Part Timers Being Shafted

Jamesfr3man · Post by **Jamesfr3man** » 14 May 2020, 19:29

Hi all, just wanted to ask some questions and blow off some steam about our current office rules. I'm a part timer on a 25 hour contract including enquiry office work on Sundays, obviously due to whats going on I've been having Sundays off along with Tuesdays as my rest days. My question is about our working times, due to the fact we can no longer share vans I have to wait until one is available, I'm usually called between 11:30 and 1:30 to come in. My problem is that although I'm a part timer I'm basically "on call" all morning waiting for a van. On some of the more heavier days I have to wait around till 1:30 and then still prep my work ,complete my duty and absorption in under 4 hours including my break! Yesterday I started at 2:00! and finished a 6:30! What postman is delivering mail at ******* 6:30? Its impossible and its starting to get to me, was wondering if this is all kosher? I've also been told that due to the fact my contract states my hours include Sunday I'll have to go out on delivery this Sunday. Again is that ok? I feel like I'm being shafted.

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 14 May 2020, 19:51

What you are doing is voluntary no one has to change what they do, have a chat with the manager maybe involve the rep if you cant work something better out.

Jamesfr3man · Post by **Jamesfr3man** » 14 May 2020, 19:57

cpsteve wrote:What you are doing is voluntary no one has to change what they do, have a chat with the manager maybe involve the rep if you cant work something better out.

Is this true? I was wondering if we have set hours? My contract doesn't state my actual hours but before all this I was working from 9:00 till 1:30. If I could go back to that it would be great

Pumpernickel · Post by **Pumpernickel** » 14 May 2020, 20:00

IMO you should have a consistant start and finish time.

If the van you'll be using comes in late, that shouldn't affect your finish time. Getting it back promptly is a problem for management to solve IMO.

I'd be hassling my rep if I were you.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 14 May 2020, 21:09

Mark_F wrote:IMO you should have a consistant start and finish time.

If the van you'll be using comes in late, that shouldn't affect your finish time. Getting it back promptly is a problem for management to solve IMO.

I'd be hassling my rep if I were you.

What if the DOm looks at the average time that the van arrives back at and sets the OPs start time as being that time or an hour later to allow for the van being late back

Jamesfr3man · Post by **Jamesfr3man** » 14 May 2020, 21:18

SpacePhoenix wrote:
Mark_F wrote:IMO you should have a consistant start and finish time.

If the van you'll be using comes in late, that shouldn't affect your finish time. Getting it back promptly is a problem for management to solve IMO.

I'd be hassling my rep if I were you.
What if the DOm looks at the average time that the van arrives back at and sets the OPs start time as being that time or an hour later to allow for the van being late back

This is what is going to happen tomorrow, I'll ask for a constant start time and due to the fact they don't know when a van will be back they will set my start time for as late as possible to allow time for a van too come back, that being 1:30. So I'll end up having to work from 1:30 to 6:00 which sucks. I hate having to have the same ******* convo with people about how late I am when I'm giving them their post or parcels.

Grumpyoldmailman · Post by **Grumpyoldmailman** » 14 May 2020, 21:21

All our part timers up here are pissed off as well, 1 walked out last week and hasn’t come back. 80% of them are on the later start times like you mentioned but they have a fixed time each day and know when to be in, think it’s 11 or 12 then the idea is once they have done the parcels and banded up a van is ready for them. Being on call is a load of bollocks though, what if you wanted to do something in the morning, they need to let you know the day before what tomorrow’s start time is.

You guys are getting a raw deal though. Seen people very stressed out being put on walks they don’t know and none of us older hands about the office to give tips and advice as we are out on delivery. Disgraceful really, I don’t understand how the union have let the gulf in the 2 tier workforce get so bad.

Jamesfr3man · Post by **Jamesfr3man** » 14 May 2020, 21:41

Grumpyoldmailman wrote:All our part timers up here are pissed off as well, 1 walked out last week and hasn’t come back. 80% of them are on the later start times like you mentioned but they have a fixed time each day and know when to be in, think it’s 11 or 12 then the idea is once they have done the parcels and banded up a van is ready for them. Being on call is a load of bollocks though, what if you wanted to do something in the morning, they need to let you know the day before what tomorrow’s start time is.

You guys are getting a raw deal though. Seen people very stressed out being put on walks they don’t know and none of us older hands about the office to give tips and advice as we are out on delivery. Disgraceful really, I don’t understand how the union have let the gulf in the 2 tier workforce get so bad.

I don't blame the guy that left, I'm thinking about taking time off due to stress, and I totally understand what the part timers at your place are going through, part timers are pushed from pillar to post and are expected to work at the same speeds as guys who have been doing the same round for YEARS. As I said in my original post, When I get into the office usually none of my letters have been turned or redirection done and I have to sort all of it out not to mention banding up my duty and absorption, sorting my oversized and loading my van, all of which eats into my delivery time, its ridiculous. The problem with my office is that our CWU rep is pals with our DOM and its only his mates that matter.

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 14 May 2020, 22:13

Jamesfr3man wrote:
Grumpyoldmailman wrote:All our part timers up here are pissed off as well, 1 walked out last week and hasn’t come back. 80% of them are on the later start times like you mentioned but they have a fixed time each day and know when to be in, think it’s 11 or 12 then the idea is once they have done the parcels and banded up a van is ready for them. Being on call is a load of bollocks though, what if you wanted to do something in the morning, they need to let you know the day before what tomorrow’s start time is.

You guys are getting a raw deal though. Seen people very stressed out being put on walks they don’t know and none of us older hands about the office to give tips and advice as we are out on delivery. Disgraceful really, I don’t understand how the union have let the gulf in the 2 tier workforce get so bad.
I don't blame the guy that left, I'm thinking about taking time off due to stress, and I totally understand what the part timers at your place are going through, part timers are pushed from pillar to post and are expected to work at the same speeds as guys who have been doing the same round for YEARS. As I said in my original post, When I get into the office usually none of my letters have been turned or redirection done and I have to sort all of it out not to mention banding up my duty and absorption, sorting my oversized and loading my van, all of which eats into my delivery time, its ridiculous. The problem with my office is that our CWU rep is pals with our DOM and its only his mates that matter.

Dont do anything rash have a chat with your rep and manager, pre this virus you had a start time that should not change as has been agreed its nothing to do with you if the company have not got the tools for you to do your job.

Post by **HTPostman** » 15 May 2020, 03:19

I feel for you, you’re getting a raw deal. I am also doing 1 while 6 however it’s through choice. I believe however RM have to give notice to change your start time, so they can’t just ring up at 11.30 and ask you to come in now. It will be in your contract.

When I mention how unfair it is that all PT staff are starting at 1pm to a FT member of staff I’m told ‘we’ve all had to do it and work our way up’ which is a load of rubbish, I don’t ever remember in years gone by postmen being made/asked to do 1pm till 6pm.

And like you say we then get the usual ‘you’re late today’ and ‘did you sleep in’ from the public, day after day.

What I’m about to say will be unpopular but if ever Rico wanted a bigger no vote next time the union ballot for strike action, all he’d have to do is target the part timers and dangle a few carrots in that direction because a lot are fed up. There’s the same staff coming back from their rounds at 12.30 and getting paid till 3, there’s the same tracked parcels for that block of flats on the round next to yours that somehow ends up on your frame all so Billy Bob doesn’t have to go up the stairs and can save 2 minutes.

It would be amazing if we just worked together, stopped trying to shaft each other (leave that to managers).

south London postie · Post by **south London postie** » 15 May 2020, 09:44

the key thing to understand, imo, is managers push and push becasue they can, esp. with part-timers/newbies. Thee is absolutely nothing wrong with pushing back with the help of the union rep. Mangers will just take the p1ss until you stop letting them.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 15 May 2020, 09:47

HTPostman wrote:I believe however RM have to give notice to change your start time, so they can’t just ring up at 11.30 and ask you to come in now. It will be in your contract.

I don't think RM have any choice but to do that as they've got to maintain social distancing. If they have the OP in a 11:30 and the van ends up coming in late, then that's going to increase the number of people in the office at the same time

Iknockedtwice · Post by **Iknockedtwice** » 15 May 2020, 10:16

I'm 9 months into the job and on 12.30-18.30 pretty much every day with the occasional 10.00-16.00 if I'm on an HCT round.
I'm often getting put on rounds I don't know with little or nothing prepped AND if the round has collections I have to be back before 18.15 as that's when the mail truck leaves.
By the time I finally get out I might have 4 hours max to deliver 8 pouches plus oversize stuff.
If I'm lucky enough to have a round partially prepped for me and I'm ready to go out sooner I sometimes have to wait for a van to become available.
I'm finding it a proper struggle some days but I know it will get easier once all the restrictions are lifted.

Post by **hawkeye622** » 15 May 2020, 11:01

Im a part timer myself and although I'm lucky to have a decent line manager, I would definitely agree that on the most part, part timers are shafted beyond belief.
I've been with RM for less than a year and I'm still in disbelief of the two-tier workforce they have managed to accumulate.

Jamesfr3man · Post by **Jamesfr3man** » 15 May 2020, 11:35

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one. This is a national problem not a local one. The union really has to start pulling it's finger out to help us