The reality of the situation

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » 24 Mar 2020, 18:27

Ok first time ever I’ve posted on here. Been in the job for seven years though.

Sorry about the length of it but it really does need to be said.

It really is time to stop any bickering on here and work together - it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Whatever anyone says we are not key workers or a fourth emergency service. You need food to live - Not mail. You need medicine when you are ill - not mail. You don’t need most of the stuff we deliver - this is the 21st century it functions by email and phone. That logic of a postman as a key worker is a hangover from the past. It is about share holders profit - we are all a commodity to them.

Doms are saying mail and D2D’s will drop off and we will become more of a parcel service - you can rest assured those parcels will not be critical supplies - hobby items to people stuck indoors more like. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone at the head of the service has already realised that this is a chance to prove their strengths in the parcel sector. At the cost of our well being

Despite anything that comes down from management there really is no safe way to deliver mail at the moment.

We have no real PPE.

We should not be putting our necks on the line, no postman joined the company to put his neck on the line.

Because of the nature of what we do we are prime contenders to be super spreaders. We work in cramped, poorly cleaned depots. Most are too small for us to safely mingle. We all know the situation three frames in a row and three behind them, back to back working - not enough room to get past. Avoiding contact, even if we worked shifts round the clock they would still have too many people in too much of a confined space.

Quickly on the subject of shifts - everyone is a bit strained at the moment - stupid hours would not help the problem.

The delivery offices are not cleaned well enough. The vans are not cleaned well enough. We are supposed to clean the vans after use - Is that the job of the previous driver - who in the cleaning process will probably spread further germs if infected or the incoming driver. There is no safe way of doing it with the PPE given us. Don’t forget a lot of what they are saying about survival rates for the Covid 19 virus are largely untested and assumptions based on the survival times of similar viruses.

Whatever actions RM puts in place we can not avoid interaction on our rounds.

We can then take the virus home to our families give it to them and the world at large. We are working completely at odds with the concepts of social distancing - and will certainly help create a further burden on the health service - proper key workers.

Just think around 90,000 postal workers delivering to every house in Britain. That’s a recipe to prolong and deepen the crisis.

Whatever RM do they can not manage to have us safely working. If they had any real commitment to safe working they would have stopped van sharing before today. We cannot trust them to do the right thing.

I don’t believe rumours that RM can only pay us for two weeks either - at any rate if that were the case the government would bail them out.

We need to try and achieve a united front. I don’t know how? Help…..someone must have some ideas.

If you see unsafe practices that could harm you walk out. You are within your rights and the union have said they would back us.

Report to HSE:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Write to your MP outlining the working conditions. Probably won’t do anything but who knows? If anyone knows how to get anything in to a local paper do it. Social Media. Anything.

Just like the government is saying we have days to turn around the epidemic so we have days to force change or we are the ones at risk. I would add that in some areas the country we are probably very much at risk.

The company does not have the wherewithal or the experience of the current situation to create a safe working environment. The newest guidance for Doms is woefully inadequate and won’t work operationally in most depots.

The service needs to be stopped or critically cut back unless they can find a truly safe way of protecting us.

We are risking our lives for shareholders profit not as critical worker

We need the jobs but is it really worth a coffin for you or a family member.

Yamr1 · Post by **Yamr1** » 24 Mar 2020, 19:04

Great post my friend

bertieboy · Post by **bertieboy** » 24 Mar 2020, 19:17

One of the best posts I've seen on here

.

sumason · Post by **sumason** » 24 Mar 2020, 19:26

We need to act before it's too late! And it won't be long untill a lot of us get infected. I have asked what they mean "backing us" as I think if we walk out we just don't receive any pay. They are not following guidelines but for some reason the union is not taking action. These offices are not safe to work in .

EdRush · Post by **EdRush** » 24 Mar 2020, 19:27

Corporate manslaughter?

blobneb · Post by **blobneb** » 24 Mar 2020, 19:28

They need to say we're striking until we have an essentials only service.

We need a situation where we don't require full attendance but we get essential mailings out and I mean essential, for those living in dark ages of pre internet, who this virus mostly affects.

That is the only essential service we provide. Don't let anyone kid you otherwise over the economy and the rest of it. It's the only way we can remain safe anyway. Minimal staff operating a skeleton service.

Barring people working on essential communications, everyone else is furloughed at 80% if necessary, ideally at 100% pay. The rest can be people working forced 6 week rotation on/off if not enough volunteers who'd risk it for an extra 20%.

What do people think?

blobneb · Post by **blobneb** » 24 Mar 2020, 19:29

Plenty of other delivery companies are set up better to deliver parcels, as Royal Mail relentlessly tell us.

Busterbear · Post by **Busterbear** » 24 Mar 2020, 19:41

Aardvark wrote:Ok first time ever I’ve posted on here. Been in the job for seven years though.

Sorry about the length of it but it really does need to be said.

It really is time to stop any bickering on here and work together - it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Whatever anyone says we are not key workers or a fourth emergency service. You need food to live - Not mail. You need medicine when you are ill - not mail. You don’t need most of the stuff we deliver - this is the 21st century it functions by email and phone. That logic of a postman as a key worker is a hangover from the past. It is about share holders profit - we are all a commodity to them.

Doms are saying mail and D2D’s will drop off and we will become more of a parcel service - you can rest assured those parcels will not be critical supplies - hobby items to people stuck indoors more like. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone at the head of the service has already realised that this is a chance to prove their strengths in the parcel sector. At the cost of our well being

Despite anything that comes down from management there really is no safe way to deliver mail at the moment.

We have no real PPE.

We should not be putting our necks on the line, no postman joined the company to put his neck on the line.

Because of the nature of what we do we are prime contenders to be super spreaders. We work in cramped, poorly cleaned depots. Most are too small for us to safely mingle. We all know the situation three frames in a row and three behind them, back to back working - not enough room to get past. Avoiding contact, even if we worked shifts round the clock they would still have too many people in too much of a confined space.

Quickly on the subject of shifts - everyone is a bit strained at the moment - stupid hours would not help the problem.

The delivery offices are not cleaned well enough. The vans are not cleaned well enough. We are supposed to clean the vans after use - Is that the job of the previous driver - who in the cleaning process will probably spread further germs if infected or the incoming driver. There is no safe way of doing it with the PPE given us. Don’t forget a lot of what they are saying about survival rates for the Covid 19 virus are largely untested and assumptions based on the survival times of similar viruses.

Whatever actions RM puts in place we can not avoid interaction on our rounds.

We can then take the virus home to our families give it to them and the world at large. We are working completely at odds with the concepts of social distancing - and will certainly help create a further burden on the health service - proper key workers.

Just think around 90,000 postal workers delivering to every house in Britain. That’s a recipe to prolong and deepen the crisis.

Whatever RM do they can not manage to have us safely working. If they had any real commitment to safe working they would have stopped van sharing before today. We cannot trust them to do the right thing.

I don’t believe rumours that RM can only pay us for two weeks either - at any rate if that were the case the government would bail them out.

We need to try and achieve a united front. I don’t know how? Help…..someone must have some ideas.

If you see unsafe practices that could harm you walk out. You are within your rights and the union have said they would back us.

Report to HSE:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Write to your MP outlining the working conditions. Probably won’t do anything but who knows? If anyone knows how to get anything in to a local paper do it. Social Media. Anything.

Just like the government is saying we have days to turn around the epidemic so we have days to force change or we are the ones at risk. I would add that in some areas the country we are probably very much at risk.

The company does not have the wherewithal or the experience of the current situation to create a safe working environment. The newest guidance for Doms is woefully inadequate and won’t work operationally in most depots.

The service needs to be stopped or critically cut back unless they can find a truly safe way of protecting us.

We are risking our lives for shareholders profit not as critical worker

We need the jobs but is it really worth a coffin for you or a family member.

Great post . I’ve contacted HSE telling them of my concerns . Got An email back telling me the Coronavirus guidelines are not being followed by RM .And tough titty your on your own

blobneb · Post by **blobneb** » 24 Mar 2020, 20:04

Busterbear wrote:
Aardvark wrote:Ok first time ever I’ve posted on here. Been in the job for seven years though.

Sorry about the length of it but it really does need to be said.

It really is time to stop any bickering on here and work together - it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Whatever anyone says we are not key workers or a fourth emergency service. You need food to live - Not mail. You need medicine when you are ill - not mail. You don’t need most of the stuff we deliver - this is the 21st century it functions by email and phone. That logic of a postman as a key worker is a hangover from the past. It is about share holders profit - we are all a commodity to them.

Doms are saying mail and D2D’s will drop off and we will become more of a parcel service - you can rest assured those parcels will not be critical supplies - hobby items to people stuck indoors more like. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone at the head of the service has already realised that this is a chance to prove their strengths in the parcel sector. At the cost of our well being

Despite anything that comes down from management there really is no safe way to deliver mail at the moment.

We have no real PPE.

We should not be putting our necks on the line, no postman joined the company to put his neck on the line.

Because of the nature of what we do we are prime contenders to be super spreaders. We work in cramped, poorly cleaned depots. Most are too small for us to safely mingle. We all know the situation three frames in a row and three behind them, back to back working - not enough room to get past. Avoiding contact, even if we worked shifts round the clock they would still have too many people in too much of a confined space.

Quickly on the subject of shifts - everyone is a bit strained at the moment - stupid hours would not help the problem.

The delivery offices are not cleaned well enough. The vans are not cleaned well enough. We are supposed to clean the vans after use - Is that the job of the previous driver - who in the cleaning process will probably spread further germs if infected or the incoming driver. There is no safe way of doing it with the PPE given us. Don’t forget a lot of what they are saying about survival rates for the Covid 19 virus are largely untested and assumptions based on the survival times of similar viruses.

Whatever actions RM puts in place we can not avoid interaction on our rounds.

We can then take the virus home to our families give it to them and the world at large. We are working completely at odds with the concepts of social distancing - and will certainly help create a further burden on the health service - proper key workers.

Just think around 90,000 postal workers delivering to every house in Britain. That’s a recipe to prolong and deepen the crisis.

Whatever RM do they can not manage to have us safely working. If they had any real commitment to safe working they would have stopped van sharing before today. We cannot trust them to do the right thing.

I don’t believe rumours that RM can only pay us for two weeks either - at any rate if that were the case the government would bail them out.

We need to try and achieve a united front. I don’t know how? Help…..someone must have some ideas.

If you see unsafe practices that could harm you walk out. You are within your rights and the union have said they would back us.

Report to HSE:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Write to your MP outlining the working conditions. Probably won’t do anything but who knows? If anyone knows how to get anything in to a local paper do it. Social Media. Anything.

Just like the government is saying we have days to turn around the epidemic so we have days to force change or we are the ones at risk. I would add that in some areas the country we are probably very much at risk.

The company does not have the wherewithal or the experience of the current situation to create a safe working environment. The newest guidance for Doms is woefully inadequate and won’t work operationally in most depots.

The service needs to be stopped or critically cut back unless they can find a truly safe way of protecting us.

We are risking our lives for shareholders profit not as critical worker

We need the jobs but is it really worth a coffin for you or a family member.
Great post . I’ve contacted HSE telling them of my concerns . Got An email back telling me the Coronavirus guidelines are not being followed by RM .And tough titty your on your own

Can you copy and paste the email in here?

SW17 · Post by **SW17** » 24 Mar 2020, 20:15

Spot on and is what most of us are thinking, we should at least have the choice to self contain like most on 80% wage backed by the government not Royal Mail.
Royal Mail are putting the shareholders before the workers STILL! and currently have £££ signs in there eyes with all the non essential shops closing, once this is over rest assured they will back with the steamroller's, key workers today.......unskilled workers tomorrow.
We have not had our regular office cleaner for weeks, absolutely no chance of the 2m distancing, no viral hand wash and had a staff member go sick yesterday with temperature and cough as well as 3 others that are self isolating, we have wedged all the doors open so we don't have to touch the handles and the office has not been deep cleaned.
Sadly today the UK has had its highest death count and they are now saying we are ahead of Italy for the stage we are currently at.
I hope for all of us the call to stay home comes before it is too late, the country needs a proper lock down.

KarenT · Post by **KarenT** » 24 Mar 2020, 20:18

Hope I don’t get slated on here as I’m one of ‘those’ office staff many of you don’t seem to think much of. I’ve been following the chat for a long time, as believe it or not, I’m a CWU grade. I’ve worked in finance in Bolton for 16 years. The recent situation we’ve all found ourselves in is frustrating but all we get told from our managers is it’s business as usual. We have over 90 people working in our office sharing 2 tiny kitchens. We don’t have hand sanitizers apart from soap dispensers in toilets. Cleaning in minimal, the same before this epidemic. What I find frustrating is I’m told by my managers that my work is critical - it’s not! I review the tracked pricing on account customers. What I’m finding more frustrating is sales are seeing this current global issue to sell sell sell those tracked services as more companies are now trying to keep running online. We have limited staff and over a weeks backlog of work. I really want the company to email out to all non operational colleagues asking them to help out in Ops as they are the only jobs that I feel is critical at the moment. I’m more than happy to do a walk in my local town

Busterbear · Post by **Busterbear** » 24 Mar 2020, 20:26

Thank you for taking the time to report your concern to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regarding Coronavirus.

Coronavirus is a public health issue and the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), working closely with Public Health England (PHE) and the devolved administrations, is the lead Government department for the UK response. You can get up-to-date information about the situation in the UK and guidance for the public on the risk from Coronavirus on the government’s website. It is updated regularly.

Specific updates for Scotland and Wales can be found at:

Health Protection Scotland
Public Health Wales

If you employ people, PHE and DHSC guidance for employers and business on GOV.UK will help you and your workers prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Health and safety law says employers must take reasonable steps to protect workers. You can take reasonable precautions by following PHE’s COVID-19 guidance for your sector.

Health and Safety specific information is available from the HSE here.

Please note this is a no reply email account and any reply will not be received by HSE.

Yours sincerely

Paula Kelly | Concerns Handling Officer
Concerns and Advice Team | Operational Services Division

Health & Safety Executive | Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, L20 7HS

Basically it had some links in the email directing me to government sites . I explained the problems we are having with social distancing , no hand sanitisers , no where to wash your hands ( pubs are Shut ) . The links gave advice that RM are not following . Apart from that your all doomed posties

kennybones · Post by **kennybones** » 24 Mar 2020, 20:30

An excellent opening post we need CWU action im not holding my breath that we will get any

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 24 Mar 2020, 20:41

Maybe its time for emergency pricing ?
5 quid for a letter, 10 pounds + for a parcel

If your mail *really* is an emergency you wouldnt blink to send it, if its just some old sh!t or something that can wait then you probably wont.

mybackhurts · Post by **mybackhurts** » 24 Mar 2020, 20:48

We cannot carry on its is going to take the lives of postie's and their loved ones for the sake of delivering crap