Is it time to bin the USO?

leolion855 · Post by **leolion855** » 13 Sep 2019, 15:46

SpacePhoenix wrote:09:00-17:00 for deliveries I can see happening at some point so that RM could cut down or even eliminate night rate in MCs. If letters and flats went to being every other day then that would probably be all MPUs reverting back to being normal DOs and their CSS machines removed

How would that work on a 25hr contract?

glass joe · Post by **glass joe** » 13 Sep 2019, 16:03

can't see as late as 5 as in the winter its dark by then and it's a health and safety thing then.

scoobymunster · Post by **scoobymunster** » 13 Sep 2019, 19:30

leolion855 wrote:
SpacePhoenix wrote:09:00-17:00 for deliveries I can see happening at some point so that RM could cut down or even eliminate night rate in MCs. If letters and flats went to being every other day then that would probably be all MPUs reverting back to being normal DOs and their CSS machines removed
How would that work on a 25hr contract?

One of the ideas floated by a previous DOM would be that in offices (esp. long/short offices) PT hours would work back from the duty finish time (ie your start times change to whatever is 5 hours before the end), offer early O/T when needed, otherwise alternative arrangements would be made to cover the indoor work/SD's etc. However, those hours means we'd be going out/returning in rush hour, I'm sure RM have no desire to pay us to sit in a traffic jam so who knows.

DGH · Post by **DGH** » 13 Sep 2019, 20:07

glass joe wrote:can't see as late as 5 as in the winter its dark by then and it's a health and safety thing then.

You presume we'd work in the same way.

If only half the rounds are going out each day and with the USO gone, there's no reason why you couldn't start at 8.45, tie up yesterday's mail, pick up today's packets and specials and head out for, say 9.30. Deliver 9.30-12. Break 12-12.20. Deliver 12.20-2.50. Break 2.50-3. Prep today's mail 3-4.15 (or thereabouts).

Obviously times could vary from that a bit. But there's no reason with the abolition of the USO why mail would need to be prepped early.

It could be much worse than that if they decide to use some people prepping rounds all day as duty and others delivering all day with something like a 2 delivery 1 prep rota.

Post by **aiden01** » 13 Sep 2019, 20:29

leolion855 wrote:
SpacePhoenix wrote:09:00-17:00 for deliveries I can see happening at some point so that RM could cut down or even eliminate night rate in MCs. If letters and flats went to being every other day then that would probably be all MPUs reverting back to being normal DOs and their CSS machines removed
How would that work on a 25hr contract?

3day week 8hours 20mins per day

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 14 Sep 2019, 02:44

Only if the CEO wet dream 1/6 axed in a day and possibly more the USO is here for the transition of the letters and parcels but letters/documents will still need sending not everyone is on the internet nor can you be when rehoused or worse than that!

DGH · Post by **DGH** » 14 Sep 2019, 06:22

k979aaa wrote:Only if the CEO wet dream 1/6 axed in a day and possibly more the USO is here for the transition of the letters and parcels but letters/documents will still need sending not everyone is on the internet nor can you be when rehoused or worse than that!

An astonishingly small percentage of the mail we deliver is urgent enough to worry about it being a day or two later. The vast bulk of it is advertising, bills and the odd magazine/certificate, etc. It's extremely hard to see how anyone would suffer from that going to an alternate day service. Please note, I'm not advocating it at all. But you can bet that 'only' 1/6 jobs being axed is the company's worst-case scenario.

fed_up_postie · Post by **fed_up_postie** » 14 Sep 2019, 08:14

Warriorpostie wrote:You are not guaranteed they will cut Saturday deliveries. They could turn round & give everyone tuesdays off across the board as this is usually the lightest day for Mail.

This is EXACTLY what would happen! Apparently the great british public prefer to receive mail on saturdays than an other day, given that tuesday is ridiculously light that would be the day they scrap! So if your thinking the scrapping of the USO would give everyone a monday to friday job you all need to think again because it wouldn't

Post by **97gaz** » 14 Sep 2019, 21:43

Gasman11 · Post by **Gasman11** » 14 Sep 2019, 22:02

New Zealand changed their USO a few years ago to a 3 day delivery service and allow customers to choose a Mon, Wed and Fri pattern of delivery or Tues, Thur or Sat. If thats the plan here you are talking scary levels of job losses.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 15 Sep 2019, 01:38

Gasman11 wrote:New Zealand changed their USO a few years ago to a 3 day delivery service and allow customers to choose a Mon, Wed and Fri pattern of delivery or Tues, Thur or Sat. If thats the plan here you are talking scary levels of job losses.

Could that even mean many DO mergers? With standardised prep frames (all single slot) and changeable labels could they have each DO covering two areas, area 1 one day, area two the next, area one the next and so on?

chickenwittle · Post by **chickenwittle** » 16 Sep 2019, 10:00

fed_up_postie wrote:
Warriorpostie wrote:You are not guaranteed they will cut Saturday deliveries. They could turn round & give everyone tuesdays off across the board as this is usually the lightest day for Mail.
This is EXACTLY what would happen! Apparently the great british public prefer to receive mail on saturdays than an other day, given that tuesday is ridiculously light that would be the day they scrap! So if your thinking the scrapping of the USO would give everyone a monday to friday job you all need to think again because it wouldn't

In your opinion

Post by **RobertT** » 16 Sep 2019, 10:53

fed_up_postie wrote:
Warriorpostie wrote:You are not guaranteed they will cut Saturday deliveries. They could turn round & give everyone tuesdays off across the board as this is usually the lightest day for Mail.
This is EXACTLY what would happen! Apparently the great british public prefer to receive mail on saturdays than an other day, given that tuesday is ridiculously light that would be the day they scrap! So if your thinking the scrapping of the USO would give everyone a monday to friday job you all need to think again because it wouldn't

Personally I would think an every other day delivery of letters would be more likely, apart from first class(if it still exists) & specials, etc. Meaning potentially up to half the current workforce leaving RM.

But that's just my opinion!

Woody Guthrie · Post by **Woody Guthrie** » 16 Sep 2019, 13:09

I think they'll threaten us with 3 days and settle for 5 (at the moment).

It's clearly going to be Saturday that gets the chop from letters because that frees up the entire weekend for the core parcel delivery business. It makes no business sense to stop Tuesday deliveries, it's a low volume letters day but that's all and the more you reduce your full-time staff the less of a problem that becomes.

I think they'll also want to change the definition of first class delivery if not remove it completely. It's a massive burden on the business having to guarantee the next day delivery of a first class letter from auntie Mary that might have to travel 600 miles overnight for less than a quid. It would open up a huge world of resourcing options if they got that monkey off their back.

picture123 · Post by **picture123** » 16 Sep 2019, 15:25

They should follow the Republic of Ireland. No first or second class, thus no time spent segregating them and Monday-Friday deliveries except with sd's and bulk at weekends also and maybe introduce some reduced priority letter service for Saturdays as opposed to a 9pm/1pm Saturday special delivery. Bound to save a fortune, however it would reduce the need for day off cover