Longer delivery spans

[fishtank]

After reading the report on musculoskeletal issues and then considering the trials taking place at the moment with regards to reducing prep, multi-bundling and bench merging it's obvious we have two conflicting positions.

The problem we have is that neither the union or Royal Mail want to recognise the main thrust of this report, that longer delivery spans are causing an increase in Musculoskeletal issues in delivery staff. We are now at a fork in the road moment, do we keep increasing delivery spans as the indoor workload continues to shrink or do we accept that the job will become predominantly part-time with each office something like a 30/70 split.

There is no easy answer but if the union is asking us to be pragmatic then they also have to face up to the reality that you can't keep pushing staff beyond what is healthy. If delivery spans have to be increased there have to be a few major line in the sand changes made to delivery.

1. Mandatory use of equipment enforced and monitored above unit level.
2. A mandatory break mid-delivery enforced using PDA data.
3. At least two consecutive days off per week for recovery.
4. A complete rewrite of the overrunning delivery process to shift responsibility back to management to resource.

any thoughts on other ways to minimise the potential damage longer delivery spans will cause?

[lightningpostman]

After reading the report on musculoskeletal issues and then considering the trials taking place at the moment with regards to reducing prep, multi-bundling and bench merging it's obvious we have two conflicting positions.

The problem we have is that neither the union or Royal Mail want to recognise the main thrust of this report, that longer delivery spans are causing an increase in Musculoskeletal issues in delivery staff. We are now at a fork in the road moment, do we keep increasing delivery spans as the indoor workload continues to shrink or do we accept that the job will become predominantly part-time with each office something like a 30/70 split.

There is no easy answer but if the union is asking us to be pragmatic then they also have to face up to the reality that you can't keep pushing staff beyond what is healthy. If delivery spans have to be increased there have to be a few major line in the sand changes made to delivery.

1. Mandatory use of equipment enforced and monitored above unit level.
2. A mandatory break mid-delivery enforced using PDA data.
3. At least two consecutive days off per week for recovery.
4. A complete rewrite of the overrunning delivery process to shift responsibility back to management to resource.

any thoughts on other ways to minimise the potential damage longer delivery spans will cause?

no lapsing what so ever, another 10-15 miles a week absorbing is not on.
appropriate foot wear that is catered to walking not the crap ronald mcdonald clown shoes.
breaks to be taken in the DO in a air conditioned/heated room with facilities.

[PJ101]

Redesign rounds so that they all have a driving component or have the indoor work done by those that dont have driving as asignificant part of their outdoor time.

[cvilidiot]

Vans that are specifically designed for the job we do, rather than the generic, off the shelf vans we have now.

[number one]

We need a national survey conducted by the union for all delivery staff with the following questions on it

Age?
Sex?
How long you have worked for Royal Mail?
Have you had any injuries in the past 5 years?
Is this a direct result of the job?
Are you in pain on a day to day basis?
Is your pain in:
Legs
Toes
Feet
Back
Knee
Shoulder
Neck
Other

Will your injury get better or worse over time?
Do you still think you could do this job in 5 years time?

[postslippete]

I will second this. We have an age-ing workforce at Royal Mail. There are not many guys I see on the shop floor that are under the age of 35, never mind 30. I'm finding that I am having to change my footwear on a regular basis because of Achilles problems. There definitely needs to be a change in culture as well because managers only seem to be bothered about staff taking their additional lapsing than anything else. I also believe that there is a positive correlation between longer delivery spans and mistakes being made like mis-deliveries etc. Surely Royal Mail will want its staff to be completely focussed whilst they are out on there on delivery?

The balance in our office is roughly 50/50 full and part-time and I can't see part-timers ever getting any permanent increase in their weekly hours, even though I'm sure that many of them want it. And those that are full-time are most reluctant to reduce their hours because of mortgages and bills and stuff. Personally, I don't even know how some staff survive on a 20 hour a week contract!

I know most posties are thankful of their day off during the week so maybe two consecutive days off per week for recovery could be the answer. But how could the CWU and Royal Mail balance that into fewer days of the week for us to work? If its on a 35 hour, 4 day week then thats 8 hours 45 minutes per day. I suppose it could work if there are fewer staff and bigger delivery spans

[postslippete]

And if staff stick to the script and race around and make these delivery spans look so easy that even more gets added on for lapsing for everyone else

[holly123]

I still see senior staff running round carrying bags, before anything changes staff need to work to rule and show the job can't be done properly using delivery methods and taking full meal entitlement

[LaggyBand]

Electric trolleys.

[rainbowwarrior72]

Tbh if office mergers are on the card I can't see them being able to make delivery spans longer especially if you are having Super DOs because the logistics and travelling times won't allow. I am also wondering if RM may have to go to 2 deliveries mainly out of the H&S situations this summer. I know that atm senior management will laugh at that but no place to go to toilet or have that other 20minute break. My Postie has his 20 M/R underneath a tree.
But if RM want to make stAaff work their hours theres only one way I can see. The big issue is lapsing and absorption and there have been questions asked on here after management telling staff to do absorptions before they do their walk. The other problem is that the Posties are still rushing about or coming in early to make that extra hour

[Celgar]

I still see senior staff running round carrying bags, before anything changes staff need to work to rule and show the job can't be done properly using delivery methods and taking full meal entitlement

It has been the situation for as many years as I can remember, & certainly since 'absorption' first started, that the job cannot be completed in the hours given if you followed all the rules RM & the union would like us to follow. Hence the standard of no breaks being taken, generally no food or water consumed, LWT never being used and piled up rusting in corners of RM sites etc.

[clashcityrocker]

An immediate drop to a 36 hour week.
A return to a 6 day week.

[Chris413]

An immediate drop to a 36 hour week.
A return to a 6 day week.

A return to a 6 day week is going to mean more injuries because of not enough rest days for the body to recover from each week.

[Rumple]

An immediate drop to a 36 hour week.
A return to a 6 day week.

A return to a 6 day week is going to mean more injuries because of not enough rest days for the body to recover from each week.

Maybe not, if the delivery span is 3.30. Which it would roughly be on a 6 hour day

[Pathfinder]

I’m curious about the non use of bags, because our office sometime within the last 2 months has had new (bigger) pouch bags delivered and most of the town walks use these bags! That’s how I was trained when I started.