'Postmen will get less but you'll get more junk mail'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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We probably need to make our mind up in this country about exactly we want from our postmen. The regular moan is that we want better service and that standards are slipping but at the slightest hint that posties may get a better deal, the complaints start.


This, of course, suits Royal Mail management down to the ground. They can try and squeeze more work for less out of postmen, many of whom take a great pride in their job and continue to go well out of their way to help people.

Unfortunately, that’s not the way most of the public see it when a postal strike hits. And then, of course, we can also all think of times when the postman hasn’t bothered to ring the bell with a parcel or has consistently delivered us everyone else’s mail.

But the problem is that if we want the old-style service of careful postie with plenty of time on his hands to help out, we need to be fighting against Royal Mail’s attack on its workers not helping it.

Last week it was reported that postmen and women would be getting more money for less work under a new contract.

But the overwhelming response from posties to This is Money has been to tell us that this is not necessarily true. Instead they warn that the new contract will actually mean less money for them and more junk mail for you.

This is what our postie source told us: ‘The actual facts of the matter are that we will be getting less money for more work.

'Under the old agreement, delivery personal were paid per item for delivering door to door items (this is the Royal Mail’s term for junk mail). On average they were paid around 2-4p per item depending on the leaflet and location.

'On an average round (600 calls, and three leaflets per house) a postie earned around £36 per week delivering these items. Under the new agreement they are paid £20.60 (pro-rata) for an 'UNLIMITED' amount of junk mail leaflets.

‘Even if they were to deliver those three leaflets per house they would still be down £16 a week. Part time employees with the pro-rata system in place would actually lose more money for doing more. Any early shift allowances (around £12) have also been lost, all included in this Delivery 'supplement' of £20.60

‘The bonuses mentioned were all part of a previous system called the Colleague Share Scheme, they have been re-branded, reworded and slipped into the agreement. Correct me if I am wrong but taking away with one hand and giving the same amount with the other is not more pay.

‘Of course the agreement also mentions longer Saturdays, 100% call rates and unlimited delivery spans which could, in theory having postmen delivering mail for around six hours a day (have you ever tried walking for six hours with a heavy pouch on your shoulder).

‘The current delivery span in three-and-a-half hours. By my book that's working harder and longer. As for the pay rises, (there is a 7% increase spread over three years) it will take all three years’ worth for us to be in the same position as we are now. In reality that means no pay rises for postmen and women for five years.

‘Delivery postmen and women most want nothing to do with this agreement and do not want to be pushing unlimited junk mail through customers’ letterboxes.
Most posties I know want to provide a service and not let management take away the personal side to the job.

‘The strikes in 2008 were about public service and having the pride in our jobs taken away by capitalists intent on wrecking the service and certainly not about pay.’

So there you go. On one hand Royal Mail and Lord Mandelson and the Government - on the other postmen: even if standards have slipped, I know which side I consider more trustworthy.

- Simon Lambert, assistant editor, This is Money

[thedogger]

http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2010/03/ ... -mail.html

We probably need to make our mind up in this country about exactly we want from our postmen. The regular moan is that we want better service and that standards are slipping but at the slightest hint that posties may get a better deal, the complaints start.


This, of course, suits Royal Mail management down to the ground....... continues

could,nt of put it better myself if this is what our union subs pay for every week then i,m afraid its time we all left the cwu because this agrrement is a disgrace and makes you wonder what excactly we went on strike for last year.I am a postman and have been for over 17 years and this is the worst agreement we have ever faced if this comes in we as postmen/woman are well and truely doomed.

[Wessex]

All this educating journalists seems to be paying off