'Flexibility',where do I stand?

[redneck]

I've been working for a delivery office for some years now, initially and mostly on a 20 hour contract. I joined the union after a few months. My first year was spent 'working from home', involving the mail turning up at my house. I would then deliver it on a bike.

You couldn't make it up. After a while I lost my rag a bit as other workers (who came into the company about the same time as me), who were more willing and able to use their own cars and fuel to subsidise Royal Mail transport costs, were getting a pretty full week including throwing rounds in, whereas I was scratching around for bits of overtime, parcels, leave-ins etc to bump my wage up. I never received any work time learning, as an employee lacking information to do the job properly.

Eventually after speaking to the guy who had been throwing my round in every week and also the union rep, it was arranged with management (although I'm sure they were not being over generous)for me to actually do what I consider the proper job, throwing the round in and delivering it. My hours went up, i was happier, although still on a 20 hour contract. Five years later I am under threat of returning to a 20 hour contract, having been on a 30 hour for the past 6 months only as a 'temporary measure' so they say. For all of this 6 years I have worked well over 40 hours a week on average. They want now to return me to a 9 am start, with the loss of hours per day on prep, and pure delivery after a revision starting next week. Also to phone me up at a moment's notice to come in early if needed.

I am extremely unhappy about these new arrangements, which have apparently been pushed through on a local level with full union knowledge. Where does flexibility start and finish during an RM working life, is there anything that can be done when a potential substantial wage cut is staring me in the face and an accompanying return to 'second class' workplace status? Management always say that a repick will take place, but in six years there has never actually been one to my knowledge in our office. After so many years working for RM is there no entitlement to a more secure contract to reflect what I actually work? Why is 'flexibility' being used as a bullying tool in my case to deliver reduction in cost, they have said that if I go over on the round then more hours will be taken off and given to someone else? How will I receive work time learning when they will have long finished by the time I arrive? How do the union view these developments as a unit, at local level part timers get precious little support I'm afraid?

[hampshireman]

I've been working for a delivery office for some years now, initially and mostly on a 20 hour contract. I joined the union after a few months. My first year was spent 'working from home', involving the mail turning up at my house. I would then deliver it on a bike.

You couldn't make it up. After a while I lost my rag a bit as other workers (who came into the company about the same time as me), who were more willing and able to use their own cars and fuel to subsidise Royal Mail transport costs, were getting a pretty full week including throwing rounds in, whereas I was scratching around for bits of overtime, parcels, leave-ins etc to bump my wage up. I never received any work time learning, as an employee lacking information to do the job properly.

Eventually after speaking to the guy who had been throwing my round in every week and also the union rep, it was arranged with management (although I'm sure they were not being over generous)for me to actually do what I consider the proper job, throwing the round in and delivering it. My hours went up, i was happier, although still on a 20 hour contract. Five years later I am under threat of returning to a 20 hour contract, having been on a 30 hour for the past 6 months only as a 'temporary measure' so they say. For all of this 6 years I have worked well over 40 hours a week on average. They want now to return me to a 9 am start, with the loss of hours per day on prep, and pure delivery after a revision starting next week. Also to phone me up at a moment's notice to come in early if needed.

I am extremely unhappy about these new arrangements, which have apparently been pushed through on a local level with full union knowledge. Where does flexibility start and finish during an RM working life, is there anything that can be done when a potential substantial wage cut is staring me in the face and an accompanying return to 'second class' workplace status? Management always say that a repick will take place, but in six years there has never actually been one to my knowledge in our office. After so many years working for RM is there no entitlement to a more secure contract to reflect what I actually work? Why is 'flexibility' being used as a bullying tool in my case to deliver reduction in cost, they have said that if I go over on the round then more hours will be taken off and given to someone else? How will I receive work time learning when they will have long finished by the time I arrive? How do the union view these developments as a unit, at local level part timers get precious little support I'm afraid?

If (and it is a big if) I read this right ; you have in the last 6 years worked an average of 40hrs a week ; even though you are contracted o less hours?

If that is so , then you have them by the balls.

They have set the agenda, the work pattern. You have employment law rights.

Get a Rep (or Employment Lawyer) involved an then see what happens

Good luck