2 IN A VAN AGAIN?

[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.

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.

All of the things you mention will eventually happen, especially automated clocking in/out etc. You are correct about part time staff having no issue with it, try selling the idea to those staff ghosting/finishing extremely early each day though.

[SpacePhoenix]

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.

How many PT are there ahead of you on the seniority list? afaik when it comes to PT being made up to FT it goes by seniority, as to who gets first dibs at being made up to FT

[toonshola]

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.

How many PT are there ahead of you on the seniority list? afaik when it comes to PT being made up to FT it goes by seniority, as to who gets first dibs at being made up to FT

Think there are 6 still ahead of me in the seniority list so I’ve probably got another decade on 27 hours haha.

[citypostie]

Well all you part timers itching to get a vote on shafting full timers better hope that you've got enough time in if royal mail get the go ahead to scrap Saturday deliveries. That's 20000 jobs gone (mainly part timer cover duties). Let's hope all the horrible full timers don't think yes why not I'll keep my job and have a Monday to Friday job. The last week's with Saturday parcel deliveries showed how it will go, the cover delivery staff in my office where moved onto different duties or sent to other offices if nothing was available so the duty holder(part time and full time) could work Monday to Friday. If it was a permanent thing those cover duties are gone. Some of you full timer haters might be wanting support in Industrial action to save your job if you haven't been here long, good luck with that

[2yearpostie]

Well all you part timers itching to get a vote on shafting full timers better hope that you've got enough time in if royal mail get the go ahead to scrap Saturday deliveries. That's 20000 jobs gone (mainly part timer cover duties). Let's hope all the horrible full timers don't think yes why not I'll keep my job and have a Monday to Friday job. The last week's with Saturday parcel deliveries showed how it will go, the cover delivery staff in my office where moved onto different duties or sent to other offices if nothing was available so the duty holder(part time and full time) could work Monday to Friday. If it was a permanent thing those cover duties are gone.

I hope all the full timers are ready for compulsory overtime on saturdays and sundays when all those pesky part timers have gone..

[citypostie]

Well all you part timers itching to get a vote on shafting full timers better hope that you've got enough time in if royal mail get the go ahead to scrap Saturday deliveries. That's 20000 jobs gone (mainly part timer cover duties). Let's hope all the horrible full timers don't think yes why not I'll keep my job and have a Monday to Friday job. The last week's with Saturday parcel deliveries showed how it will go, the cover delivery staff in my office where moved onto different duties or sent to other offices if nothing was available so the duty holder(part time and full time) could work Monday to Friday. If it was a permanent thing those cover duties are gone.

I hope all the full timers are ready for compulsory overtime on saturdays and sundays when all those pesky part timers have gone..

Always plenty of full timers who want to work overtime. Looking at how Saturdays have worked doing parcels only they could staff it easy enough on overtime. But in the big plan my office would be shut on a Saturday because we aren't a lat hub. No overtime needed.

[2yearpostie]

Well all you part timers itching to get a vote on shafting full timers better hope that you've got enough time in if royal mail get the go ahead to scrap Saturday deliveries. That's 20000 jobs gone (mainly part timer cover duties). Let's hope all the horrible full timers don't think yes why not I'll keep my job and have a Monday to Friday job. The last week's with Saturday parcel deliveries showed how it will go, the cover delivery staff in my office where moved onto different duties or sent to other offices if nothing was available so the duty holder(part time and full time) could work Monday to Friday. If it was a permanent thing those cover duties are gone.

I hope all the full timers are ready for compulsory overtime on saturdays and sundays when all those pesky part timers have gone..

Always plenty of full timers who want to work overtime. Looking at how Saturdays have worked doing parcels only they could staff it easy enough on overtime. But in the big plan my office would be shut on a Saturday because we aren't a lot hub. No overtime needed.

doubtful they would shut any offices if they went with the Saturdays as they are now ie small packets as well, if all the part time were gone through redundancy then full time staff would be forced into overtime.

[citypostie]

Well all you part timers itching to get a vote on shafting full timers better hope that you've got enough time in if royal mail get the go ahead to scrap Saturday deliveries. That's 20000 jobs gone (mainly part timer cover duties). Let's hope all the horrible full timers don't think yes why not I'll keep my job and have a Monday to Friday job. The last week's with Saturday parcel deliveries showed how it will go, the cover delivery staff in my office where moved onto different duties or sent to other offices if nothing was available so the duty holder(part time and full time) could work Monday to Friday. If it was a permanent thing those cover duties are gone.

I hope all the full timers are ready for compulsory overtime on saturdays and sundays when all those pesky part timers have gone..

Always plenty of full timers who want to work overtime. Looking at how Saturdays have worked doing parcels only they could staff it easy enough on overtime. But in the big plan my office would be shut on a Saturday because we aren't a lot hub. No overtime needed.

doubtful they would shut any offices if they went with the Saturdays as they are now ie small packets as well, if all the part time were gone through redundancy then full time staff would be forced into overtime.

The big plan isn't to deliver small packets though is it? They would have to rewrite contracts then because there isn't any compulsory overtime. And I never said all part timers would go! We've got part timers on their own duties with lots of seniority they just enjoy working part time, I'm talking about people who are temporary and easy number to get rid of

[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?

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.

Have you turned a contract increase down in the past? We have people at our office with 2yrs seniority who have been made up to 35hrs.

[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.

Have you turned a contract increase down in the past? We have people at our office with 2yrs seniority who have been made up to 35hrs.

Nah definitely not I would snap their hands off if offered and they know that. Have asked multiple times union and
Management why part timers are not being made full time but it’s like talking to a brick wall.

[hermesetas]

In our office part time with 15+ years in and no prospect of anyone being made up. Meanwhile many being paid 70+ hours a week.

[citypostie]

In our office part time with 15+ years in and no prospect of anyone being made up. Meanwhile many being paid 70+ hours a week.

Aren't there any vacancies at other offices? I had to move offices to become a leave reserve to get full time. But needs must

[Cucumber]

In our office part time with 15+ years in and no prospect of anyone being made up. Meanwhile many being paid 70+ hours a week.

we have several staff 16-18 years and not full time yet. Same with the extreme 70-80 hours pay for others.

[Route1]

In our office part time with 15+ years in and no prospect of anyone being made up. Meanwhile many being paid 70+ hours a week.

How do people get away with 70+ hours a week as it should be flagged up on the system. Thats one person doing two fulltimers jobs.

I have no problem people doing o/t but 70+ hours is madness

[HTPostman]

Well all you part timers itching to get a vote on shafting full timers better hope that you've got enough time in if royal mail get the go ahead to scrap Saturday deliveries. That's 20000 jobs gone (mainly part timer cover duties). Let's hope all the horrible full timers don't think yes why not I'll keep my job and have a Monday to Friday job. The last week's with Saturday parcel deliveries showed how it will go, the cover delivery staff in my office where moved onto different duties or sent to other offices if nothing was available so the duty holder(part time and full time) could work Monday to Friday. If it was a permanent thing those cover duties are gone. Some of you full timer haters might be wanting support in Industrial action to save your job if you haven't been here long, good luck with that

Don’t think anyone is itching but it’s inevitable that at some point top management will target a huge chunk of the workforce that way. They can’t constantly fight ballot after ballot, instead they’ll throw not just a carrot but a whole damn field of them at PT staff which I estimate is about 25% of the workforce. Coupled with the usual 25% not bothering to vote and suddenly any vote gets closer to 50:50.

I do not dislike FT staff, I get on with most of them, go on nights out with them and if it was PT staff talking down to me and screwing me over I’d have the same gripes.

As for getting rid of staff and cover duties, I don’t think low cost 25 hour flexible PT staff have too much to worry about, it’s those on 35+ hour contracts who will spend 20 mins arguing about taking 10mins lapsing. Also, I’ve asked this before and not had an answer; if cover and reserve duties become non existent, who will do the round when Joe Bloggs is on his annual leave?