whats going on ?

Post by **aiden01** » 13 Jun 2020, 20:57

postslippete wrote:There's a lot of doom and gloom surrounding the pandemic and the detrimental effect this has on our economy. Royal Mail are trying to exploit this to the full. However, let's not forget that the company have kept running whilst many organisations couldn't operate. British Airways,for example, probably have more valid reasons to make staff redundant (even though it recorded profits at the end of 2019 after tax of £1.1bn and had cash reserves of £2.6bn). Royal Mail are not in the same position as it's main focus is still transformation.

That said, not paying overtime to complete deliveries is not on when there are many staff willing to actually do the work! I've seen this happen on quite a few occasions and the excuse Royal Mail have been using is that we are in a pandemic. We cannot allow this to continue when there are part-timers unable to get extra hours and the CWU are trying to achieve a 35 hour working week. From past experience though, getting just an hour off the working week has been something of an uphill struggle. Maybe the Union should focus one of their pillars on something else?

Why have ba more valid reasons they are being hammered by mp's and unions for what they are doing??

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 13 Jun 2020, 21:24

A2B wrote:
Interested in how you think the CWU can dictate to RM how they allocate their money? RM are openly saying they are losing money due to the drop in mail and increased absence, will throwing more money into the fire do any good?

Not sure where you're going with the lack of overtime for pt staff and the reduction in the working week for ft staff, surely there will be potential for pt staff to pick up more overtime and their hourly rate will increase, win win?

Part-timers will NEVER get any increase in their contractual hours if the business won't allow them to do any overtime when there is work there to do!! Royal Mail don't make as much profit because it has a USO and if we weren't in a pandemic I think they would be forced to throw more money in the fire as you eloquently put it.

I don't know if a shorter working week is the be all and end all, like what we should be sacrificing for it?? I'm just concerned that leaving parcels and letters might set a precedent,and if it does and no one enforces them being delivered,then you may as well kiss jobs,overtime and any quality of service goodbye.

Post by **Nick b** » 13 Jun 2020, 22:10

Being told you will not be paid if you complete (ie: overtime ) is illegal and smacks of bullying in that office, fear is something managers often use to the vulnerable (basically bullying, that word again) on the subject of VR here’s the bad news; manpower in many offices (manpower generic) is at minimum for all offices including the ones which employ a small town, agency, casuals is quite common to fill in. The CWU needs to concentrate on two things:
Making those on 16/21/23 hrs full time, to many years have passed where this has not happened and the CWU has sat on its hands executive level I’m talking to you,

Negotiating a decent pay and conditions agreement outside politics.

At the end of the day the accountants/computer programs dictate to what will happen, therefore losing touch on what actually happens on the front line (sound familiar), and the executive need to address this.

A2B · Post by **A2B** » 13 Jun 2020, 22:27

Sadly PT staff are unlikely to get an increased contract no matter what, RM want a flexible workforce and PT staff keen for overtime provide that. On the refusal to issue overtime it's obviously about budgets, some offices (mine included) have all the overtime you want, what formula they use to say what offices can or cannot issue overtime is beyond me.

We haven't been abiding by the USO for a number of weeks now, yes quality of service has dropped but these are unprecedented times, if it was to continue in normal times then we're in trouble. RM are saying the lack of mail is causing the decrease in revenue if that continues it doesn't matter if the USO is there or not.

RM want the shorter working week as our rate of pay will go up without them paying out for it, the CWU want it as they hope it will keep more of us employed.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 13 Jun 2020, 22:30

If anything I reckon the % of PT will increase over time. It's probably going to end up being that or DO staff have really long delivery spans (possibly their whole shift out on delivery)

A2B · Post by **A2B** » 13 Jun 2020, 22:34

SpacePhoenix wrote:If anything I reckon the % of PT will increase over time. It's probably going to end up being that or DO staff have really long delivery spans (possibly their whole shift out on delivery)

Why?

mags999 · Post by **mags999** » 13 Jun 2020, 22:42

how does this add up move to a five day week making on average 6 to 10 voluntary redundancys make all staff 35 hours a week incl part time with no loss of pay. . now heres the best bit a pay freeze for 2 years

any takers I wait to be shot down in flames

Post by **HTPostman** » 14 Jun 2020, 00:57

Re: overtime I don’t think I’ve ever been offered so much, I’m 25 hours and could’ve done an extra 50 hours these past few weeks if I wanted to. Varies office to office obviously.

Don’t want to get into another FT vs PT debate other than to say I don’t think redundancies will be the first plan of attack. Management will simply push us all harder, pinpoint individuals and mess us around to the point some of us crack and walk away.

Plus there are no doubt going to be big changes which some of us really won’t cope with. Add on natural wastage and I reckon that’s enough of the workforce slimmed down.

I can see flexibility (yeah, that horrible word) being expected of us all, not just what round you do but your hours too. Yes, I know your contract says so and so hours but so did Asda workers, they didn’t have a leg to stand on and were told sign the new contract or leave. The union won’t be able to fight it no matter what we think/hope.

All my opinions of course and I hope I’m wrong.

Post by **HTPostman** » 14 Jun 2020, 01:04

The main thing I want the union to look at is everyone working every minute, it’s absurd someone goes home 2 hours early, then I’m paid 2 hours to do some overtime.

The holiday pay situation needs sorting and quickly, the longer it’s delayed the bigger the bill, which incidentally I can see having a huge impact on RMs financial position.

GRS · Post by **GRS** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:53

2yearpostie wrote:
GRS wrote:I hope that RM are looking at us collecting returned items from peoples houses on our way round. With the amount of parcels being delivered you can’t tell me that everyone is happy with their purchase or receiving items that fit them etc. It would be so easy for us to pick up returns whilst out there and we need to capitalise on it now whilst volumes are so high. Strike while the irons hot not get round to it in 2 or 3 years time. Will be a big money spinner.
Where you gonna put it our bags are heavy enough taking stuff out with collecting more on the way round!

You wouldn’t put it in your bag. When you’re driving round doing the large & heavy you’d knock and pick it up.

Grumpyoldmailman · Post by **Grumpyoldmailman** » 14 Jun 2020, 09:57

HTPostman wrote:The main thing I want the union to look at is everyone working every minute, it’s absurd someone goes home 2 hours early, then I’m paid 2 hours to do some overtime.

Clocking in and out should put a stop to that, it was all over RMTV in Feb so I’m guessing the virus has put that on hold like a lot of other things. Productivity and morale is going to fall through the floor though as all the early finishers are just going to drag it out. In a lot of places locally managers know this and will struggle to cover work if the ghosters are pissed off.

Mailman300 · Post by **Mailman300** » 14 Jun 2020, 10:19

Cedar_Room wrote:2yr Postie there. With his hotline to the union,eh? Give me strength

He’s got the bat phone

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 14 Jun 2020, 10:37

Grumpyoldmailman wrote:Productivity and morale is going to fall through the floor though as all the early finishers are just going to drag it out. In a lot of places locally managers know this and will struggle to cover work if the ghosters are pissed off.

They'll just bring in outdoor performance standards first. I wouldn't be surprised to see performance standards widely rolled out in DOs (both indoor and outdoor), MCs and RDCs within the next couple of years

A2B · Post by **A2B** » 14 Jun 2020, 10:41

Grumpyoldmailman wrote:
HTPostman wrote:The main thing I want the union to look at is everyone working every minute, it’s absurd someone goes home 2 hours early, then I’m paid 2 hours to do some overtime.
Clocking in and out should put a stop to that, it was all over RMTV in Feb so I’m guessing the virus has put that on hold like a lot of other things. Productivity and morale is going to fall through the floor though as all the early finishers are just going to drag it out. In a lot of places locally managers know this and will struggle to cover work if the ghosters are pissed off.

Monitoring the workforce is not the job of the CWU, managers are there to manage.

No doubt the CWU have been confronted with PDA data during the pay talks, i thought early finishes and ghosting would have gone by now but it's only a matter of time, i'd welcome clocking in personally it would but an end to lots of bad feeling in the office.

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 14 Jun 2020, 10:54

A2B wrote:
RM want the shorter working week as our rate of pay will go up without them paying out for it

Well, initially they did. It was in the 4 pillars agreement that they would commit towards a move to a 35 hour working week by 2022 but then Rico showed up and reneged on the agreement and said it was unfordable to take another hour off of the working week. Its ironic that a company that keeps informing us that we have falling mail volumes and increased parcel automation (giving us less indoor time) in the pipeline should be unwilling to allow a SWW don't you think?