Election Material

goldendragon · Post by **goldendragon** » 11 Apr 2017, 16:23

Settle an argument.

I know the election material where we're paid by item is optional but who is responsible for covering it if we decide not to do it? I was always under the impression that if I decide not to do mine I had to find someone willing to do it.

I've just come back in from my weekend off to find that the person I'm paired up with has decided to not do his election material for a local election and left it all for me to find. He's on leave from today. When I called him on it his response was "well it's up to the managers to sort, not my problem" which even if it is up to a manager I doubt I can blame management for not sorting it when he didn't even bother to tell them.

doorstepped · Post by **doorstepped** » 11 Apr 2017, 17:12

as far as I am aware you Can't refuse to deliver election material unless you have objection to what you are delivering ie: Britain First etc

I would imagine that your colleague has willfully delayed live mail by not delivering it on his days of work and could be in a lot of trouble for doing so.

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 11 Apr 2017, 17:22

Election material is not part of your workload. It attracts a separate payment and as such is optional.
It is a manager's job to ensure the material is delivered to spec.
If you don't want to do it, he has to find someone who will. (But you do have to inform them)

goldendragon · Post by **goldendragon** » 11 Apr 2017, 17:25

Right thanks, I was always told I had to find someone to cover them myself if I didn't want them but I've always taken mine anyway. So he is in the wrong for not telling them at least.

jetblack · Post by **jetblack** » 11 Apr 2017, 17:47

Just for the record I'd say that the guy you mention is well out of order in leaving it for you to do. He hasn't used the "conscience clause" - he's just been bone idle. We have between 3 and 5 days to do election material - he should have done his share according the the days he worked.
Manager probably doesn't give too much of a s**t so long as they are done - which you now will have to. yes you will be paid for them - but thats not the point.
Maybe speak to a rep to have it sorted out for the future ie. a non re-occurence of him shirking his duty.

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 11 Apr 2017, 18:01

Why would you not want to deliver them its one of the few earners we get and you can be sure it will not last much longer.

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 11 Apr 2017, 18:09

jetblack wrote: He hasn't used the "conscience clause" - .

I don't think it has anything to do with the conscience clause. The conscience clause allows you to opt out of delivering the election material of a certain party/certain parties.
If you don't want to deliver any election material, you don't have to and I don't see why you have to give a reason.
With Resourcing to Workload, there shouldn't be any spare time in the working day to prep the material and not many duties can absorb the increased call rate without the need to work over.
So what if you have childcare/carer issues and simply can't put in the extra time?
Or you simply want to get home to watch Bargain Hunt?

jetblack · Post by **jetblack** » 11 Apr 2017, 18:17

As far as I'm aware the conscience clause is the only recognised possible reason for not delivering certain election materials. Even then, it all has to be cleared from above and the correct channels gone through. Choosing not to do OT is a different topic.
Again, as far as I'm aware, we do not have the choice that you state, to decide wether or not to deliver them.

Seems to me that the guy mentioned in the OP shirked - purely and simply. Left it for some other poor mug.

OP - did the guy use the conscience clause ? If not he's out of order.
If he didn't, and that is all correct on his part, his "right" , as Clash says - then you do the same.

Hey presto - RM grinds to a halt.

goldendragon · Post by **goldendragon** » 11 Apr 2017, 18:38

If I was to do the same with the stuff that came in today as I'm off next week it's just crapping on the guy who gets paired up with him on mine next week. Even if it wasn't I still wouldn't do it. I'm not going to start being the guy who dumps on others. I know how much its annoyed me today so I'm not going to do it to someone else.

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 11 Apr 2017, 18:50

Special Circumstances
It is jointly recognised that Royal Mail has a legal obligation to secure the delivery of
election material for all nominated candidates and parties.
Whilst it is expected that delivery will be made by the individual due to undertake the
particular delivery, local management will deal sensitively and sympathetically with
genuine requests to deviate from this arrangement.
Such cases may arise as a result of personal circumstances or beliefs or where an
individual believes that delivery of a particular item may incur personal risk.
If such instances arise alternative measures will be used to secure delivery. These may
include the use of volunteers from within the office or neighbouring offices to cover more
than one delivery or, as a last resort, the use of supplementary resource.
Both parties undertake to co-operate fully in the application of these principles and in
resolving any difficulties that may arise surrounding the delivery of election material.

jetblack · Post by **jetblack** » 11 Apr 2017, 18:56

clashcityrocker wrote:Special Circumstances
It is jointly recognised that Royal Mail has a legal obligation to secure the delivery of
election material for all nominated candidates and parties.
Whilst it is expected that delivery will be made by the individual due to undertake the
particular delivery, local management will deal sensitively and sympathetically with
genuine requests to deviate from this arrangement.
Such cases may arise as a result of personal circumstances or beliefs or where an
individual believes that delivery of a particular item may incur personal risk.
If such instances arise alternative measures will be used to secure delivery. These may
include the use of volunteers from within the office or neighbouring offices to cover more
than one delivery or, as a last resort, the use of supplementary resource.
Both parties undertake to co-operate fully in the application of these principles and in
resolving any difficulties that may arise surrounding the delivery of election material.

LOL - is "can't be arsed" covered by that ?

This is just the conscience clause restated, surely ?

OP - any Health and Safety concerns put forward by the shirker do you know ?

citypostie · Post by **citypostie** » 11 Apr 2017, 19:14

In the offices where ive worked if someone didnt want to do election material they would be moved onto another duty for a couple of days while someone who would do them completed them

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 11 Apr 2017, 19:23

jetblack wrote:
This is just the conscience clause restated, surely ?

No because the conscience clause is covered by the beliefs/personal security issues.
It also says local management will deal sensitively with requests arising from personal circumstances.
If you can't do them they can't force you to, but as RM have a legal obligation to ensure the material is delivered then they have to put in place measures to ensure that happens. And as stated if that means moving you off your duty then so be it.

lillywhite · Post by **lillywhite** » 11 Apr 2017, 19:25

Once again no one seems to know the proper procedure.

Wednesday · Post by **Wednesday** » 11 Apr 2017, 19:26

How do you know what election material you get paid for?We had polling cards that were second class and we were told 3p each,but I thought if it was second class we would not get a payment.