2 IN A VAN AGAIN?

[Chelseablue]

If the single vans duties are staying in much longer they need to have a radical think about the job. The split shifts could work if the later starts are covered by part time staff.

I read that as,'Lets throw the part time staff under the bus again because us full timers dont want to change how we work, force the part timers into doing something they dont want to do'

Nailed it. Been at Royal Mail 10 years and still a part timer. And what I have learned is there are two different class of posties. The full time staff who seem to think because they have done the amazing achievement of simply hanging around long enough in a job that they can basically do what they want and generally run the office. They finish early frequently and never pay the time back. The really senior full timers have cushy single van delivery’s that need a good hour added onto them and they know it. If a part timer dares to finish before them then all hell breaks loose.
Then there is us second class citizens the part time staff. We have to pay any rare early finishes back under the guise of ‘flexibility’. Moved from pillar to post on all the crap delivery’s none of the full timers would touch. Frequently turn up at work passing the full timers heading out onto their delivery to find our frames are half prepped and expected to complete in the same time. Toon yeah its rubbish , but a lot of us ,,,horrible full timers , were moved about about for years and years and treated unfairly too . I eventually managed to get f time but was still moved everywhere , might be hard ever getting f time nowadays though the way its heading. Dont give up though unless you see a f time job somewhere else .
If I ever get lucky enough to be made up to full time in the distant future I’ll try my best not to forget just how shite it is being a part timer at Royal Mail.

[mags999]

what about the posties who cant drive and also the ones who refuse to drive that's where the major problems lie in the current situation

[Cucumber]

what about the posties who cant drive and also the ones who refuse to drive that's where the major problems lie in the current situation

We have only 2 duties that can be walked to and multiple times that number of staff who can't/won't drive.

[mags999]

yes pretty much the same in our hub style office around 2 miles to the nearest walks

[Cucumber]

yes pretty much the same in our hub style office around 2 miles to the nearest walks

They've had 10 weeks to sort it in ours. Nothing done.

[mags999]

maybe a temporary revision is needed to end the current chaos

[HTPostman]

doesn't it make sense therefore to have full timers starting earlier and using their full hours

And that’s one of the major issues, certainly in my DO. When a full timer is coming in at 6.30 or 7, and you see them finishing at 1, that’s not working the full 8 hours or whatever it is.

If rounds were fully prepped there’d be no gripe from me. But those coming in early should be prepping, if they are back early they should be prepping. Working their full hours. A part timer should not be coming into a round at 1pm which has had at best the mech put in.

Management know it goes on - why do you think they have part timers on the 1 till 6 shift? Think about it, if full time staff weren’t getting back till their finish time (be it 2.30pm or 3pm), that means vans won’t be available till 2.30 or 3pm. So part time staff would be told to do 3pm while 8pm....no, managers are well aware many are coming back way before their time.

But then this is probably what RM want, infighting amongst us.

[HTPostman]

If the single vans duties are staying in much longer they need to have a radical think about the job. The split shifts could work if the later starts are covered by part time staff.

I read that as,'Lets throw the part time staff under the bus again because us full timers dont want to change how we work, force the part timers into doing something they dont want to do'

Nailed it. Been at Royal Mail 10 years and still a part timer. And what I have learned is there are two different class of posties. The full time staff who seem to think because they have done the amazing achievement of simply hanging around long enough in a job that they can basically do what they want and generally run the office. They finish early frequently and never pay the time back. The really senior full timers have cushy single van delivery’s that need a good hour added onto them and they know it. If a part timer dares to finish before them then all hell breaks loose.
Then there is us second class citizens the part time staff. We have to pay any rare early finishes back under the guise of ‘flexibility’. Moved from pillar to post on all the crap delivery’s none of the full timers would touch. Frequently turn up at work passing the full timers heading out onto their delivery to find our frames are half prepped and expected to complete in the same time.
If I ever get lucky enough to be made up to full time in the distant future I’ll try my best not to forget just how shite it is being a part timer at Royal Mail.

Not going to respond to each point as I’ve made my thoughts known before.

But....

What surprises me is how defensive senior staff get. You know, if you cover their round and get back 10 minutes before they do, you’re ‘killing the job’ or if you don’t sign for a special for farmer Giles who’s always in the fields you’re ‘messing up their christmas tips’ for them.

I’ve worked in some tough industries - construction to name one - and while the senior staff expected a bit more respect and got it, there was never this constant looking down and ‘we’ve all had to go through this, so should you’ attitude.

Seniority has seen me moved from a round when I’d tied up and loaded up the van and then was put on an unprepped round. I’ve had people push in front of me in the queue for the specials because they have seniority. It is an utter joke. Like you, I resolve to never treat people like this if I’m ever made up to FT. I already take the time to help new starters (those who are below me in the chuffing seniority game) and give them pointers, as the coaching process is laughable.

Anyway, I can see a point in the near future where our new CEO wises up and dangles a carrot in the direction of part timers in exchange for votes. You can’t kick a huge percentage of the (PT) workforce down then be surprised when they act against the wishes of the rest.

Before I get the ‘if you don’t like it leave’ brigade, I don’t like my job, I love it and actually think overall management treat me better and more fairer than some of the more senior staff. And that’s saying something.

[twoloops]

Above post nailed it, teamwork just doesn’t exist in RM everyone’s out for themselves, this goes back to when they all had single duties which they still crib on about, daily.

[Cedar_Room]

I’m FT with almost 20yrs service & agree with the above comments. The whole culture of the company needs a reset. First of all the hot topic of people starting & finishing early needs to be addressed. Surely it would be in RM’s best interest for people to slow down a bit,less mistakes,less RTA’s - an all round better service? I know clock machines have been mentioned in the past,anyone know if they are still on the horizon?

Also I think it would be a positive move to get EVERYONE on 35hr contracts. I know that the company has thrived on division amongst the ranks in the past but surely now is the time to move forward...get everyone earning a decent living wage & working their paid hours & I'm certain RM would begin to flourish.

Finally,I know that the CWU is dead against Mon-Fri working,but I disagree. I feel it would be a good move as long as there wasn’t any unwanted redundancies. Weekends could be set aside for premium packet deliveries & SD’s,hence OT would be available on a rota system for those that desire it. Of course I realise that I’ve probably made it sounds easy & life in the negotiating room would probably throw up a lot of curved balls & issues but if we head in this direction I feel it would be a great move. You’d have a (reasonably) happy workforce,hopefully working as one rather than competing against each other - which for RM can only be a good thing?!

[SpacePhoenix]

I’m FT with almost 20yrs service & agree with the above comments. The whole culture of the company needs a reset. First of all the hot topic of people starting & finishing early needs to be addressed. Surely it would be in RM’s best interest for people to slow down a bit,less mistakes,less RTA’s - an all round better service? I know clock machines have been mentioned in the past,anyone know if they are still on the horizon?

Also I think it would be a positive move to get EVERYONE on 35hr contracts. I know that the company has thrived on division amongst the ranks in the past but surely now is the time to move forward...get everyone earning a decent living wage & working their paid hours & I'm certain RM would begin to flourish.

Long-term I reckon fixed walks will go with walks being dynamicaly generated each day. Once all the PSMs and packet hubs are onlone most packets will be sorted by a machine at some point so the system will have the data about what's going were on the day. At some point they're bound to have another look at machines for flats and letters that can sort and sequence them together. Between all that lot it would provide them with the data needed for dynamic walks to be brought in

[Cucumber]

If the single vans duties are staying in much longer they need to have a radical think about the job. The split shifts could work if the later starts are covered by part time staff.

I read that as,'Lets throw the part time staff under the bus again because us full timers dont want to change how we work, force the part timers into doing something they dont want to do'

Nailed it. Been at Royal Mail 10 years and still a part timer. And what I have learned is there are two different class of posties. The full time staff who seem to think because they have done the amazing achievement of simply hanging around long enough in a job that they can basically do what they want and generally run the office. They finish early frequently and never pay the time back. The really senior full timers have cushy single van delivery’s that need a good hour added onto them and they know it. If a part timer dares to finish before them then all hell breaks loose.
Then there is us second class citizens the part time staff. We have to pay any rare early finishes back under the guise of ‘flexibility’. Moved from pillar to post on all the crap delivery’s none of the full timers would touch. Frequently turn up at work passing the full timers heading out onto their delivery to find our frames are half prepped and expected to complete in the same time.
If I ever get lucky enough to be made up to full time in the distant future I’ll try my best not to forget just how shite it is being a part timer at Royal Mail.

Not going to respond to each point as I’ve made my thoughts known before.

But....

What surprises me is how defensive senior staff get. You know, if you cover their round and get back 10 minutes before they do, you’re ‘killing the job’ or if you don’t sign for a special for farmer Giles who’s always in the fields you’re ‘messing up their christmas tips’ for them.

I’ve worked in some tough industries - construction to name one - and while the senior staff expected a bit more respect and got it, there was never this constant looking down and ‘we’ve all had to go through this, so should you’ attitude.

Seniority has seen me moved from a round when I’d tied up and loaded up the van and then was put on an unprepped round. I’ve had people push in front of me in the queue for the specials because they have seniority. It is an utter joke. Like you, I resolve to never treat people like this if I’m ever made up to FT. I already take the time to help new starters (those who are below me in the chuffing seniority game) and give them pointers, as the coaching process is laughable.

Anyway, I can see a point in the near future where our new CEO wises up and dangles a carrot in the direction of part timers in exchange for votes. You can’t kick a huge percentage of the (PT) workforce down then be surprised when they act against the wishes of the rest.

Before I get the ‘if you don’t like it leave’ brigade, I don’t like my job, I love it and actually think overall management treat me better and more fairer than some of the more senior staff. And that’s saying something.

I've been meaning to type something like that for a while now - I think it's inevitable that there will come some sort of vote on the ways of working and it will be firmly aimed at part time staff. For far too long part time staff have been looked upon as just a way of getting the vote that's wanted to protect the terms and working conditions of others.

[toonshola]

If the single vans duties are staying in much longer they need to have a radical think about the job. The split shifts could work if the later starts are covered by part time staff.

I read that as,'Lets throw the part time staff under the bus again because us full timers dont want to change how we work, force the part timers into doing something they dont want to do'

Nailed it. Been at Royal Mail 10 years and still a part timer. And what I have learned is there are two different class of posties. The full time staff who seem to think because they have done the amazing achievement of simply hanging around long enough in a job that they can basically do what they want and generally run the office. They finish early frequently and never pay the time back. The really senior full timers have cushy single van delivery’s that need a good hour added onto them and they know it. If a part timer dares to finish before them then all hell breaks loose.
Then there is us second class citizens the part time staff. We have to pay any rare early finishes back under the guise of ‘flexibility’. Moved from pillar to post on all the crap delivery’s none of the full timers would touch. Frequently turn up at work passing the full timers heading out onto their delivery to find our frames are half prepped and expected to complete in the same time.
If I ever get lucky enough to be made up to full time in the distant future I’ll try my best not to forget just how shite it is being a part timer at Royal Mail.

Not going to respond to each point as I’ve made my thoughts known before.

But....

What surprises me is how defensive senior staff get. You know, if you cover their round and get back 10 minutes before they do, you’re ‘killing the job’ or if you don’t sign for a special for farmer Giles who’s always in the fields you’re ‘messing up their christmas tips’ for them.

I’ve worked in some tough industries - construction to name one - and while the senior staff expected a bit more respect and got it, there was never this constant looking down and ‘we’ve all had to go through this, so should you’ attitude.

Seniority has seen me moved from a round when I’d tied up and loaded up the van and then was put on an unprepped round. I’ve had people push in front of me in the queue for the specials because they have seniority. It is an utter joke. Like you, I resolve to never treat people like this if I’m ever made up to FT. I already take the time to help new starters (those who are below me in the chuffing seniority game) and give them pointers, as the coaching process is laughable.

Anyway, I can see a point in the near future where our new CEO wises up and dangles a carrot in the direction of part timers in exchange for votes. You can’t kick a huge percentage of the (PT) workforce down then be surprised when they act against the wishes of the rest.

Before I get the ‘if you don’t like it leave’ brigade, I don’t like my job, I love it and actually think overall management treat me better and more fairer than some of the more senior staff. And that’s saying something.

I've been meaning to type something like that for a while now - I think it's inevitable that there will come some sort of vote on the ways of working and it will be firmly aimed at part time staff. For far too long part time staff have been looked upon as just a way of getting the vote that's wanted to protect the terms and working conditions of others.

If they ever offered to up my contract to full time I must admit I would probably vote yes with whatever new working practices they want to bring in. 10 years and still part time absolutely sick of waiting and the union appear to do very little to help us part timers get our contracts up even though the work is clearly there.
Make the deliveries longer, make us work later, track us, bring in clock in machines. I’ll take all that if it means full time and I bet most the part timers would do the same.

[Cedar_Room]

A decade is a hell of a long time to still be PT,so I get your annoyance. How many hours are you currently contracted for,if you don’t mind me asking?

[toonshola]

A decade is a hell of a long time to still be PT,so I get your annoyance. How many hours are you currently contracted for,if you don’t mind me asking?

27. Little bit baffling as I have read on here others have been made full time after 2/3/4 years in other offices. Guess it’s just pot luck.