Feel like packing it in already - my experience as a new starter

[Cazlew]

[Dorset Plodder]

Really sorry you're getting such a stressfull start to your employment with RM, welcome to RMC.... at least you can have a real vent!

A lot of relevant comments already made, but what springs out at me is the fact that you're on a Van Share and your partner seems to be doing their own thing?

WTF are they up to? If you're PT then the other FT partner usually preps your frame, as well as their own. The only real difference between PT & FT is the indoor element. FT prep more indoor to make their hours up. Once you're both out the door you're obviously both on the same clock. It sound like your parntner is cruising in the morning and not finishing the correct ammount of prep. Ask your DOM what is meant to prepped when you walk in and what's meant to be left for you, it may surprise you.

The point of most of "Your" duty being brought back to the office is also puzzling. TBH sounds like you've got more of a problem with your partner than you have with the DOM. What happens on their Day Off does their cover work differently? (I expect you'll tell us they normaly work their day off). If you haven't got the time to complete I'd expect to see an equal ammount of both duties being brought back to the office.

Lapsing is only meant to be done IF you can do it AND still complete your own Duty WITHIN your contacted hours (or you're willing to do it and claim Overtime). Otherwise it's simply a case of telling the DOM, "Sorry I haven't got time to do the Lapsing" Again WTF is your more experienced partner up to? You'd think he'd be doing that. My Office hasn't lapsed since before Covid, so it's BS to say it has to be done.

The obvious BIG No No is Working for Free, as mentioned don't be tempted to do it. Arranging to start early, and getting paid for it, is different.

I hope you manage to settle in, try not to take it personally and get stressed about the job. It's mostly down to staff shortages and bad mismanagement. As mentioned there's also a certain mental approach to take, not worrying about what others are doing, or whose going out the door while you're still prepping. Bottom line is you've got your contract. If you get no joy from Partner, or DOM, simply tell them you'll be finishing On Time and expect to be returned to the office (by your partner) in time to have your relevent Meal Relief. Good Luck.

[rambo1]

Managers say it should take approx 20 mins to bundle my walk and be out the door from when I start shift.

A familiar claim. Under ideal conditions, perhaps. Under real working conditions... I would love to see a manager demonstrate the feasability.

I don't know. I would say if (that's the question) the walk is fully prepared to the point of just bundling bagging and loading 20 mins is pretty reasonable maybe 25 if you throw a van check in. Problem comes when it isn't fully prepared. In which case you go straight to manager and show them.

[Mr Rush]

Managers say it should take approx 20 mins to bundle my walk and be out the door from when I start shift.

A familiar claim. Under ideal conditions, perhaps. Under real working conditions... I would love to see a manager demonstrate the feasability.

if [...] the walk is fully prepared to the point of just bundling bagging and loading 20 mins is pretty reasonable

Those would be ideal conditions. The reality, as the new starter said, is coming in to an empty frame. And there's no simple trick a manager could possibly teach you that will fix that in 20 minutes flat.

[ssdd]

Managers say it should take approx 20 mins to bundle my walk and be out the door from when I start shift.

A familiar claim. Under ideal conditions, perhaps. Under real working conditions... I would love to see a manager demonstrate the feasability.

if [...] the walk is fully prepared to the point of just bundling bagging and loading 20 mins is pretty reasonable

Those would be ideal conditions. The reality, as the new starter said, is coming in to an empty frame. And there's no simple trick a manager could possibly teach you that will fix that in 20 minutes flat.

No, but there's a trick you can teach the manager to fix that: "I have to work to my time today"

[Acca Dacca]

Managers say it should take approx 20 mins to bundle my walk and be out the door from when I start shift.

A familiar claim. Under ideal conditions, perhaps. Under real working conditions... I would love to see a manager demonstrate the feasability.

I don't know. I would say if (that's the question) the walk is fully prepared to the point of just bundling bagging and loading 20 mins is pretty reasonable maybe 25 if you throw a van check in. Problem comes when it isn't fully prepared. In which case you go straight to manager and show them.

20 mins is not reasonable to do the redirections, tie up the frame, put the bundles in the bags, put the parcels in the bags in correct order, put bags in york, log in and scan route on PDA, get Specials, take york to platform, load bags, load the big parcels, return yorks

If every one of those actions took just 1 minute that would still be 11 minutes.

[Smir]

if your starting late, someone is already being paid to prep your round, and failing it by the sounds of it, once your in anything that hasn't been prepped put it in a tray and stick it to the side. let the managers know, that if you sort it, stuff will have to stay so you can finish within time. same for any parcels, just make sure you got the tracked stuff.

they need to stop hiring such low part-time hours and expecting people to work over full-time hours constantly. lucky if you see a 30-hour duty up anymore.

[Carefree]

Similar experience here; I've been at RM for around 11 weeks and I'm sick of it. Upon joining I received no training at all and was sent out with someone who was genuinely a real life Victor Meldrew. After a week on a fairly decent walk I was pushed from pillar to post and worked way over my 25 hr contract. My pay was regularly wrong for the first 6 odd weeks even though I claimed overtime and I didn't even get paid one week due to being sick one day and the PSP messing up. Management are extremely unhelpful and use bullying tactics to try force you to go over, it boggles the mind how they became managers (or does it?). Also, DON'T TRUST ANYONE, they will take advantage of you. I had full-timers acting like my best friend only to give me the majority of their work.

Now I've been on a walk which is just downright depressing for about a month. Council flats, houses and chavs everywhere. All of them stink of weed and p*** and I've been harassed & abused multiple times for no reason. I've been told by colleagues that people on this walk do not last long and to be honest I can see why. The walk never gets finished due to way too much mail and parcels; the morale of postman probably don't help either but why would you want to finish this walk. Also doesn't help when the vans have warning lights glazed across the dashboard, the side door don't open and the key won't unlock it unless in the door.

Only positive from this job is I've met a few nice people and get to see dogs on my round.

[SpacePhoenix]

Also doesn't help when the vans have warning lights glazed across the dashboard

Why are you using vans in that state?

[Carefree]

Also doesn't help when the vans have warning lights glazed across the dashboard

Why are you using vans in that state?

Manager said they have no vans available so the only option was to use it until inevitably it goes into limp mode

[SpacePhoenix]

Also doesn't help when the vans have warning lights glazed across the dashboard

Why are you using vans in that state?

Manager said they have no vans available so the only option was to use it until inevitably it goes into limp mode

Can't see the police accepting that as an excuse if you got pulled over