Chaos

[SpacePhoenix]

Most of the vans at our DO are in a disgusting state, inside and out. Some are simply not roadworthy, yet continue to be used. Recently, a customer pointed out to me that one of the rear sidelights on my van was not working. Upon returning to the DO, I wrote this in the log book and raised it as a new fault on my PDA, which required the name of a manager in order to correctly log it. I should add that this was on a Sunday and, by this time, the manager who was supposedly running the show had long since vanished, leaving one of their lackeys in charge. When I mentioned the fault to him he responded "F**k it, leave it, whoever's using that van tomorrow can deal with it".

Why aren't you getting the unroadworthy vans signed out of use?????

Easy to say that from a distance - probably a lot more difficult in practice. Because like you in the mail centre there is less
and less time to do things properly without getting stress from management.

Boss have you got a spare wagon, this one needs booking in, broken brake light.

Let me see what I can do

An hour later - Boss about that spare wagon?

Oh, yes go and speak to the garage, they'll fix it for you in 10 minutes.

Garage, No haven't got time mate.

Boss garage won't do it.

Ok I've found a spare wagon, here you go.

Van located 10 minutes later in yard blocked in by other wagons or private cars.
Get wagon out, it's a s**t storm, knackered seats, window stuck, one of rear doors won't open, only an eighth of a tank of fuel.

Boss I've got a wagon but it's taken me 30 minutes to sort, I'm going to have to leave a loop.

WTF have you been doing? Get a grip! You've got no chance, get it done or there'll be questions asked, FFS mutter mutter.

That's why people would rather use a wagon with a brake light out rather than do what you suggest - it's wrong but that's
the typical state we are at in delivery.

and when you get pulled over by the police for driving an un-roadworthy van?????

[grumpazoid]

Most of the vans at our DO are in a disgusting state, inside and out. Some are simply not roadworthy, yet continue to be used. Recently, a customer pointed out to me that one of the rear sidelights on my van was not working. Upon returning to the DO, I wrote this in the log book and raised it as a new fault on my PDA, which required the name of a manager in order to correctly log it. I should add that this was on a Sunday and, by this time, the manager who was supposedly running the show had long since vanished, leaving one of their lackeys in charge. When I mentioned the fault to him he responded "F**k it, leave it, whoever's using that van tomorrow can deal with it".

Why aren't you getting the unroadworthy vans signed out of use?????

I recently filled out a defect form for a van that had a problem with it’s hazard warning lights, which would come on at random and couldn’t be turned off. I ensured that this was noted in the vehicle’s log book at the conclusion of my shift.

The following day, I was issued with the same van. The notes I had written in the log book about the defective hazard warning lights had simply been crossed out.

I do everything I can to ensure that unroadworthy vehicles are taken off the road. Someone else is apparently doing everything they can to stop this from happening. I seem to be one of the few people who bothers with conducting the full vehicle checks on the PDA prior to going out on delivery.

[BadPostman]

Is it a Vauxhall? Mine used to do that. You have to turn the engine off and take the key out of the ignition. Then lock it then unlock it, then you can turn the hazards off

[TopperGas]

If the police can't investigate car thefts etc are they really going to find the time to pull over a post van with one brake light not working?

[Clappedoutpostie]

If the police can't investigate car thefts etc are they really going to find the time to pull over a post van with one brake light not working?

So people should “crack on” using defective vehicles? Not for me thanks, I will have a sit down and wait for management to sort something else out if there’s a problem.

[SpacePhoenix]

If the police can't investigate car thefts etc are they really going to find the time to pull over a post van with one brake light not working?

So people should “crack on” using defective vehicles? Not for me thanks, I will have a sit down and wait for management to sort something else out if there’s a problem.

If staff are willingly taking defective vehicles out on the road then tbqf they deserve to get fined and penalty points (don't know if points get issued for defective vehicles, might just be the worst examples)

[richietns]

Even if you log the defects on the pda you still have to take the defective van out until it is fixed which takes what seems to be months or else you have no van to complete that day.They wont rent a van if theres one sitting in the yard unless the wheel has actually fell off.

[tractorboy2]

Our DOM literally told us no one cares about their mail anymore and it’s all about the parcels now so like it or lump it

When birthday cards being left undelivered was mentioned to our DOM his reply was they should have been sent earlier if people wanted them to get there in time. 85 pence for a first class stamp. The public are being taken for mugs.

Most of them are underpaid anyway.

[yellowbelly]

Most of the vans at our DO are in a disgusting state, inside and out. Some are simply not roadworthy, yet continue to be used. Recently, a customer pointed out to me that one of the rear sidelights on my van was not working. Upon returning to the DO, I wrote this in the log book and raised it as a new fault on my PDA, which required the name of a manager in order to correctly log it. I should add that this was on a Sunday and, by this time, the manager who was supposedly running the show had long since vanished, leaving one of their lackeys in charge. When I mentioned the fault to him he responded "F**k it, leave it, whoever's using that van tomorrow can deal with it".

Why aren't you getting the unroadworthy vans signed out of use?????

Easy to say that from a distance - probably a lot more difficult in practice. Because like you in the mail centre there is less
and less time to do things properly without getting stress from management.

Boss have you got a spare wagon, this one needs booking in, broken brake light.

Let me see what I can do

An hour later - Boss about that spare wagon?

Oh, yes go and speak to the garage, they'll fix it for you in 10 minutes.

Garage, No haven't got time mate.

Boss garage won't do it.

Ok I've found a spare wagon, here you go.

Van located 10 minutes later in yard blocked in by other wagons or private cars.
Get wagon out, it's a s**t storm, knackered seats, window stuck, one of rear doors won't open, only an eighth of a tank of fuel.

Boss I've got a wagon but it's taken me 30 minutes to sort, I'm going to have to leave a loop.

WTF have you been doing? Get a grip! You've got no chance, get it done or there'll be questions asked, FFS mutter mutter.

That's why people would rather use a wagon with a brake light out rather than do what you suggest - it's wrong but that's
the typical state we are at in delivery.

and when you get pulled over by the police for driving an un-roadworthy van?????

Like I said it's wrong but that's the gamble people take....

[grumpazoid]

Informed my manager at the beginning of the week that, as of Thursday, I would be coming into work at my contracted start time (which is two hours later than I have been starting).

Came in yesterday to find that I had been kept on the same full-time walk, the frame for which had not been touched prior to my arrival and was buried beneath trays of letters and drop-bags filled with packets. For the next hour, I attempted to tackle what was there, sorting through all of the packets and getting at least some of the letters into the frame. By 1000 I still have two trays of flats left to go in, haven't managed to look at the over-size parcels (of which there are many) and still need to collect my specials. I haven't seen my manager at all during this time. Apparently, ten minutes prior to my arrival, he was stood next to my frame and asked another postie "Who's doing this walk today, then?".

When I eventually found the manager he seemed genuinely gobsmacked when I told him that I would be unable to complete the walk in my time. So, in his head, I should be able to complete a walk that I struggle to get done when coming in two hours earlier, within my part-time hours? From the way he was talking, it sounded as though he has no intention of taking me off of that walk anytime soon and even suggested that, in the run-up to Xmas, some of the residents would have to go down to receiving their letters weekly rather than daily.

By the time I'd sorted out the specials, booked out a van, completed the vehicle checks and ordered the parcels for delivery, I just barely had time to deliver the tracked items and Special Deliveries. Didn't manage to do a single loop of letters. Finished bang on time.

I just know that I'm going to be facing the exact same situation today and I am dreading it.

[tractorboy2]

Informed my manager at the beginning of the week that, as of Thursday, I would be coming into work at my contracted start time (which is two hours later than I have been starting).

Came in yesterday to find that I had been kept on the same full-time walk, the frame for which had not been touched prior to my arrival and was buried beneath trays of letters and drop-bags filled with packets. For the next hour, I attempted to tackle what was there, sorting through all of the packets and getting at least some of the letters into the frame. By 1000 I still have two trays of flats left to go in, haven't managed to look at the over-size parcels (of which there are many) and still need to collect my specials. I haven't seen my manager at all during this time. Apparently, ten minutes prior to my arrival, he was stood next to my frame and asked another postie "Who's doing this walk today, then?".

When I eventually found the manager he seemed genuinely gobsmacked when I told him that I would be unable to complete the walk in my time. So, in his head, I should be able to complete a walk that I struggle to get done when coming in two hours earlier, within my part-time hours? From the way he was talking, it sounded as though he has no intention of taking me off of that walk anytime soon and even suggested that, in the run-up to Xmas, some of the residents would have to go down to receiving their letters weekly rather than daily.

By the time I'd sorted out the specials, booked out a van, completed the vehicle checks and ordered the parcels for delivery, I just barely had time to deliver the tracked items and Special Deliveries. Didn't manage to do a single loop of letters. Finished bang on time.

I just know that I'm going to be facing the exact same situation today and I am dreading it.

If your frame is meant to be prepped for you , and it isn't (and isn't part of your 318) don't prep it yourself.
Just get your specials and the tracked and any parcels you can get done , and leave all the letters where they are.
Before anyone says that is bad advice , it really is what they should do though.

[Haditup]

They are playing you.
If today is the same scenario with yesterdays mail on top
Ask your manager for instructions on what they want you to do within your contracted hours.
Don’t stress, if they use the bullying trick “you are not fast enough “
Tell them your PDA Actuals will provide them with evidence that you are not taking the piss.
If yesterdays mail is still tied up in bundles ,maybe suggest Do Not throw any mail in today, just take part of yesterdays( 2/3 to 3/4 ) out on delivery plus todays tracked and parcels. But do as instructed
Remember,it’s not your problem ,you are working your contracted hours.
Your manager is paid to deal with the situation.

[RM Worker]

Was that 2 hours unpaid you gave them, or was it overtime? If it was overtime in a way that's proof it couldn't be done in part-time hours.

[DDDJAM36]

Just work your contracted hours and go home.
Us posties are quite motivated people but we're not super-human. It sounds like there's the work of 3 people sat on your desk/frame with all the accumulated mail / packet sacks / parcels. When ( if ) RM ever sort out staffing issues and actually employ enough people to cope with the tsunami of parcels and mail every day , things might improve. Then , one day you might walk in to find your walk prepped , and with a manageable workload as well. Wow what a dream

[postieblueshirt]

this is madness and hard to read and i know were all different but..im a small guy not tough or anything but i use my mouth a lot and id tell my manager to f right off if this kinda thing was happening to me.you need to make sure they know you wont stand this treatment.hope things get better for you.