Report from the London Divisional Reps meeting and their take on Royal Mail's capital markets day announcement.

Post by **tinkerdil** » 28 May 2019, 15:53

Interesting comment in Martin's first paragraph. RM not guaranteeing the 3 new hubs will be staffed by RM opg grades. Now that really is a game changer.

Post by **rogersh** » 28 May 2019, 17:05

tinkerdil wrote:Interesting comment in Martin's first paragraph. RM not guaranteeing the 3 new hubs will be staffed by RM opg grades. Now that really is a game changer.

To quote Martin/Dingo;
"The actual strategy is that Royal Mail are not willing to guarantee that the 3 new parcel centres which are central to this strategy will be staffed by Royal Mail OPG staff."

So which staff are implied to "man" the centres if RM are not willing to guarantee OPG grades will staff the 3 new hubs?

Martin Walsh · Post by **Martin Walsh** » 28 May 2019, 18:11

An alternative and cheaper workforce is where Royal Mail want to go. In fact they only have the business case and monies for Warrington at the moment.

The first review of the legal guarantees take place in October which will also be a factor.

If you looked at what Royal Mail said on capital markets day that on average the call rate for deliveries nationally is 60 percent. They also believe as letters continue to reduce than that call rate will further reduce. The indoor prep work will also decline.

Therefore for a full timer to maintain full time hours with bigger parcels going , call rates dropping and indoor work reducing is from more outdoor time.

With regards to part time staff , they will be impacted in much the same way as they will need to have their outdoor time maximised with declining call rate and larger parcels being removed. Additionally part timers will also be impacted with regards to indoor hourage being reduced and their chances to increase their contracted hours become harder.

Post by **stodgy88** » 28 May 2019, 18:34

What time-frame are royal mail hoping to achieve ,if the ideas are tried.

ted_e_bear · Post by **ted_e_bear** » 28 May 2019, 20:04

tinkerdil wrote:Interesting comment in Martin's first paragraph. RM not guaranteeing the 3 new hubs will be staffed by RM opg grades. Now that really is a game changer.

That's also what's worrying me, what's next, not opg staff delivering the parcels from the new hubs as well ?

Gasman11 · Post by **Gasman11** » 28 May 2019, 20:34

The terms and conditions uncertainty relates to the proposed 3 parcel sorting hubs only doesnt it, once sorted they'd be distributed to the circa 200 to 300 LAT offices for delivery by OPG staff?

Gasman11 · Post by **Gasman11** » 28 May 2019, 20:55

And Martin regarding tracked items, will it be large tracked parcels that will go to the LAT offices or all tracked items?? Also has anyone been informed of RMs plans yet within their local delivery office by the dom so that everyone's aware of whats going on. No meetings in our office yet like. Only been in RM a few years so unsure of the politics and how quickly this kind of thing trickles down to each DO.

Ozzvaldo · Post by **Ozzvaldo** » 28 May 2019, 21:20

I've mentioned to one or two people in my office the background to what I'm reading on here, and what Martin is posting, and I was essentially told by my line-manager (although not in so many words) that I was a troublemaker and to stop shooting my mouth off.

He wasn't able to explain to me, however, how RM proposed to staff the changes to the business that were outlined in the bulletin that he put on our notice board on Capital Markets Day. I was particularly keen to find out as I work in an LAT office that is swamped every day (as are the other offices we cover) with Amazon parcels and it's panic measure, sea-of-the-pants management stuff every day to cover the work in my chronically understaffed office as it is.

leolion855 · Post by **leolion855** » 29 May 2019, 08:16

So if these new hubs dont get built then none of this will be happening?

Post by **Sugar** » 29 May 2019, 14:30

Scary reading.

With all the parcels the size of a shoebox potentially ending up at LAT offices for delivery how long before Parcelforce starts losing jobs?

The way this new delivery strategy seems to be pointing is towards white man van parcel deliveries with a battered OPG walking 20+ miles a day with letters in the supposedly declining letters market with a poxy 60% call rate. That bit we all know is bollocks except for maybe Tuesdays then parcels fill in a lot of gaps.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason for what they are proposing other than to carve up the company for the sake of profits and massive unnecessary job losses to meet that agenda.

Management in this company seem to have and never have had a clear well thought out plan for steady continual growth. It's just one knee jerk panic reaction after another at the expense of a workforce that does all the donkey work.

The sooner there's a mass walk out the better and this time the CWU better have a pair of bollocks themselves not like the last 2 or 3 times we've had them against the wall for the CWU to buckle and back off.

No more talk of shorter working weeks or pay rises it's job security and better working conditions and an end to the stress and bullying and harassment that goes on in some many DO's.

Post by **rainbowwarrior72** » 29 May 2019, 15:05

Tbh we have to protect jobs. As per the 4 Pillars Agreement there was a commitment to grow the business in ensure future success for the business and there are a few routes to that destination. The question is whether RM wants to go that way??? We all know and accept that the business has to change and modernise but every idea coming from RM senior management end up being expensive or "error of judgement". The big problem is we have management who don't have the knowledge or have done the job themselves. They think we are lazy, inefficient and unproductive but they don't know what it takes to get the job done. Alot of the DOMs are encouraging their Posties to bend the rules just so they can get the job done.
Technology has to work hand in hand with us not instead of us and way things are going we will be fined time in time out due to lack of quality by OfCom. I believe that RM wants to make the picture look worse then it actually is because they want OfCom and government to remove the USO totally. Just remember Amazon who are considered a global success has never made a profit but Jeff Bezos is one the worlds richest people. I am up for the fight that is coming because we have to protect OUR company from people who's agenda is going to destroy RM

Post by **RobertT** » 29 May 2019, 16:43

rainbowwarrior72 wrote:Just remember Amazon who are considered a global success has never made a profit but Jeff Bezos is one the worlds richest people.

In 2018 Amazon USA made a profit of $11.2 Billion!!!!!

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... ons-profit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also made a profit in the UK, although in some countries they are making a loss.

Gasman11 · Post by **Gasman11** » 29 May 2019, 19:50

N'Golo Kante pays more tax in the UK than Amazon. I also question how many of their gig economy drivers have the required level of business insurance. Looking at the kip of some of the vehicles you see i very much doubt it.

Post by **RobertT** » 30 May 2019, 04:28

Gasman11 wrote:N'Golo Kante pays more tax in the UK than Amazon. I also question how many of their gig economy drivers have the required level of business insurance. Looking at the kip of some of the vehicles you see i very much doubt it.

Yes, the level of taxes Amazon and plenty of other companies pay is a disgrace!
I once had the need to have business car insurance(not RM related) and it was no higher than the standard commuting/personal use premium! But that might just be me?

Woody Guthrie · Post by **Woody Guthrie** » 30 May 2019, 15:49

RobertT wrote:Yes, the level of taxes Amazon and plenty of other companies pay is a disgrace!
I once had the need to have business car insurance(not RM related) and it was no higher than the standard commuting/personal use premium! But that might just be me?

Business insurance is relatively cheap but most insurers won't cover couriers with basic business insurance, for that you really need multi-drop and goods in transit insurance. That's considerably more expensive.