Lapsing or Collapsing?

[rhino49]

At work time learning this week we were informed how the new flexible tool of summer lapsing would work and for the most part we are amazed that Royal Mail employs people to come up with ideas like this.

Our office has been run until recently by a DOM who harried and pestered people to get their holidays in up to 12 months in advance so that he could sit back and not worry about his staffing arrangements – anyone who did not book holidays were allocated them whether suitable or not as long as all the plans were in place for year round staffing levels.

Now, as part of the cost cutting exercise disguised as flexible working we are expected to change all our plans at the drop of a hat and have another seven walks per week on holiday for most of the summer. These walks will then be split up between all the walks not on holiday to fill the massive loss of work that RM anticipates during the summer months (you know – the massive loss that doesn’t usually happen or happens on paper but not physically !!!).

Apparently, if we don’t find enough people to change their already booked and planned holidays then we will have a staff surplus that will be moved to other areas to do their work when they are short of staff. Just when, may I ask, will THEY be short of staff – because I imagine they will have the same problem as us – they will be unable to switch at such short notice.

By next summer, if this is then an accepted practice, we will all know that 7 extra places are available for holidays throughout the summer months and will plan accordingly, but then other problems arise:

1) A regular break throughout the year is necessary to rest people who are, after all doing a very physical job, and having all or most of your holidays in one quarter of the year does not provide the respite needed from environmental exposure and constant physical stress.

2) Forecasts are only that – and Royal Mails are generally less accurate than the Met offices weather predictions – what happens if traffic stays higher than anticipated and we do not have the staff to cope – will we be casualised again as in the year we started SDD – because one thing a postie does not want to do in summer is work into the evening when there is a bit of rare nice weather about.

3) The forms and procedures needed to administer part walk DTD’s and fairly allocate part walks will be complicated and having staff to prep the walks will remove even more from IPS duties.

For this summer at least I think RM will have to hope that people will be prepared to take an unpaid week (which we can hardly afford) or throw a sickie. (which is a culture we are trying to get away from and which endangers your job when you find that you need a real one).

If treated fairly over the work allocation, I will have no objections to it but I still expect to be paid extended if it takes me over my contract hours and reserve the right to finish on time if a riverside pub or an early evening barbecue beckons.

Summer is when we make up for all the s**t that happens in winter – why spoil it ?

Any thoughts folks ?

[BELIAL]

The Dark Matter theory used to explain the missing 90% mass of the universe is obviously flawed. Any delivery postie could tell you that at least 50% fo that missing matter is composed of unaccounted for mail volume.

[madelin4]

Is it this summer or next summer this is coming in?

[Phantom]

Seems like RM don't know how to implement all this. Our office is like this but if this comes in people will work to rule and do the job correctly and this is what RM are afraid of and how they are going to cope if people do start working properly.

Summer staffing and flexibility is based on people working from cars, coming in early, not taking breaks etc, they know some will not change their stupid ways of working and they are relying on this trend to continue in order push through their plan of cuts.

[heapsy]

Is it this summer or next summer this is coming in?

This summer I'm affraid

[madelin4]

Is it this summer or next summer this is coming in?

This summer I'm affraid

[wakkono]

most of this is all down to the fools who voted yes to the last agreement
all they could see was the lump sum and look at where its got them now

[DGP1]

We got our summer staffing proposals this week and they are a complete joke. Of course because this is a local arrangement we have the AGM and the DSM putting the proposals forward. At the end of the day these proposals will end up failing in my DO as I'm sure they will in all offices up and down the country (and I'm sure :cfo :lfo will get a massive bonus)

[weetrogg]

Its simple, just do your job properly and your untouchable, even if mail volumes drop, it still takes as much time to post one letter through a door as it does four, my own personal opinion is that MC staff will be used to cover summer leave in DOs, not this year maybe but definitley next year i work in MC!!!



WE are the union

[weetrogg]

The only way RM can make this flexibilty work is if people continue to work for nothing, and use their own vehicles. im pretty sure that those who use the bus and start at the correct time will not be covering summer staffing!!!



WE are the union

[steviemac]

3 hrs 30 delivery span is agreed so if posties work to time then all the lapsing is gonna cause chaos and leave the speed merchants picking up the walks for nowt so start working to rule now and send a message to the management. Cannot see how managers can get this done as vehicles are being reduced to save money and as we are not allowed to use own vehicles how are they getting all the walks prepped(less on the sorting),all the posties out to relevant walks(at the same time) take into account 40 min break and delivery span all within agreed hrs without compromising health and safety in potentially hot summer weather?

[tomangoe]

WE HAD A BRIEF TODAY ABOUT SUMMER LAPSING AND FLEXIBILTY AND NOBODY COULD GIVE ME ANY FIGURES TO PROVE THAT THE MAIL ACTUALLY REDUCES IN SUMMER AND AS SOMEONE SAID LESS MAIL DOESN'T MEAN LESS CALLS.ALSO WHEN DOES ROYAL MAILS "SUMMER" BEGIN AND END? WITH FLEXIBILTY IT WAS MENTIONED THAT YOU MAY BE SENT TO ANOTHER OFFICE SO WHO WOULD BE DOING YOUR WALK? PLUS WOULD THIS FLEXIBILTY BE USED FOR STRIKE BUSTING EG.IN THE CASE OF BURSLEM COULD POSTMEN AND WOMEN FROM OTHER OFFICES IN THE STOKE AREA HAVE BEEN SENT TO DO WALKS IN BURSLEM? JUST ATHOUGHT!

[k979aaa]

WE HAD A BRIEF TODAY ABOUT SUMMER LAPSING AND FLEXIBILTY AND NOBODY COULD GIVE ME ANY FIGURES TO PROVE THAT THE MAIL ACTUALLY REDUCES IN SUMMER AND AS SOMEONE SAID LESS MAIL DOESN'T MEAN LESS CALLS.ALSO WHEN DOES ROYAL MAILS "SUMMER" BEGIN AND END? WITH FLEXIBILTY IT WAS MENTIONED THAT YOU MAY BE SENT TO ANOTHER OFFICE SO WHO WOULD BE DOING YOUR WALK? PLUS WOULD THIS FLEXIBILTY BE USED FOR STRIKE BUSTING EG.IN THE CASE OF BURSLEM COULD POSTMEN AND WOMEN FROM OTHER OFFICES IN THE STOKE AREA HAVE BEEN SENT TO DO WALKS IN BURSLEM? JUST ATHOUGHT!

According to royalmail it is 18 weeks from mid may to mid september go figuer that then just when you find it hard to get your holiday's ( note did not say summer holiday's because royalmail claim their is no summer holiday period)

[BELIAL]

Lets be realistic Rm as a commercial organization must think on it's feet and respond to prevailing market conditions. As such ,due to global warming the summer period will extend from Jan to the 1st week of Dec. Please do not fret about the intervening three weeks service levels will be maintained by Exmas arangements

[rhino49]

Lets be realistic Rm as a commercial organization must think on it's feet and respond to prevailing market conditions. As such ,due to global warming the summer period will extend from Jan to the 1st week of Dec. Please do not fret about the intervening three weeks service levels will be maintained by Exmas arangements

Does this mean that winter uniform will only be supplied every five years as it is not expected to wear out as quickly as the people wearing it?