24/06/26 Mount Pleasant Bulletin

[jimallen]

Hi, here's the Mount Pleasant bulletin of 24 June... comments welcome.

SIESTA TIME
These few ice lollies that DUMs bring round are not
going to make a difference in this heat. We should
be staying inside, like the CWU/RM "Severe Weather
Safety Controls Guidance" says: "When a Met Office
‘Red level Warning’ is in place and temperatures
reach 35C, managers will suspend all outdoor
operations… including driving". Instead, DUMs are
asking us to "get out early" to avoid the heat - with
RM branded water bottles and hats!

IF ONLY WE COULD!
On Processing, we received a WhatsApp "Heat Alert"
message saying that if we feel unwell, we should
take "comfort breaks" and "stay hydrated"... But
there aren't cool drinks on offer as there used to
be... The message adds that we shouldn't "take the
piss" when asking for breaks! That's not likely, if
we're too dehydrated... On the other hand, if they
gave us some KoolAid...

THE BREEZE OUTSIDE
It's a lucky dip in the PSA bunker when it comes to
staying cool... If we're under an air vent, it's too
cold, if we're too far from it, it's boiling hot. There
are only a few sweet spots where the temperature is
just right - but our preferred spot is still outside the
bunker with a cold drink in hand!

EVERY SUMMER IT GETS WORSE
When it comes to cooling down this office, the tech
is from the stone age... There aren't even enough
fans to keep the air circulating. Yet it's possible to
"climate control" entire football stadiums, as we've
seen in the world cup! So it's time to enforce
"hydration breaks", as many as we need, until the
bosses sort out the cooling system.

NO DICE
The other week, one manager from upstairs came
down to "encourage" us to do more S/A on nights
and weekends! Apparently, the higher-ups have
only just discovered that by not replacing retired
workmates, Processing risks grinding to a halt. And
why should we help them out of their self-made
pickle?

ON OUR TERMS
It was these same managers who cut part-timers'
hours a few years ago, and now want to give it back
to us at times that suit them - like nights and
weekends. Sure, we'd be happy for more hours, but
only if written into our contracts, with consolidated
pay, at times that allow us to enjoy a normal life!

BROKEN RECORD AND SERVICE
Undelivered parcels used to be dealt with by the
callers, and then, about two years ago, DUMs cut
those jobs. So now we go out with the same parcel,
1, 2, 3 or more times, because the recipient is
unavailable... Back at the office, the parcel just gets
a silly sticker, and off we're meant to go with it
again, the next day... and the next, and the next...

LITTLE MOUNT HAS BECOME BIG
DUMs in EC have been trying to cut overtime for a
long time - their latest cuts are nothing new. They'd
like to cut their wage "bill", while including the extra work
in our normal contracted hours. It obviously
doesn't work, so we watch the mountain of
undelivered mail grow day by day...

NOT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Distribution managers are planning a "realignment"
soon... and the rumour is that they'd like to cut
12(?!) driving jobs? So where are these
"realignment" meetings with managers? Because
we all want to come along in order to help our reps
make the message clear: not a single job to be cut!

RECIPE FOR ACCIDENTS
These are the same Distribution managers who
proposed to send bigger 17T lorries to DOs instead
of 7.5T, in order to "save" time and cut driving jobs.
But manoeuvring 7.5T into small DOs already
demands all our driving skills, so anyone who
knows anything, knows that driving a 17T into DOs
is a stupid idea. They obviously don't have a clue.

LESS OF US? WE'LL DO LESS!
Royal Mail's revenue and profits increased last
financial year, despite all the moaning about
national insurance hikes, falling letter volumes, and
whatever else they could think of. Bosses put this
down to growth in "deliveries to non-home
addresses", that is, parcel lockers and shop
collection points. Indeed, they boast parcel volumes
rose 7% from last year - while at the same time they
try to cut jobs!

[SpacePhoenix]

RECIPE FOR ACCIDENTS
These are the same Distribution managers who
proposed to send bigger 17T lorries to DOs instead
of 7.5T, in order to "save" time and cut driving jobs.
But manoeuvring 7.5T into small DOs already
demands all our driving skills, so anyone who
knows anything, knows that driving a 17T into DOs
is a stupid idea. They obviously don't have a clue.

I think within 10 years, every last DO which can't handle 17T lorries manoeuvring in their yard will get relocated to a site where they can. At some point just about every DO will be located on an industrial estate.

[yellowbelly]

Hi, here's the Mount Pleasant bulletin of 24 June... comments welcome.

SIESTA TIME
These few ice lollies that DUMs bring round are not
going to make a difference in this heat. We should
be staying inside, like the CWU/RM "Severe Weather
Safety Controls Guidance" says: "When a Met Office
‘Red level Warning’ is in place and temperatures
reach 35C, managers will suspend all outdoor
operations… including driving". Instead, DUMs are
asking us to "get out early" to avoid the heat - with
RM branded water bottles and hats!

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