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30 minute rule by management

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
Fannybaws
Posts: 82
Joined: 07 Sep 2014, 06:20
Gender: Female

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by Fannybaws »

There used to be something based on 30 minutes "flex" because deliveries could never be pinned down to an exact time. So if you did go over you could claim it back the next day by coming in later.

Routinely used to make it work to my own advantage by going over 10 minutes and coming in 10 minutes later the following day instead of booking it as O/T. Drives managers nuts when you flip the table.
theargyspy
Posts: 252
Joined: 23 Apr 2007, 17:02
Gender: Male
Location: UK

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by theargyspy »

Snooperloopy wrote:
03 Sep 2022, 11:04
Our manager is saying he can make you stop out 30 minutes after your time n you can come in 30 minutes later in the morning and it's written into our contracts. Is this true. Our union are non existent n have shied away from the question but its upsetting alot of colleagues can anyone shed any light on this rule.
Someone better informed then me will hopefully chip in but yes as far as I can remember in a previous agreement, part of the deal was they could ask you to flex up 30 mins on a given day if the business required it, but it has, in my experience never been workable because firstly they could ask and you could say sorry "I have a previous engagement that requires that I attend to after work' and nothing they could do about it
Secondly the whole thing never really worked because if you did agree then they had to give you the 30 mins back later that same week, which never or rarely happened, so say they asked you to flex up 30 mins on a Friday for the good of the company, then they would have to either let you start work 30 mins later on the next day (Saturday) or finish half an hour earlier, a daft, unworkable, part of a former agreement... One of those bits of a former agreement that they want to cherry pick as and when
"Never have I known an employee so keen to employ you, then so eager to get rid of you!"
ted_e_bear
Posts: 4088
Joined: 03 Sep 2012, 19:37
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by ted_e_bear »

Iirc it was only supposed to be used for unforeseen circumstances such as the mail lorry getting delayed in traffic or whatever, not to force you to work over for free, plus as already mentioned they can request it but if it's inconvenient then you can refuse.
bigal383
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 492
Joined: 11 Dec 2012, 16:20
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by bigal383 »

Don’t be silly it’s not flexible working u have a start and finish time there for a reason cut off take it back he can’t touch u
number one
Posts: 1324
Joined: 19 Aug 2009, 21:20
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by number one »

No it’s not true. He can’t “make you” do anything. He can ASK you to extend your duty by 30 minutes and they then owe you 30
minutes by either coming in later OR finishing early one day. It all on both parties agreeing to it. Tell him he’s a fool
Gary55
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 350
Joined: 29 Jun 2021, 21:02
Gender: Male
Location: london

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by Gary55 »

It's called flex I believe it's still ongoing they invoked it a few times in our office. From memory it has to be paid back in the same week so I think we refused to do it on a Saturday. They haven't tried it for several years on us
Mr Rush
Posts: 3313
Joined: 05 Aug 2011, 14:27
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by Mr Rush »

Flexing was supposed to be with agreement by both parties. I've never seen it in operation because no OPG wants to flex up and no manager wants OPGs to consequently flex down - they'd much rather pay you (or not) to go over than trade time.
The machine stops.
fluxburner
Posts: 60
Joined: 13 Jan 2011, 10:39
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by fluxburner »

I remember reading the paragraph about this in the agreement about 11 years ago now. Management can ask you to do it, but you are under no obligation to say yes.
I recall it being used a few times, but once peeps realised the 30 mins you got back (sometime during the same week) was not taken off the end of the day, but taken off the beginning, which resulted in getting out 30 mins later because nobody prepped the walk... It died a death.
zipmeister
Posts: 136
Joined: 04 Mar 2010, 17:37
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by zipmeister »

Point of Clarification on 30 mins Flexibility.docx
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k979aaa
Posts: 12578
Joined: 03 Sep 2007, 19:14
Gender: Male
Location: THE NORTH

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by k979aaa »

zipmeister wrote:
03 Sep 2022, 19:18
Point of Clarification on 30 mins Flexibility.docx
this is how understood it worked or did not work but linos
ihatedogs
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 547
Joined: 03 Nov 2010, 18:53
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by ihatedogs »

Gary55 wrote:
03 Sep 2022, 16:15
It's called flex I believe it's still ongoing they invoked it a few times in our office. From memory it has to be paid back in the same week so I think we refused to do it on a Saturday. They haven't tried it for several years on us
If this is still in use it's important to point out this is voluntary & consequently can't be invoked by management.
I can't remember the exact wording but the agreement says something along the lines of managers can ask you to flex for 30 mins as long as that time is paid back in the same week.
Phantom
Posts: 1234
Joined: 27 Dec 2007, 18:17
Gender: Female
Location: New York

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by Phantom »

Managers can ask you to work 30 mins extra per week, you both have to agree a payback time, a member of staff can ask to finish 30 earlier the next day if they wish, if it is not agreed then you don't do it.

And that's why it's never been implemented properly.
CUT OFF!!!
DirtyHarry
Posts: 5051
Joined: 13 May 2007, 23:16
Gender: Male
Location: London

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by DirtyHarry »

Idiot DOMs can do what they like.

But, you will always have only 7.5 hours in your working day, so if the morons insist on giving you 8, 9, 10.5 hours work, you still won't be able to complete, etc, etc, etc.

The only motivation for messing with people's start and finishing times, is spite and malice on the part of management.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Postie45
Posts: 2160
Joined: 21 Aug 2012, 23:05
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by Postie45 »

let him use the threat as much as he likes. Even if he follows up and "forces" you out longer 30 minutes, make sure everyone who does it doesnt start until 30 mins later the next day, the knock on effect would be disaster for prep and sorting with the whole office being affected negatively whether they stayed out later or not, plus the fact that those that stayed out now have 30 minutes less on this day to complete.
With the excess amount of workload we actually are in the powerful position, dont let them fool you otherwise.
2yearpostie
Posts: 1839
Joined: 03 Mar 2020, 15:36
Gender: Male

Re: 30 minute rule by management

Post by 2yearpostie »

Its being used at the moment as things are coming from the mail centre later and no point having people stood about with no work.