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4 day working week

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
1987katies
Posts: 6
Joined: 22 Apr 2021, 11:48
Gender: Female

4 day working week

Post by 1987katies »

:wave :wave
Union reps and ppl talking within the office are pushing for the new work pattern of a 4 day working week...
Most of the ppl in the office are on the 9 day fortnight, but are willing to change over to this 4 day week, when we get to vote for it.
Is anyone currently doing the 4 day week? Is it as good as they’re making it out to be? Am I just overthinking this, or missing something? Almost like it sounds too good to be true
Cucumber
Posts: 1052
Joined: 09 Dec 2018, 10:24
Gender: Female

Re: 4 day working week

Post by Cucumber »

1987katies wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 13:37
:wave :wave
Union reps and ppl talking within the office are pushing for the new work pattern of a 4 day working week...
Most of the ppl in the office are on the 9 day fortnight, but are willing to change over to this 4 day week, when we get to vote for it.
Is anyone currently doing the 4 day week? Is it as good as they’re making it out to be? Am I just overthinking this, or missing something? Almost like it sounds too good to be true
Has it been explained to people how the extra time each day will be filled (eg 5-5.5 hour deliveries?)
1987katies
Posts: 6
Joined: 22 Apr 2021, 11:48
Gender: Female

Re: 4 day working week

Post by 1987katies »

Cucumber wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 14:23
1987katies wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 13:37
:wave :wave
Union reps and ppl talking within the office are pushing for the new work pattern of a 4 day working week...
Most of the ppl in the office are on the 9 day fortnight, but are willing to change over to this 4 day week, when we get to vote for it.
Is anyone currently doing the 4 day week? Is it as good as they’re making it out to be? Am I just overthinking this, or missing something? Almost like it sounds too good to be true
Has it been explained to people how the extra time each day will be filled (eg 5-5.5 hour deliveries?)

Not really, in the revision the walks will change and be made longer. But my union rep said it will only add about 20 mins to a Wed and Thurs. I don’t understand where this number has come from?
And that Mail bags will be done first, then we go back the office and drivers go out again and do oversizes and non drivers do some sorting?! I don’t get how that’s going to work either??
clashcityrocker
Posts: 16701
Joined: 22 Sep 2009, 13:50
Gender: Male
Location: strummerville

Re: 4 day working week

Post by clashcityrocker »

On a 37 hour week a flat day would be 9 hours 15 minutes long.
Our rep has been talking about it but doesn't seem to have a clue how those hours are going to be filled.
I think he just assumes everyone will go home 2 hours early most days.
The societies of consumption and squandering of material resources are incompatible with the idea of economic growth and a clean planet.
scoobydo79
Posts: 2057
Joined: 15 May 2011, 19:04
Gender: Male

Re: 4 day working week

Post by scoobydo79 »

I wouldn’t think You would have enough work daily to sustain 9 hour 15 minute days?
Cucumber
Posts: 1052
Joined: 09 Dec 2018, 10:24
Gender: Female

Re: 4 day working week

Post by Cucumber »

I'd be very wary of getting involved with any agreements where some come back and sort and others go back out. Will lead to all sorts of issues when there is little/nothing to sort, but plenty of oversize to deliver.
1987katies
Posts: 6
Joined: 22 Apr 2021, 11:48
Gender: Female

Re: 4 day working week

Post by 1987katies »

Cucumber wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 15:15
I'd be very wary of getting involved with any agreements where some come back and sort and others go back out. Will lead to all sorts of issues when there is little/nothing to sort, but plenty of oversize to deliver.
That’s what me and my partner said. Esp if we get back to the office, I’ve then got parcels to do and what does the other driver on the same walk do?! No one seems to have the answers to this. That’s also why I thought I’d ask on here if anyone is already on this rota.
clashcityrocker wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 14:38

On a 37 hour week a flat day would be 9 hours 15 minutes long.
Our rep has been talking about it but doesn't seem to have a clue how those hours are going to be filled.
I think he just assumes everyone will go home 2 hours early most days.
It’s going down to a 35 hr week tho? So there’s 2 hrs where we would then have to fit in to the 35
Woody Guthrie
Posts: 5166
Joined: 29 Sep 2018, 20:47
Gender: Male

Re: 4 day working week

Post by Woody Guthrie »

1987katies wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 15:20
Cucumber wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 15:15
I'd be very wary of getting involved with any agreements where some come back and sort and others go back out. Will lead to all sorts of issues when there is little/nothing to sort, but plenty of oversize to deliver.
That’s what me and my partner said. Esp if we get back to the office, I’ve then got parcels to do and what does the other driver on the same walk do?! No one seems to have the answers to this. That’s also why I thought I’d ask on here if anyone is already on this rota.
clashcityrocker wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 14:38

On a 37 hour week a flat day would be 9 hours 15 minutes long.
Our rep has been talking about it but doesn't seem to have a clue how those hours are going to be filled.
I think he just assumes everyone will go home 2 hours early most days.
It’s going down to a 35 hr week tho? So there’s 2 hrs where we would then have to fit in to the 35
There's no concrete plan or timeline to take us down to 35 hrs.
Only dead fish follow the current
yubin282
Posts: 993
Joined: 25 Jul 2014, 19:18
Gender: Male

Re: 4 day working week

Post by yubin282 »

Is it possible that you do IPS/packet sorting after you finish your delivery - if you finish it.

Mail and parcels seems to be arriving at my DO any time of the day now.
1987katies
Posts: 6
Joined: 22 Apr 2021, 11:48
Gender: Female

Re: 4 day working week

Post by 1987katies »

yubin282 wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 16:54
Is it possible that you do IPS/packet sorting after you finish your delivery - if you finish it.

Mail and parcels seems to be arriving at my DO any time of the day now.
This has been mentioned, but only for non drivers, and drivers take out oversizes. But I can’t see that working :arrrghhh
If there’s 2 drivers working together for the mail, who then does the oversizes? What does the other one do??
Jefferson Starfish
Posts: 905
Joined: 12 Aug 2011, 15:32
Gender: Female
Location: Greendale DO

Re: 4 day working week

Post by Jefferson Starfish »

scoobydo79 wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 14:55
I wouldn’t think You would have enough work daily to sustain 9 hour 15 minute days?
Fewer and bigger walks.
Cucumber
Posts: 1052
Joined: 09 Dec 2018, 10:24
Gender: Female

Re: 4 day working week

Post by Cucumber »

This, I feel is going to the case up and down the country.
Staff will be blinded by attendance patterns that look good but end up becoming a total disaster when implemented.
We tried different attendance times once that included more indoor work, a kind of long and shorts. Staff weren't interested in doing an extra 40 minutes prep on a different duty than their own some days and instead headed out the door early. End result was that we got moved back to original times.
yubin282
Posts: 993
Joined: 25 Jul 2014, 19:18
Gender: Male

Re: 4 day working week

Post by yubin282 »

1987katies wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 17:31
yubin282 wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 16:54
Is it possible that you do IPS/packet sorting after you finish your delivery - if you finish it.

Mail and parcels seems to be arriving at my DO any time of the day now.
This has been mentioned, but only for non drivers, and drivers take out oversizes. But I can’t see that working :arrrghhh
If there’s 2 drivers working together for the mail, who then does the oversizes? What does the other one do??
But part of the revisions is stop 2 drivers working together and stop pairs having the same day off. 'Operational needs' as RM call it.

Unfortunately most who voted 'YES' only saw the pay 'rise' and possibly getting a SWW.
1987katies
Posts: 6
Joined: 22 Apr 2021, 11:48
Gender: Female

Re: 4 day working week

Post by 1987katies »

Cucumber wrote: ↑
22 Apr 2021, 18:10
This, I feel is going to the case up and down the country.
Staff will be blinded by attendance patterns that look good but end up becoming a total disaster when implemented.
We tried different attendance times once that included more indoor work, a kind of long and shorts. Staff weren't interested in doing an extra 40 minutes prep on a different duty than their own some days and instead headed out the door early. End result was that we got moved back to original times.
This is what I think will happen to our D/O!! I just feel like our union rep is like “this is the best option we have, all this time off every 3 weeks!” (Because it works out as 5 days off every 3 weeks) but what does RM want in return for the 5 days off?? :hmmmm
toonshola
Posts: 917
Joined: 29 Jul 2011, 16:31
Gender: Male

Re: 4 day working week

Post by toonshola »

I know others feel differently about this but I’ve got to say I would snap their hand off for a four day week, obviously the delivery’s would get bigger to account for the longer days but having 3 days off would be a dream. Hope my office goes for it.