.
My question really I suppose is can I insist on 2 four day weeks a month instead of banking all these hours that I don’t know when I’ll be able to take as there are no more A/L slots available!
Sorry for the long post,thanks for sticking with it!

Sir Henry · Post by **Sir Henry** » 02 Jun 2018, 22:30

First don't give up, not without sticking it to the c***s before you go of you do indeed decide to leave.
Short answer, get your rep to sort it out. Is they're not up to the job go to the are rep. Unfortunately this sort of s**t happens in every office to varying degrees and never gets sorted out properly as it suits Management very nicely to have someome work for nothing and get the cack days off. FTM.

Gladysrocker · Post by **Gladysrocker** » 02 Jun 2018, 22:40

I’ve spoken to the DOM and the union rep who said I was on a five day contract so there was nothing I could do! I said if we’re talking contracts mine says 30 hours not 33 hours 40, they just said I’d get the time back. I’m fed up of being a mug and would love to stick it to em!

Xr4 · Post by **Xr4** » 02 Jun 2018, 22:49

If you go over 3hrs 40, claim 3hrs 40 on the overtime sheet. Make sure you sign in and out properly showing the hours you've worked. I can't understand why people work for free. If they refuse to pay you for the hours worked cut off

Gladysrocker · Post by **Gladysrocker** » 02 Jun 2018, 23:02

Not really that simple.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 02 Jun 2018, 23:41

Gladysrocker wrote:Not really that simple.

It is.

Your Union rep is wrong there is no such thing as Banking hours. They can ask and you can say yes if you want to do lieu hours, but there is no national agreement to do it as a matter of course.

All overtime in Royal Mail is voluntary.

Contact your branch and ask to speak to the Women's Officer or Equality rep (sometimes the same person) and explain what you have posted here. A Decent full-time release rep should then either re-educate your local rep or the manager, a brilliant one will do both.

Gladysrocker · Post by **Gladysrocker** » 02 Jun 2018, 23:55

Thanks for your input True Blue Terrier. I actually don’t want paying for the hours,I want the four day weeks as five days at 10 miles plus with heavy bags is just too much. What I’m really asking is can I insist on a nine day fortnight, not necessarily with the long weekend, just the same treatment as everyone else?

glenfiddich · Post by **glenfiddich** » 03 Jun 2018, 08:54

Start using the correct delivery methods for each delivery lwt or reduced weight bags if stairs or steep inclined involved don't rush around to get finished on time if you need to go 30 mins over tell them before you leave office its little things like these that make the job easier work place coach should be there to help with local issues

Sir Henry · Post by **Sir Henry** » 03 Jun 2018, 11:08

Your rep sounds like they need a sharp reminder about who they're working for. Go to your area rep and DONT be fobbed off. no joy from the area rep as the office rep is being a weasel and misrepresenting what is going on? Go to division, keep kicking it up the line until someone starts to pull their finger out. YOU ARE THE UNION.

mattjo1@talktalk.net · Post by **mattjo1@talktalk.net** » 03 Jun 2018, 12:08

So you expect to walk into a duty, I had to wait 5 years until I was able to get my own duty.

Like every job you start at the bottom and work your way up, some people don't like doing that and expect everything straight away.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 03 Jun 2018, 12:28

mattjo1@talktalk.net wrote:So you expect to walk into a duty, I had to wait 5 years until I was able to get my own duty.

Like every job you start at the bottom and work your way up, some people don't like doing that and expect everything straight away.

...... and that helps her how. But I guess you agree with her working over her contract without being paid or getting the benefits that other staff get, or even being able to get the lieu days she promised.

If you want to start a new subject it's better to start a new thread rather than sounding off on one where someone is asking for help.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 03 Jun 2018, 12:33

Gladysrocker wrote:Thanks for your input True Blue Terrier. I actually don’t want paying for the hours,I want the four day weeks as five days at 10 miles plus with heavy bags is just too much. What I’m really asking is can I insist on a nine day fortnight, not necessarily with the long weekend, just the same treatment as everyone else?

Regrettably no you can't insist on a 9 day fortnight because your contract was on a five day week. But you CAN insist on only doing your hours between the times on your contract. However, it will be a battle and its one you need to be prepared for. You may need to put in grievance as well.

Gladysrocker · Post by **Gladysrocker** » 03 Jun 2018, 12:39

But can’t I insist on the same treatment as everyone else? They’ll all be on a five day contract too won’t they, not a nine day fortnight one?

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 03 Jun 2018, 12:47

Gladysrocker wrote:But can’t I insist on the same treatment as everyone else? They’ll all be on a five day contract too won’t they, not a nine day fortnight one?

It's complicated which is why I glossed over it.

As simply as possible - You can ask and indeed put in a grievance because you think its unfair treatment and that may sort it out. But if they refuse the grievance unless you can prove is based on protected characteristics such as age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation etc its unlikely to go any further.

However, if other reserves are being treated differently and more fairly, then yes you will have a strong case.

Gladysrocker · Post by **Gladysrocker** » 03 Jun 2018, 13:03

mattjo1@talktalk.net wrote:So you expect to walk into a duty, I had to wait 5 years until I was able to get my own duty.

Like every job you start at the bottom and work your way up, some people don't like doing that and expect everything straight away.

I expected to walk into a duty because that’s what I was led to believe during the interview process, not because I believe I deserve more than anyone else.