Dreading next week

[scoobydo79]

Yes !! The above.My entire point was to point out to the OP was that Royal Mail are going to implement big change which is certain to cause even more upheaval which is something He struggles with.We all need to be ready for it and have a plan.The more the merrier if You will.Grandypants how did You get on?

[SpacePhoenix]

Yes !! The above.My entire point was to point out to the OP was that Royal Mail are going to implement big change which is certain to cause even more upheaval which is something He struggles with.We all need to be ready for it and have a plan.The more the merrier if You will.Grandypants how did You get on?

We already know about the parcel hubs which will take large parcels, next day (still not seen anything about what they mean by that) and all the Tracked away from inward MCs and DOs that aren't LAT hubs. With the investment by RM being £1.8 billion, that's enough money for RM to replace a lot of machines with ones that can sort smaller parcels (sorting down to walk level eventually?) and Also ones that can process letters and large letters together and to sequence them (don't know about d2d as some d2d might always be way to flimsy to be sortable by machine). Long term for DOs I think there's only 3 possible outcomes:

1) Deliveries become virtually all outdoors with 7-8 hour delivery spans
2) Delivery jobs become part time
3) Delivery jobs all become 6 day (where they're 5 day a week or less or 7 day weeks (with Sundays maybe being parcels only)

[citypostie]

Yes !! The above.My entire point was to point out to the OP was that Royal Mail are going to implement big change which is certain to cause even more upheaval which is something He struggles with.We all need to be ready for it and have a plan.The more the merrier if You will.Grandypants how did You get on?

We already know about the parcel hubs which will take large parcels, next day (still not seen anything about what they mean by that) and all the Tracked away from inward MCs and DOs that aren't LAT hubs. With the investment by RM being £1.8 billion, that's enough money for RM to replace a lot of machines with ones that can sort smaller parcels (sorting down to walk level eventually?) and Also ones that can process letters and large letters together and to sequence them (don't know about d2d as some d2d might always be way to flimsy to be sortable by machine). Long term for DOs I think there's only 3 possible outcomes:

1) Deliveries become virtually all outdoors with 7-8 hour delivery spans
2) Delivery jobs become part time
3) Delivery jobs all become 6 day (where they're 5 day a week or less or 7 day weeks (with Sundays maybe being parcels only)

If I worked In a mail centre I wouldn't be trying to paint a doom and gloom picture for deliveries I'd be worried about the job losses with all these new machines and big parcels and all tracked moving to hubs. That's alot less work for the other mail centres. In deliveries they can take rounds out as much as they want but can't make people sprint round to do them. As for the indoor prep etc. Their trials showed it added time on and didn't save anything so that won't happen. Can you lads in MC slow the machines down to justify you all needing to be there ? We can always say we are slow because of aching joints, getting older, knocking on 10 neighbours to get rid of every recorded letter. Suppose you could say the machine needs oiling

Mail deliveries will be Monday to Friday with the lat/parcel hubs doing parcels on Saturdays and possibly Sundays. They said in the courier it's hard to make Sunday parcels profitable and monday-saturday for parcels is the industry standard. Someone asked the question about Monday to Friday letters and they basically said that's what theyd like

[SpacePhoenix]

If I worked In a mail centre I wouldn't be trying to paint a doom and gloom picture for deliveries I'd be worried about the job losses with all these new machines and big parcels and all tracked moving to hubs. That's alot less work for the other mail centres.

Probably won't mean that many job loses, it;s not unusual atm for there to be quite a few casuals and people doing docket (both from the MC and from DOs) each shift, RM will just cut back on that first

[TrueBlueTerrier]

If I worked In a mail centre I wouldn't be trying to paint a doom and gloom picture for deliveries I'd be worried about the job losses with all these new machines and big parcels and all tracked moving to hubs. That's alot less work for the other mail centres.

Probably won't mean that many job loses, it;s not unusual atm for there to be quite a few casuals and people doing docket (both from the MC and from DOs) each shift, RM will just cut back on that first

But looking from the outside Mail Centre efficiency is probably what they are going to target, certainly with DOs paired to the bone, and the presentation of items from MCs is our biggest gripe in deliveries. I think MCs are going to get the "efficiency" mantra that DOs have been getting.

For me the switch is coming, DOs have had their efficiency targeted for the last decade, where MCs have been merged and closed. The next decade is going to the opposite way round, DOs are going to be more heavily merged (LAT offices becoming Super DOs where possible) and MCs streamlined.

[scoobydo79]

I think management have had a shock regarding PDA actual.In My office they were all ready to use them but it would seem it would be to the OPGs advantage with the data they now have so it’s all gone very quiet again lol

[SpacePhoenix]

But looking from the outside Mail Centre efficiency is probably what they are going to target, certainly with DOs paired to the bone,

They've already cut MCs down to the bone, probably down into the marrow, we get shifts somtimes where the regular staff are outnumberd by causals and staff doing docket

and the presentation of items from MCs is our biggest gripe in deliveries.

In what way (examples please)?

I think MCs are going to get the "efficiency" mantra that DOs have been getting.

we've had it for a few years now, resourcing has been down to budget for a while. There isn't too much time savings that they can make anymore (if at all)

[terry2972]

The main problem at the moment from MC are parcels that aren’t sorted and quite often have tracked in them as well

[TrueBlueTerrier]

and the presentation of items from MCs is our biggest gripe in deliveries.

In what way (examples please)?

Mixed streams of mail, tracked in normal shrouds - even specials sometimes.
Mixed mail for 5 different postcodes on same Yorkie/shroud
Incorrectly labelled sequenced boxes. (or no labels at all)
Sequence Boxes mixed between postcodes.
Mail from large local mailers being sent back to our office not the address on the item.
Broken Yorkies being sent fully loaded.
Broken shrouds with no springs being sent fully loaded
Old cardboard shrouds (banned) being used.
Overloaded Yorkies.

Some happen on a daily basis, others weekly, but it's rare not to get at least 2 or 3 of the above daily, but it is exacerbated as we are spread over 3 floors with only 1 lift that has a capacity of 4 shrouds/Yorkies.

[SpacePhoenix]

Mixed streams of mail, tracked in normal shrouds - even specials sometimes.

Happens as well with dispatches between MCs. Best guess is where they're pushed for time

Mixed mail for 5 different postcodes on same Yorkie/shroud

Does your DO cover multiple post code areas (the first half of a post code)? What stream of mail is it? It could be where the MC is pushed for time

Incorrectly labelled sequenced boxes. (or no labels at all)

Incorrectly labelled is likely human error, could be either the MC or an MPU. No labels is probably either the label printer has broken or the MC or MPU is pushed for time

Sequence Boxes mixed between postcodes.

Has your A+ been updated recently? Shouldn't happen unless the A+ is out of date for a DO (some DOs seem terrible for keeping their A+ up to date)

Mail from large local mailers being sent back to our office not the address on the item.

Do they have a white label stuck to them? If they have then they've been sorted by a machine

Broken Yorkies being sent fully loaded.

Unless they're falling apart that one is likely to happen where so many hours have been cut out, there isn't the time to do the proper checks of every york

Broken shrouds with no springs being sent fully loaded

Very few in the system with broken springs, probably only used when there's no other sleeves available

Old cardboard shrouds (banned) being used.

Your local MC has probably run out of normal sleeves, possibly not all the DOs covered by the MC are returning the empty ones

Overloaded Yorkies.

Probably down to drivers condensing yorks for the runs to the DO, it's probably that or your DO gets some of its work later

[aiden01]

Since when were old cardboard shrouds banned mc i work in is full of them.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Mixed streams of mail, tracked in normal shrouds - even specials sometimes.

Happens as well with dispatches between MCs. Best guess is where they're pushed for time

But that pushes us for time, and we have no one to off load it too.

Mixed mail for 5 different postcodes on same Yorkie/shroud

Does your DO cover multiple post code areas (the first half of a post code)? What stream of mail is it? It could be where the MC is pushed for time

Yes HD1 to HD5 and all streams.
As above for time but it takes us even longer because we have to split them down.

Incorrectly labelled sequenced boxes. (or no labels at all)

Incorrectly labelled is likely human error, could be either the MC or an MPU. No labels is probably either the label printer has broken or the MC or MPU is pushed for time

Which slows us down and again pushes us for time. Can you see why I think MCs are going to get an efficiency/streamlining drive? We had time before but we are so efficient now literally every minute is planned in with little or no slack.

Sequence Boxes mixed between postcodes.

Has your A+ been updated recently? Shouldn't happen unless the A+ is out of date for a DO (some DOs seem terrible for keeping their A+ up to date)

A Plus update weekly, but that doesn't explain why HD5 and HD2 sequenced boxes get mixed together they are on different floors and apparently different sorting plans, if what we are told is correct.

Mail from large local mailers being sent back to our office not the address on the item.

Do they have a white label stuck to them? If they have then they've been sorted by a machine

No - its the franking marking that has the return address on it (asked for by RM apparently) usually on a brown envelope (A4 size).

Broken Yorkies being sent fully loaded.

Unless they're falling apart that one is likely to happen where so many hours have been cut out, there isn't the time to do the proper checks of every york

Its a H&S issue so if MCs aren't interested perhaps HSE will be, something to ponder as legislation does not allow a defence of "we are pushed for time" on H&S matters - that is down to managers to enforce, Reps to investigate - and colleagues to think of people further down the line - again not enough time isn't good enough IMHO.

Broken shrouds with no springs being sent fully loaded

Very few in the system with broken springs, probably only used when there's no other sleeves available

H&S issue - there should be a system in place to take them out of service. A shroud with a broken spring is easy to load - its backbreaking, literally, when you have to unload it.

Old cardboard shrouds (banned) being used.

Your local MC has probably run out of normal sleeves, possibly not all the DOs covered by the MC are returning the empty ones

They shouldn't bee using them it's an acknowledged H&S issue - see below.

Overloaded Yorkies.

Probably down to drivers condensing yorks for the runs to the DO, it's probably that or your DO gets some of its work later

H&S issue - it shouldn't be happening, if its a choice between a late run and rolling mail or H&S then the choice is obvious.

Since when were old cardboard shrouds banned mc i work in is full of them.

12 years now.
https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... F07#p94870" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

communicate with the MCMs of the Offices misusing the Cardboard Sleeves to remind them of their health and safety obligations and that the agreed Policy is to remove Cardboard Sleeves and that cardboard sleeved York Containers are not to be routinely used for the distribution of packets within the Mail Centre network. Cardboard Sleeves are not to be considered for use unless cleared by CPC in strictly controlled emergency circumstances.

https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... =15&t=4276" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Clear instructions were given to MCMs not to purchase further Cardboard Sleeves and where MCMs have somehow purchased new cardboard sleeves and it has come to our attention, the matter has been raised with Royal Mail HQ. Unless new Cardboard Sleeves are purchased for use on Amazon Traffic then the MCM should be told to send them back to where they came from but whatever he/she does they should not be used inappropriately or unsafely. No Staff in Mail Centres or Delivery Offices should be forcibly put under pressure to use inappropriate equipment and work unsafely

[SpacePhoenix]

Mixed streams of mail, tracked in normal shrouds - even specials sometimes.

Happens as well with dispatches between MCs. Best guess is where they're pushed for time

But that pushes us for time, and we have no one to off load it too.

Mixed mail for 5 different postcodes on same Yorkie/shroud

Does your DO cover multiple post code areas (the first half of a post code)? What stream of mail is it? It could be where the MC is pushed for time

Yes HD1 to HD5 and all streams.
As above for time but it takes us even longer because we have to split them down.

Probably the only way that'll be sorted will be to have all dispatches to the DOs an hour later (and RM would probably have DOs start an hour later

Incorrectly labelled sequenced boxes. (or no labels at all)

Incorrectly labelled is likely human error, could be either the MC or an MPU. No labels is probably either the label printer has broken or the MC or MPU is pushed for time

Which slows us down and again pushes us for time. Can you see why I think MCs are going to get an efficiency/streamlining drive? We had time before but we are so efficient now literally every minute is planned in with little or no slack.

Probably the no labels is wave 2, there's only a very short amount of time allocated to each batch on wave 2, the alternative would probably be ALL wave 2 gets walk sorted only

Sequence Boxes mixed between postcodes.

Has your A+ been updated recently? Shouldn't happen unless the A+ is out of date for a DO (some DOs seem terrible for keeping their A+ up to date)

A Plus update weekly, but that doesn't explain why HD5 and HD2 sequenced boxes get mixed together they are on different floors and apparently different sorting plans, if what we are told is correct.

Which wave is it? If it's wave 2 then it'll be done to maximise what gets loaded onto the vans

Mail from large local mailers being sent back to our office not the address on the item.

Do they have a white label stuck to them? If they have then they've been sorted by a machine

No - its the franking marking that has the return address on it (asked for by RM apparently) usually on a brown envelope (A4 size).

Does the local MC have a flat sorting machine? if it does there must be something about the design of the envelopes which is causing it to pick up on the wrong address

Broken Yorkies being sent fully loaded.

Unless they're falling apart that one is likely to happen where so many hours have been cut out, there isn't the time to do the proper checks of every york

Its a H&S issue so if MCs aren't interested perhaps HSE will be, something to ponder as legislation does not allow a defence of "we are pushed for time" on H&S matters - that is down to managers to enforce, Reps to investigate - and colleagues to think of people further down the line - again not enough time isn't good enough IMHO.

We'll have to have hours from the DO for it to happen or again, we push the dispatches at least an hour later

Broken shrouds with no springs being sent fully loaded

Very few in the system with broken springs, probably only used when there's no other sleeves available

H&S issue - there should be a system in place to take them out of service. A shroud with a broken spring is easy to load - its backbreaking, literally, when you have to unload it.

Very rare to get one, probably once a month if that

Old cardboard shrouds (banned) being used.

Your local MC has probably run out of normal sleeves, possibly not all the DOs covered by the MC are returning the empty ones

They shouldn't bee using them it's an acknowledged H&S issue - see below.

Since when were old cardboard shrouds banned mc i work in is full of them.

12 years now.
https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... F07#p94870" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

communicate with the MCMs of the Offices misusing the Cardboard Sleeves to remind them of their health and safety obligations and that the agreed Policy is to remove Cardboard Sleeves and that cardboard sleeved York Containers are not to be routinely used for the distribution of packets within the Mail Centre network. Cardboard Sleeves are not to be considered for use unless cleared by CPC in strictly controlled emergency circumstances.

https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... =15&t=4276" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Clear instructions were given to MCMs not to purchase further Cardboard Sleeves and where MCMs have somehow purchased new cardboard sleeves and it has come to our attention, the matter has been raised with Royal Mail HQ. Unless new Cardboard Sleeves are purchased for use on Amazon Traffic then the MCM should be told to send them back to where they came from but whatever he/she does they should not be used inappropriately or unsafely. No Staff in Mail Centres or Delivery Offices should be forcibly put under pressure to use inappropriate equipment and work unsafely

Cardboard sleeves get used every day by some MCs and RDCs. If a MC runs out of normal sleeves then cardboards will be used

Overloaded Yorkies.

Probably down to drivers condensing yorks for the runs to the DO, it's probably that or your DO gets some of its work later

H&S issue - it shouldn't be happening, if its a choice between a late run and rolling mail or H&S then the choice is obvious.

Height, weight or both height and weight? Processing staff and managers don't have any say as to what happens to the yorks of mail once it gets pushed out into distribution.

Realistically the only way it's going to get sorted is for all dispatches from MCs to DOs to get pushed back by a minimum of 1 1/2 hours later and for full time staff in DOs to be 9-5. I don't think DO staff really understand just how many hours have been cut from budgets in MCs, the managers have to account for every last hour that they use.

[aiden01]

Thanks tbt will have to raise issue with h&s rep.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

That's the problem Space Phoneix MCs can't see how it is for DOs and there answer is to make everything later - doesn't really address the issue though does it because if they delay dispatch even by 2 hours the H&S issue is still there and it will still be ignored. If colleagues in mail centres flagged H&S issue perhaps they would give you more time or address the issue, we hear in delivery that we should do our jobs properly, can't MCs do the same on an issue like this.

I'll be frank as well, when I have gone to Leeds MC 2 things astound me, the number of staff who seem to stand around doing nothing and admittedly they may be working but it doesn't look streamlined or efficient if they don't move for 15 to 20 minutes, and the speed of manual sorting would have most delivery posties placed on a sorting test. But as I freely admit they may be more productive than they appear and its more jealousy and frustration because if you stop working for 30 seconds in a DO someone will breathe down your neck.