Something needs to be done before October

[Manboat]

The distancing is going down to 1 metre in the offices from next week anyway

Is it?
Who decided that?

Had an ambassador meeting, and he said it's been agreed and will be announced next week, our union rep didn't look impressed. Also said lots of talks ongoing about van shares, and they are discussing people having to wear masks when in the vans together.

Anyone who feels comfortable going back to van shares with masks on should be allowed to and maybe just sign a waiver if that’s what’s stopping Royal Mail going back to it, site workers and bin men etc seem to be back to it, We’re only in the vans a very limited time, people who don’t want to shouldn’t be forced though and even if it meant not being on there own duty as long as they’re safe that’s the main thing. Everyone’s in different places with the virus and it’s a right pain.

And who is signing a waiver for the person or persons that YOU pass it on to after catching it as a result of van sharing?

I’d be surprised if I wasn’t more at risk in the office with no masks on and people not keeping to 1m distance never mind 2m than in the van with a mask on facing forwards most of the time, like I said it shouldn’t be compulsory and people not wanting to do it could maybe stick to what there doing now, just a thought and possible option.

[Woody Guthrie]

I’d be surprised if I wasn’t more at risk in the office with no masks on and people not keeping to 1m distance never mind 2m than in the van with a mask on facing forwards most of the time

It doesn't matter whether you're more at risk in the office because half the knobends in their think it's a giant conspiracy by liberals etc.

Royal Mail has procedures in place for social distancing in an office, whether they are followed or implemented is of little importance because the system is there and the business can wash its hands of it (pun intended).

Van sharing is a different kettle of fish, they have a system in place now that is perfectly safe (one van-one driver), any change now adds an extra element of risk even if it's small. You are in effect deliberately making the job more dangerous when you don't have to.

That kind of decision is tricky.

[Manboat]

I’d be surprised if I wasn’t more at risk in the office with no masks on and people not keeping to 1m distance never mind 2m than in the van with a mask on facing forwards most of the time

It doesn't matter whether you're more at risk in the office because half the knobends in their think it's a giant conspiracy by liberals etc.

Royal Mail has procedures in place for social distancing in an office, whether they are followed or implemented is of little importance because the system is there and the business can wash its hands of it (pun intended).

Van sharing is a different kettle of fish, they have a system in place now that is perfectly safe (one van-one driver), any change now adds an extra element of risk even if it's small. You are in effect deliberately making the job more dangerous when you don't have to.

That kind of decision is tricky.

I actually would love to keep working alone and think most people would, be great if van shares never actually happened again

[PostmanBitesDog]

I actually would love to keep working alone and think most people would, be great if van shares never actually happened again

I'm all for that too.

[k979aaa]

So Fascism and Communists Do Believe in this virus and liberals don't what the hell has politics or freedom of expression/repression got to do with a virus that is all it is mankind/womenkind has been on this earth for 2 million years! We did not need mask then the way forward is clear we need to look after our staff on an ongoing medical basis be whatever the means of conducting business with safety at the forefront some will ware ppe others will not because they cannot this is no fault of them it is not some kind of liberalism as some on here keep spouting out on here!

[Route1]

If it was my business I would bring forward any investment in new vans and say get 3 or 4 thousand new ones delivered as soon as possible. Keep patching up the ones that should already be in the scrapyard as they are currently doing then reassess after Xmas, that should relieve abit of the pressure and save them some hire charges over Xmas. But what do I know.

You're thinking like a postie.

The further up you go the less you want to spend.

[DGH]

I actually would love to keep working alone and think most people would, be great if van shares never actually happened again

I'm all for that too.

Would you be all in favour of permanent morning and afternoon shifts too? Half the workforce doing 'mornings', the other half 'afternoons'.

Because that's the sort of thing it'd open the door to.

I'm not saying that would be either a 'good thing' or a 'bad thing'. Just that whatever happens in the long run, it's not going to be the current system as it is with people walking out a mile or more to deliveries or using their own cars/bikes to get there.

[SpacePhoenix]

One thing that no one has mentioned yet is the LAT items. If online shopping takes off enough, would RM perhaps look into introducing more LAT duties but with more offices doing them? Would separate LAT duties even be needed if RM kept afternoon shifts?

[Manboat]

I actually would love to keep working alone and think most people would, be great if van shares never actually happened again

I'm all for that too.

Would you be all in favour of permanent morning and afternoon shifts too? Half the workforce doing 'mornings', the other half 'afternoons'.

Because that's the sort of thing it'd open the door to.

I'm not saying that would be either a 'good thing' or a 'bad thing'. Just that whatever happens in the long run, it's not going to be the current system as it is with people walking out a mile or more to deliveries or using their own cars/bikes to get there.

I’d be happy to take my turn on a Rita and do alternate weeks or days of either but not permanent lates no

[Grumpyoldmailman]

If it was my business I would bring forward any investment in new vans and say get 3 or 4 thousand new ones delivered as soon as possible. Keep patching up the ones that should already be in the scrapyard as they are currently doing then reassess after Xmas, that should relieve abit of the pressure and save them some hire charges over Xmas. But what do I know.

You're thinking like a postie.

The further up you go the less you want to spend.

I get that but it would be money they would have to spend at some point anyway, it would save them money at Xmas in hire charges as well. I’m not sure what it’s like at other offices but some of the afternoon workers up here tell me they are sometimes waiting over an hour for a van, another saving to be had there.

[wallan]

I actually would love to keep working alone and think most people would, be great if van shares never actually happened again

I'm all for that too.

Would you be all in favour of permanent morning and afternoon shifts too? Half the workforce doing 'mornings', the other half 'afternoons'.

Because that's the sort of thing it'd open the door to.

I'm not saying that would be either a 'good thing' or a 'bad thing'. Just that whatever happens in the long run, it's not going to be the current system as it is with people walking out a mile or more to deliveries or using their own cars/bikes to get there.

You could have Duties starting at the time your mail is due to arrive from the M C , say 0600 , so based on a 35 hour week the duty would be 0600 - 1300 i.e IPS , Prep , Delivery
The 2nd duty could be 1300 - 1800 , 1 or 2 indoor staff are employed to Prep the afternoon duties

[SpacePhoenix]

If it was my business I would bring forward any investment in new vans and say get 3 or 4 thousand new ones delivered as soon as possible. Keep patching up the ones that should already be in the scrapyard as they are currently doing then reassess after Xmas, that should relieve abit of the pressure and save them some hire charges over Xmas. But what do I know.

You're thinking like a postie.

The further up you go the less you want to spend.

I get that but it would be money they would have to spend at some point anyway, it would save them money at Xmas in hire charges as well. I’m not sure what it’s like at other offices but some of the afternoon workers up here tell me they are sometimes waiting over an hour for a van, another saving to be had there.

They might have to look into electric vans for some of the London DOs because of the ultra-low emissions zone (don't know how big a chunk of London it covers)

[2yearpostie]

I actually would love to keep working alone and think most people would, be great if van shares never actually happened again

I'm all for that too.

Would you be all in favour of permanent morning and afternoon shifts too? Half the workforce doing 'mornings', the other half 'afternoons'.

Because that's the sort of thing it'd open the door to.

I'm not saying that would be either a 'good thing' or a 'bad thing'. Just that whatever happens in the long run, it's not going to be the current system as it is with people walking out a mile or more to deliveries or using their own cars/bikes to get there.

You could have Duties starting at the time your mail is due to arrive from the M C , say 0600 , so based on a 35 hour week the duty would be 0600 - 1300 i.e IPS , Prep , Delivery
The 2nd duty could be 1300 - 1800 , 1 or 2 indoor staff are employed to Prep the afternoon duties

Id go with this IF they were on rotation, one wk mornings, one wk afternoons.

[Cucumber]

Can someone answer this then.

Get (up to) 50% more vans - where do they park them? Any office I've seen in our area has no spaces left.

Also, given that anyone that has joined in the last 10 (ish) years needs to drive, that still leaves a hell of a lot of people (well over 50% of staff) that are not contractually obliged to drive for RM. Take away those that drive for collections/overtime reasons and you have a vast number of staff that don't drive (more than people think) or might not be willing to be forced into driving. It's all fair and well saying put those people on trolley duties/nearer the office, but again, that isn't always possible with many offices these days not within walking distance due to relocations.

[Woody Guthrie]

where do they park them?

Overnight retention.

that still leaves a hell of a lot of people (well over 50% of staff) that are not contractually obliged to drive for RM.

Most of those already drive for Royal Mail, if they were to inexplicably withdraw themselves from driving without a medical reason they may not end up dismissed (although there is an argument for custom and practice) but the business is only obliged to redeploy you in your parent office where possible, you could end up relocated 30 miles away and since it's your choice, no excess travel expenses.

How many would go down that route?