New part time contracts

[highlandshuffle]

Hi folks so I am perusing my new contract of employment from RM and find this
Section 9.2 ….“The nature of the service makes a measure of additional hours and overtime working necessary. For this reason, it is a condition of your employment that you are liable to work additional hours and overtime and to attend at varying times on any day (including weekends and public bank holidays) as the needs of the service demand.”
My question is, is this a new clause for RM contracts and how have people experienced or witnessed this in action in real life? Does it increase leverage on pt staff to do OT and make refusing it a sackable/disciplinary offence as by refusing OT you’re going against the terms of a contract you’ve signed? It seems like it’s open to all kinds of abuse depending on who/what you have for a line manager. But then I guess that can be said about many things.
I’m coming from the point of view of starting soon on a 30 hour contract and open to the idea of OT but on my terms.

[Kesknight]

Are you just starting with Royal Mail?

[Barnacle]

Hi folks so I am perusing my new contract of employment from RM and find this
Section 9.2 ….“The nature of the service makes a measure of additional hours and overtime working necessary. For this reason, it is a condition of your employment that you are liable to work additional hours and overtime and to attend at varying times on any day (including weekends and public bank holidays) as the needs of the service demand.”
My question is, is this a new clause for RM contracts and how have people experienced or witnessed this in action in real life? Does it increase leverage on pt staff to do OT and make refusing it a sackable/disciplinary offence as by refusing OT you’re going against the terms of a contract you’ve signed? It seems like it’s open to all kinds of abuse depending on who/what you have for a line manager. But then I guess that can be said about many things.
I’m coming from the point of view of starting soon on a 30 hour contract and open to the idea of OT but on my terms.

Someone with #Facts might disagree with me and say it’s new but that clause sounds familiar to me and is really about making sure that you understand the need to be flexible when either things don’t go to plan on a route or during busy periods like Black Friday and Christmas. Overtime is not compulsory but sometimes you will work overtime because of stuff that happens on the day. If you refuse point blank to allow for that kind of flexibility in your work pattern then life is going to be difficult when working with a partner.

[scotchy1962]

Hi folks so I am perusing my new contract of employment from RM and find this
Section 9.2 ….“The nature of the service makes a measure of additional hours and overtime working necessary. For this reason, it is a condition of your employment that you are liable to work additional hours and overtime and to attend at varying times on any day (including weekends and public bank holidays) as the needs of the service demand.”
My question is, is this a new clause for RM contracts and how have people experienced or witnessed this in action in real life? Does it increase leverage on pt staff to do OT and make refusing it a sackable/disciplinary offence as by refusing OT you’re going against the terms of a contract you’ve signed? It seems like it’s open to all kinds of abuse depending on who/what you have for a line manager. But then I guess that can be said about many things.
I’m coming from the point of view of starting soon on a 30 hour contract and open to the idea of OT but on my terms.

Someone with #Facts might disagree with me and say it’s new but that clause sounds familiar to me and is really about making sure that you understand the need to be flexible when either things don’t go to plan on a route or during busy periods like Black Friday and Christmas. Overtime is not compulsory but sometimes you will work overtime because of stuff that happens on the day. If you refuse point blank to allow for that kind of flexibility in your work pattern then life is going to be difficult when working with a partner.

Hmmm, not sure about any of that being the case. If what you think it means and what RM think it means don't align i fancy a manager will use it to suit themselves.
Last i looked RM don't have sole ownership of any of its workers and i would imagine if they attempted to force people willy nilly to come in and work over as they seen fit they would be in bother, there are still some rules in employment law they have to adhere to regardless of what is written in your contract.
If you aren't happy don't sign it, i know some of the p/t workers in my office have been offered more hours, but the contract is completely different from the old one. Dom/Dim/ whatever you call them says don't worry about it you will never be used against you...... i immediately advised don't sign it.

[highlandshuffle]

Are you just starting with Royal Mail?

Yes.

Someone with #Facts might disagree with me and say it’s new but that clause sounds familiar to me and is really about making sure that you understand the need to be flexible when either things don’t go to plan on a route or during busy periods like Black Friday and Christmas. Overtime is not compulsory but sometimes you will work overtime because of stuff that happens on the day. If you refuse point blank to allow for that kind of flexibility in your work pattern then life is going to be difficult when working with a partner.

Sounds like that clause is making OT compulsory, that was my main concern. I’m open to being flexible and not refusing ot point blank at all. Might be an overreaction on my part to a standard contractual clause but the wording seemed odd to me.

[Barnacle]

Are you just starting with Royal Mail?

Yes.

Someone with #Facts might disagree with me and say it’s new but that clause sounds familiar to me and is really about making sure that you understand the need to be flexible when either things don’t go to plan on a route or during busy periods like Black Friday and Christmas. Overtime is not compulsory but sometimes you will work overtime because of stuff that happens on the day. If you refuse point blank to allow for that kind of flexibility in your work pattern then life is going to be difficult when working with a partner.

Sounds like that clause is making OT compulsory, that was my main concern. I’m open to being flexible and not refusing ot point blank at all. Might be an overreaction on my part to a standard contractual clause but the wording seemed odd to me.

That clause, under a different clause number, has been part of the contract for years. It doesn’t mean compulsory overtime, it just means be prepared to be flexible when circumstances occur.

[highlandshuffle]

That clause, under a different clause number, has been part of the contract for years. It doesn’t mean compulsory overtime, it just means be prepared to be flexible when circumstances occur.

That was my question.

[norris9]

With the way management treat us - why go above and beyond....

At Royal Mai there are...

-The posties who genuinely want/need the overtime for financial reasons.

-The posties who do overtime because they have been harassed/pressured into doing so after being told they are too slow. Some of these people even do overtime for free and/or work their breaks.

-The posties that have OCD and have to clear otherwise they cannot cope.

-The posties that finish on time who stand up from themselves, are likely harassed the most as management want these posties to be like those who do free overtime and skip their breaks.