Why?

edward918 · Post by **edward918** » 12 Aug 2020, 22:37

Ever since Covid, I've been told to work from 1pm - 6pm, this includes my 20 minute break, so I should be getting back to the office for 17:30, unloading everything and having my break at 17:40. Trouble is, there is simply not enough time to complete the workload in on the majority of duties I've been on (I'm a reserve so am being thrown around a bit).

I get into work for 1pm, I have to bag everything up, get a van, get a PDA, PPE, load the van up and then drive to my first delivery point. By this time, it's around 2pm, so I'm 1 hour behind schedule, this leaves me with 3.5 hours to deliver 6 bags of mail along with around a YORK-full of oversized packets...impossible! So instead, I do what I can from 2pm - 5pm, then get rid of any remaining tracked parcels and bring everything else back.

Today, I brought back 3 bags of mail, 0 tracked parcels but around 14 normal parcels. I'll no doubt get stick from the Managers yet again tomorrow, since this isn't the first time this has happened. Just when will they realise that we need more time to get rid of everything!? I'm starting to get sick and tired of my Managers playing dumb, when they know full well that there's not enough time.

Instead of saying "Joe Bloggs would have been done an hour ago!!" (Because people get in way before their time), how about: "You're clearly struggling, let's review the duty/your contract and see if you'd like to be offered more hours to complete the workload in or see if we can take anything off you".

Is anyone else getting stick at work due to working to rule, will Royal Mail actually accept that duties will take a lot longer in certain offices due to the large volumes of packets?

Janet Brum · Post by **Janet Brum** » 12 Aug 2020, 23:04

If you know you can`t complete, wich you obviously can`t with that amount of mail and parcels, just go to your manager before leaving theoffice and tell him that you have to leave x bags behind and half of that york.
Also I would ask him to find someone else for the full york of parcels, he can`t expect you to deliver all that in 4 hours ish, that`s not possible.

Have you spoke to your union rep?

JKSmudge · Post by **JKSmudge** » 12 Aug 2020, 23:26

Why are you taking your break at the end? The break is so that you can have a short rest, food & drink and then continuing with your shift.

edward918 · Post by **edward918** » 12 Aug 2020, 23:32

I'll contact my Union Rep tomorrow, they're aware that I'm struggling with deliveries yet Managers still do nothing about it. Either way, regardless of what time I take my break at, I'll still be bringing mail/parcels back

mags999 · Post by **mags999** » 12 Aug 2020, 23:58

in a few months you will be finishing in the dark something has to be sorted by then surely

iHateD2Ds · Post by **iHateD2Ds** » 13 Aug 2020, 06:04

If the manager gets shirty with me I say to them just look at my PDA Actuals and they soon shut up.
I wouldn’t stress about it you have worked to your time.What more can they ask from you?

neilgg · Post by **neilgg** » 13 Aug 2020, 07:08

On 5hr days you're entitled to a 30 minute break so that gives you even less time. Well done for starting on time. In my office so many start early and don't take breaks thereby spoiling things for those that don't want to work for free.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 13 Aug 2020, 07:24

You're not allowed to take all your break at the end of the shift

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 13 Aug 2020, 07:45

SpacePhoenix wrote:You're not allowed to take all your break at the end of the shift

If you are only on a 5hr day - yes you can.

Woody Guthrie · Post by **Woody Guthrie** » 13 Aug 2020, 08:36

clashcityrocker wrote:
SpacePhoenix wrote:You're not allowed to take all your break at the end of the shift
If you are only on a 5hr day - yes you can.

Going by the book although in basic employment guidelines there's nothing stopping that contractually (which kind of is legally) as per the Way Forward you would have to follow the locally agreed structure or revision so it's not something you could decide off your own back.

Back in the real world of course it just "happens' and nobody really gives a s**t.

chickenwittle · Post by **chickenwittle** » 13 Aug 2020, 09:06

Why do some of you jump all over him about the time he chooses to take his break . He is asking for advice due to not having enough time to complete his duty , his break time is irrelevant.

Post by **WASD** » 13 Aug 2020, 09:39

Managers and DOMs just don't have the leadership skills, (mostly, not all managers are bad). It's obvious things don't work, and your experience is the same everywhere.
Sadly, posties who are hard workers, (not all by a long shot), are wasted potential.
The sooner this company goes under, the better imho.
RM, Ofcom, CWU, and posties, all at fault. The few who care are getting so demoralised.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 13 Aug 2020, 09:43

Just follow the cut-off procedure, provided you've done that by the book, what's left over is the manager's problem, not yours

edward918 · Post by **edward918** » 13 Aug 2020, 16:12

Managers still gave me stick today for bringing mail/parcels back, even though I worked my contracted hours. (10am until 14:40, 20 minute break until 15:00).
Excuses such as:
- "You should be working 5 hours on delivery, you're back too early so you could have done more"
this is false as I'm entitled to my 20 minute break, so I should in fact be working 4.5 hours.

"I know other staff members who can complete the duty that you're on in time"
yes, perhaps on a Monday and Tuesday but they fail to mention the fact that people get in way before their official start time, therefore they finish at for example 13:30 instead of 14:30..

starting to get sick and tired of being made to feel like a failure. Who knew it would be so difficult to simply do my contracted hours and go home??

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 13 Aug 2020, 16:24

You are entitled to a 30 minute meal relief on a 5 hour attendance.

Ask them to come out and show you how it is done.