1 in 4 Saturdays off?

Dingo99 · Post by **Dingo99** » 24 Feb 2019, 20:00

Hi guys, this has probably cropped up half a million times, I did try searching but didn't get much joy. Anyway I was wondering if we can push for 1 in 4 Saturdays off? I remember reading years ago on here some literature on this from Royal Mail/CWU. I have been in this game for nearly 10 years and in all that time (and before according to my colleagues who have never known anything different) it has been 1 in 6 Saturdays off. I asked my DOM and he said we couldn't do it as we would have lapsing every Saturday to which I should have said that apart from December we do all year round anyway especially as we have an OPG on a 5 hour contract who won't work Saturdays which pi55es me off as when I was on a 5 hour contract years ago sometimes my only work in the week would be one Saturday a week, thankfully now I am full time. Anyway just wondering if anyone can help me as we finally have a rep in our office and I am sick of waiting 6 weeks for a Saturday off. If that is the way it has to be, then so be it, but I just think it is crappy of Royal Mail making you wait 6 weeks for more than one day off in a row not to mention not going in on a Saturday.

Anyway thanks for the help people, enjoy what is left of Sunday if anyone is on here I know I shouldn't be right now lol, cheers,

Dingo99 (Dan)

Post by **rambo1** » 24 Feb 2019, 20:18

Dingo99 wrote:Hi guys, this has probably cropped up half a million times, I did try searching but didn't get much joy. Anyway I was wondering if we can push for 1 in 4 Saturdays off? I remember reading years ago on here some literature on this from Royal Mail/CWU. I have been in this game for nearly 10 years and in all that time (and before according to my colleagues who have never known anything different) it has been 1 in 6 Saturdays off. I asked my DOM and he said we couldn't do it as we would have lapsing every Saturday to which I should have said that apart from December we do all year round anyway especially as we have an OPG on a 5 hour contract who won't work Saturdays which pi55es me off as when I was on a 5 hour contract years ago sometimes my only work in the week would be one Saturday a week, thankfully now I am full time. Anyway just wondering if anyone can help me as we finally have a rep in our office and I am sick of waiting 6 weeks for a Saturday off. If that is the way it has to be, then so be it, but I just think it is crappy of Royal Mail making you wait 6 weeks for more than one day off in a row not to mention not going in on a Saturday.

Anyway thanks for the help people, enjoy what is left of Sunday if anyone is on here I know I shouldn't be right now lol, cheers,

Dingo99 (Dan)

Nine day fortnights were brilliant work life balance, the new buz phrase going around, wish we could get that back. 1 in 6 is crappy, I agree.

Post by **97gaz** » 24 Feb 2019, 23:21

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 24 Feb 2019, 23:25

More saturdays off for everyone was one of the impossible to achieve promises from the previous pay agreement. Everyone knew it wouldn't or couldn't happen and it hasn't.

postmanzach · Post by **postmanzach** » 25 Feb 2019, 07:06

Ask your manager and rep if you could push the whole office to change to have long weekends off every 4 weeks.
We have Friday Saturday Monday and Tuesday off every 4 weeks. We work longer days 0657-1545 on long days, on the weeks with this long weekend we do under our contracted hours so on the other 2 weeks you do more than your hours. (Wednesday or Thursday off) and it works out on average over 4 weeks that you do 38 hours a week.

Post by **HTPostman** » 25 Feb 2019, 08:55

What's a Saturday off?

I've worked approximately 200 weeks for Royal Mail, other than holidays I've had 3 Saturdays off!

Ren Hoëk · Post by **Ren Hoëk** » 25 Feb 2019, 14:24

It is possible. Speak with DOM and union rep and see if there is apatite for it to happen with the people at your DO. Our DO is on 9 day fortnights (I think thats what you call it). its goes as follows

Mon - 06:00 -14:18
Tues - 06:20 - 14:15
Wednesday - 06:00 - 14:50
Thur - 06:00 - 14:50
Fri - 06:20 - 14:40
Saturday - 06:20 - 14:32

week one - Monday off = 42:10
Week two - Tuesday, Wednesday off = 33 hours
week three - Thursday off = 41:50 hours
Week Four - Friday, Sat off = 34 hours

Total 151 hours over 4 weeks

I think iv got the times correct but if not they are very close. Its nice that every 4 weeks we get a four day weekend but the week back is a slog to say the least! The other weeks are generally ok.

Chalky13 · Post by **Chalky13** » 25 Feb 2019, 14:58

How does every office not work to the same times?

They trialled in one dept at ours, 6 days on for 6 weeks, then a week off

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 25 Feb 2019, 15:30

I think its do-able but I'm guessing most offices don't have it either because they work a different system i.e. Wallingtons or 9 day fortnights or because it creates too much of a headache to ensure that each and every member of staff are getting their respective 1 in 4 Saturday's off. I'm assuming also that for less staff to be present on a Saturday then there should also be lapsed duties taking place as well??

PostmanTwat · Post by **PostmanTwat** » 25 Feb 2019, 16:32

My office has 1 in 4 Saturdays off. Only for full time staff, part time staff get 1 in 6. I am part time. It's s**t.

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 25 Feb 2019, 18:46

our office has it as well top 18 duties get one in THREE, the rest of the full time get one in four. some part time duties get 2 rotating days off a week i.e. mon/tue then wed/thur then fri/sat. some other part timers don't get a Saturday off at all.

Post by **rambo1** » 25 Feb 2019, 19:20

Ren Hoëk wrote:It is possible. Speak with DOM and union rep and see if there is apatite for it to happen with the people at your DO. Our DO is on 9 day fortnights (I think thats what you call it). its goes as follows

Mon - 06:00 -14:18
Tues - 06:20 - 14:15
Wednesday - 06:00 - 14:50
Thur - 06:00 - 14:50
Fri - 06:20 - 14:40
Saturday - 06:20 - 14:32

week one - Monday off = 42:10
Week two - Tuesday, Wednesday off = 33 hours
week three - Thursday off = 41:50 hours
Week Four - Friday, Sat off = 34 hours

Total 151 hours over 4 weeks

I think iv got the times correct but if not they are very close. Its nice that every 4 weeks we get a four day weekend but the week back is a slog to say the least! The other weeks are generally ok.

AHH I remember that, when you could have a life outside of work. Yeah, our good old union got rid of that for us and went onto 1 in 6. Thanks for that. Saved my some money since then as I left union straight away.

arnold cheshire · Post by **arnold cheshire** » 25 Feb 2019, 20:48

You do realise it involves a longer working week

arnold cheshire · Post by **arnold cheshire** » 25 Feb 2019, 20:49

We have 3 in 12 off

Strong bull · Post by **Strong bull** » 26 Feb 2019, 07:34

We have quite a few of these duty's at ours.

As a part timer a full time contract with a very long weekend break every month would be heaven.

What I cannot understand is why the sad people on these contracts still work there days off. A lovely nice long break ffs get a life, hobby and enjoy your days off ,life and stop being greedy. When you finish at 3pm on Thur and not back until Tue there is so much you could do.

What chance have us on pt contract are ever going to get a ft contract when these sad greedy lot do this.