Lump sum (NPen)

[wacko74]

Cheers. Nice to know the monetary value of risking our lives since COVID day 1

Just doing the job you are well paid for, nothing more nothing less.

well paid?

You don’t think we are well paid for an unskilled job? Compare us to retail workers, other couriers etc.

I think our job requires a certain level of knowledge and ability above your average shelf stacker and is also more physically demanding out walking the streets in all weathers.

Also most of those that are lower paid than us will be entitled to Tax Credits and other associated benefits (especially if they know how to game the system, mainly through having kids they can't afford) meaning that in reality their take home pay and disposable income will be at least equivalent to ours if not possibly higher.

[paul1231]

Never understand this well paid job term, when you think of some of the profits companies make and what their staff earn its more of a case of what we earn is probably fair for what we do its just that so so many are underpaid for what they do

[Fdeezy]

I think our job requires a certain level of knowledge and ability above your average shelf stacker and is also more physically demanding out walking the streets in all weathers.

Apart from needing a driving licence, you need the same amount of "knowledge and ability" to do either job. Both pretty much point and shoot roles. I would argue that the job I once had with a well known supermarket was more physically demanding too. I kept dry mostly, but bottles of pop and cases of beer are much heavier than payslips and shoes. (but it was actually crap pay too)

[FirstPost]

Cheers. Nice to know the monetary value of risking our lives since COVID day 1

Just doing the job you are well paid for, nothing more nothing less.

well paid?

You don’t think we are well paid for an unskilled job? Compare us to retail workers, other couriers etc.

it may be unskilled but for the abuse and stress we put on or body, no. Pounding the streets every single day and mileage we cover!

[HTPostman]

I find it beyond believable just how many moans this bonus has created. Moaning at first because there was nothing, then moaning that it wasn't enough, moaning that it wasn't going to be paid until the end of June, moaning that it was pro rata, moaning that some isolating got it, moaning about it being subject to tax, moaning that agency workers (who are neither employed or paid by RM) should have got it......the list goes on.

Just think, if Rico had stayed he would have saved all this moaning for you as there would not have been a bonus to moan about in the first place!

Terry Pullinger and co in the CWU must be shaking their heads in disbelief and thinking "why f*****g bother" at these reactions to what would have been hard work by them to squeeze this bonus out of RM, and for those who have done nothing but moan - just remember - the CWU got this bonus for us - so those who moan away but are not even in the union actually had MORE of a bonus, as union members like me pay for this representation each week out of our wages.

My other half is one of the many who is highly unlikely to have a job to go back to when her furlough finishes......whilst I appreciate we have been vulnerable during this pandemic, we have earned good money compared to millions of others and should just take a minute to step back and reflect that. Our bills have still been paid!

As with usual protocol, everybody calls this job every name under the sun but seldom few actually grow a pair, vote with their feet and leave to seek this apparent wonderful greener grass outside of RM.

And before the insults start, I am just a humble postie like yourselves with no desire whatsoever to do anything else...come in, do the job, go home - I am just giving an opinion and view based on what the vast majority of people outside of RM would be saying, particularly those who will have no job to go back to, maybe have to sell their houses, risk family break ups, etc etc.

Good post. I’ve done my fair share of moaning here (mainly at the wasted hours in every office, people not working their full hours and ghost overtime) BUT I love the job.

I’m at a huge advantage because I left Royal Mail, did a few different jobs, then realised in my opinion this is one of the better ones so came back. I know everyone is different and there are some who’ve left and are doing better, good on them.

Jobs I’ve done:

Construction - Very physical, and boring. Wage: £13k a year.

Retail - Hours all over the place, difficult customers. Lots of lifting. £11k.

Customer Service for an online retailer - Awful, stuck in a stuffy office having to deal with stupid issues (you charged me £4.50 postage but the label says it only cost you £4.20). £10k

Postman - Lack of organisation but once outside you’re your own boss. Need a good level of fitness for some rounds. £25k (including overtime which on the whole is plentiful).


My Facebook is full of friends who’ve lost their jobs, I’ve one friend who was the most senior employee at a printer, they haven’t shut but have got rid of half the workforce, and it’s not been done on seniority.

I know the job can be frustrating, management are infuriating at times and it’s becoming a real 2 tier workforce (as seen by the bonus) but I’m thankful I’m in work. And once again going back to the bonus, as a PTer I look at it as £131 gained rather than £69 lost.

[wacko74]

I think our job requires a certain level of knowledge and ability above your average shelf stacker and is also more physically demanding out walking the streets in all weathers.

Apart from needing a driving licence, you need the same amount of "knowledge and ability" to do either job. Both pretty much point and shoot roles. I would argue that the job I once had with a well known supermarket was more physically demanding too. I kept dry mostly, but bottles of pop and cases of beer are much heavier than payslips and shoes. (but it was actually crap pay too)

So it takes the same length of time to learn where the Coco Pops and fish fingers go in a supermarket as it does for me to learn the 10+ deep rurals that I currently know?

As well as having to be adaptable enough to be capable of varying just which way you do any individual route on a daily basis in order to ensure all Specials are done by 1pm

[priority102]

- just remember - the CWU got this bonus for us -

Did they?
And then had absolutely no say in how that bonus was paid?

As RM are the actual providers of the money I would imagine they would have quite a say on how it is distributed. The CWU cannot tell RM how to spend their money no more than I can tell you how to spend yours.

[SpacePhoenix]

I think our job requires a certain level of knowledge and ability above your average shelf stacker and is also more physically demanding out walking the streets in all weathers.

Apart from needing a driving licence, you need the same amount of "knowledge and ability" to do either job. Both pretty much point and shoot roles. I would argue that the job I once had with a well known supermarket was more physically demanding too. I kept dry mostly, but bottles of pop and cases of beer are much heavier than payslips and shoes. (but it was actually crap pay too)

So it takes the same length of time to learn where the Coco Pops and fish fingers go in a supermarket as it does for me to learn the 10+ deep rurals that I currently know?

As well as having to be adaptable enough to be capable of varying just which way you do any individual route on a daily basis in order to ensure all Specials are done by 1pm

If you exclude the d2d, what's an average call rate for them walks?

[wacko74]

I think our job requires a certain level of knowledge and ability above your average shelf stacker and is also more physically demanding out walking the streets in all weathers.

Apart from needing a driving licence, you need the same amount of "knowledge and ability" to do either job. Both pretty much point and shoot roles. I would argue that the job I once had with a well known supermarket was more physically demanding too. I kept dry mostly, but bottles of pop and cases of beer are much heavier than payslips and shoes. (but it was actually crap pay too)

So it takes the same length of time to learn where the Coco Pops and fish fingers go in a supermarket as it does for me to learn the 10+ deep rurals that I currently know?

As well as having to be adaptable enough to be capable of varying just which way you do any individual route on a daily basis in order to ensure all Specials are done by 1pm

If you exclude the d2d, what's an average call rate for them walks?

Not sure just what you mean by ''average call rate'' they vary between around 300-400 delivery points each in total, but obviously I don't attend 100% of the calls every day so the ''average call rate'' is presumably the same as any other typical delivery?

What's ''average call rate'' got do with the point I was making? Comparing the levels of knowledge and ability required to learn, retain and constantly adapt when delivering on multiple deep rural duties of 60-80 miles each compared to the knowledge and ability required to learn where to put the coco pops and where to put the fish fingers when working as a shelf stacker in a supermarket?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I am not sure what's more saddening.

1. Thinking our job is the hardest and that everyone else's job is easier than ours.

2. Or looking down on other jobs because you think its beneath you.

I'll tell you a secret, this job is one of the less stressful ones and least physical I have had, and I have had many in my 40 years of working, but it is one of the best paid. I'll tell you another secret in the form of a parable. "Never knock another person's job, unless you have walked a mile in their shoes, as until you do, you can only assume what their actual job entails"


.... and you know what assume does - it makes an ASS out of U and ME.

[priority102]

I am not sure what's more saddening.

1. Thinking our job is the hardest and that everyone else's job is easier than ours.

2. Or looking down on other jobs because you think its beneath you.

I'll tell you a secret, this job is one of the less stressful ones and least physical I have had, and I have had many in my 40 years of working, but it is one of the best paid. I'll tell you another secret in the form of a parable. "Never knock another person's job, unless you have walked a mile in their shoes, as until you do, you can only assume what their actual job entails"


.... and you know what assume does - it makes an ASS out of U and ME.

[Jefferson Starfish]

I am not sure what's more saddening.

1. Thinking our job is the hardest and that everyone else's job is easier than ours.

2. Or looking down on other jobs because you think its beneath you.

I'll tell you a secret, this job is one of the less stressful ones and least physical I have had, and I have had many in my 40 years of working, but it is one of the best paid. I'll tell you another secret in the form of a parable. "Never knock another person's job, unless you have walked a mile in their shoes, as until you do, you can only assume what their actual job entails"


.... and you know what assume does - it makes an ASS out of U and ME.

[wacko74]

I am not sure what's more saddening.

1. Thinking our job is the hardest and that everyone else's job is easier than ours.

2. Or looking down on other jobs because you think its beneath you.

I'll tell you a secret, this job is one of the less stressful ones and least physical I have had, and I have had many in my 40 years of working, but it is one of the best paid. I'll tell you another secret in the form of a parable. "Never knock another person's job, unless you have walked a mile in their shoes, as until you do, you can only assume what their actual job entails"


.... and you know what assume does - it makes an ASS out of U and ME.

Oh dear you do like your straw men don't you?

I'm not sure where I said ''our job is the hardest'' or ''everyone else's job is easier'' perhaps you can point that out to me?

I wasn't ''looking down'' on other jobs I was simply disputing the claim that our job is no more difficult or complicated than your average unskilled shelf stacking job and therefor presumably we shouldn't be entitled to the slightly higher pay that our job attracts over your typical shelf stacking job.

I wouldn't know what jobs you've previously had that are physically more demanding but earn less money than us, I personally know construction ground workers, utilities workers, trawler crew and Local Authority employees all in physical but ''unskilled'' roles who are on considerably more than our average wage.

And I have done other physically demanding jobs for 10 years prior to becoming a postie, landscaping, drystone walling, forestry work, I spent 2 years laying flagstones, some weighing a quarter of a tonne each, along the Pennine Way in one of the bleakest and most exposed areas of the UK... and none of those jobs left me suffering the constant pain and niggling injuries that I now have after 20 years of being a postie, although possibly I accept that's the cumulative effects of 30 years of physical, outdoor work.

Despite all of the above I don't hate the job, I just get wound up when I hear idiots coming out with the strange notion that we're ''well paid'' and somehow almost not deserving of our hourly rate... as I said previously if our pay was any lower I suspect most of us would be entitled to Tax Credits anyway, that's how ''well paid'' we are.

[priority102]

The very bottom line to all the moans, criticisms, back stabbing etc, is that each and every one of us came to RM of our OWN choice and even agreed to sign a document called a Contract of Employment AGREEING TO ACCEPT the very terms and conditions that are the subject of all the said moans etc. If we didn't like the terms and conditions why didn't we walk away - then or subsequently? No one or nothing is forcing us to stay.

The reason so very few moaners grow a pair and leave is that they know full well deep down that the pay, along with holiday entitlement / sick pay / CWU representation / conditions etc is quite favourable compared to other courier companies / manual work industries. Sometimes it is "better the devil you know".

Numerous customers on my round have been told in the past few weeks that their jobs are no more and are being made redundant, often with little service so next to nothing in pay off.

I have a relatively close neighbour who has a company van. For weeks and weeks now the van has just stood outside his house and you would presume that this was due to him being furloughed. I actually saw him to speak to last week and he said that although the first few weeks he was indeed furloughed, as time has gone on the company he works for has been forced to close down, he was made redundant with only one years service and the van remains outside his house with a flat battery until the administrators arrange for its collection. He didn't see this coming at all.

So once again, just take a step back for minute in the current situation, reflect on what is going on outside of RM (people / families / jobs etc). If you think this outside is a much better place to be then grow a pair and join them. As the saying goes....ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

[Sugar]

I'll tell you a secret, this job is one of the less stressful ones and least physical I have had, and I have had many in my 40 years of working, but it is one of the best paid. I'll tell you another secret in the form of a parable. "Never knock another person's job, unless you have walked a mile in their shoes, as until you do, you can only assume what their actual job entails"

Have to disagree in part.

Correct me if I am wrong but IIRC the office you are in didn't fully convert to 2 to a van and a large percentage of the deliveries there are still done the old way so you won't have had to deal with the sh!t storm a full 2 to a van revision brought to a lot of offices in the rest of the country.

If it is the office I think it is then I personally spoke with one of your DOMS years ago whilst out on delivery when we went through 2 to a van revision and they were asking a lot of questions. Been led to believe that our revision had gone swimmingly and couldn't believe the sh!t the revision had caused. Told me if they had their way the revision wouldn't be going ahead in their/your office if it was such a disaster.

I know of people transferring into your office just to get out of toxic offices in this area and all have said it was the best thing they'd ever done because the walks were smaller and going back to working the old way was far better so they had less sh!t to deal with every day.

A lot of peoples perspectives of how good or bad the job is is simply based on how things run in their own office so if it is a bad office then they won't feel the job is worth the pay they get. If it's a good office then everything will feel like its coming up roses everyday and people will enjoy the job.

Not saying everything is perfect in your office as I do have experience of a nasty piece of work manager from your area/office who moved over this way and thought it was acceptable to bully and intimidate an older member of staff and then had a sulk when someone squared up to them for it. And who was part of a clique of managers who deliberately targeted another member of staff for the better part of a year.

A huge number of people in this company are in sh!tty badly run offices and we see that in posts on here and on social media every day but put up with it because they have bills to pay and a family to look after so taking that leap of faith to another job is and can be very scary. Their only outlet for their frustrations is places like this. Otherwise you'd end up with greater numbers of sick absences through breakdowns etc and more managers getting tw@tted when they finally blow a fuse.

Personally it shouldn't be classed as an unskilled job because it's not and that's coming from someone who worked in a highly skilled and physical job before ending up at RM.

But on the other hand what people currently get paid is not worth the mental and physical sh!t they have to put themselves through day after day.