removed from duty

[postslippete]

Posties on fixed duties is often a bugbear of those posties who are not on fixed duties and it has been going on in RM for years.

Could there be a better way of allocating duties in an office? Seniority used to be the thing but that was only really relevant if an office had a full revision and re-pick. I often wonder if there could be a sort of rota system in place where everyone had a certain duty for a few months and then swapped rounds but then I think to myself this is Royal Mail with managers and DOM supports who are not particularly adept when it comes to managing duties let alone staff.....

Those on singleton or rural duties have the best rounds in our office. Can you imagine the disappointment and resentment that some of those posties on those shared walks will feel if they are forced to leave mail behind while those on the cushy rounds are only taking one day's worth? I'm sick and tired of taking double mail now and the only way I can complete is if I come in early and prep the rounds. Will those who come in early be told not to and stop them from taking all the mail? Is the solution really to have more full-timers prepping duties when the business actually wants them to leave the mail? Some thoughts for discussion.

[Perseus]

It all comes down to poor management at local level and nothing will ever change it.
COM's don't want the hassle of asking Bob to come off his sub 300 delivery point duty 1 day a week to help out on some of our 2000 plus delivery point shared van duties that have been operating with 1 person on them for 70% of the time.

[priority102]

The point to note, which will not be popular but it is fact, is that it is NOT YOUR duty. This was pointed out to a postie at our DO who was asking the same questions.

She was told that all duties are owned by RM and they simply pay you to perform a duty.

Whilst it does sound as if the DIM has got the @r$e with you for no longer wishing to work your day off on SA, there won't be that much you can do if you are removed from it.

[SpacePhoenix]

Unless there's any H&S issues, DDA ring fencing or training issues, anyone can be moved to any work area or duty at any time. Doesn't matter if it's a DO or MC.

[Londonsburning]

Unless there's any H&S issues, DDA ring fencing or training issues, anyone can be moved to any work area or duty at any time. Doesn't matter if it's a DO or MC.

Yes, that is probably in the small print of whatever the last agreement was 2010? I still wonder why they don't just offer MC OPGs who are/were 'supernumary,' positions at their surrounding DOs considering most of them are understaffed.

[SpacePhoenix]

Yes, that is probably in the small print of whatever the last agreement was 2010?

Way longer than that. Back when 318s existed there was a line on every 318 that read something like "or as directed"

I still wonder why they don't just offer MC OPGs who are/were 'supernumary,' positions at their surrounding DOs considering most of them are understaffed.

No need, there aren't any supernumeraries any more. Enough have gone via natural wastage (excess sick/retirement/sacked). Extra agency/casuals used as and when needed.

[Londonsburning]

I still wonder why they don't just offer MC OPGs who are/were 'supernumary,' positions at their surrounding DOs considering most of them are understaffed.

No need, there aren't any supernumeraries any more. Enough have gone via natural wastage (excess sick/retirement/sacked). Extra agency/casuals used as and when needed.

So lucky!

[TopperGas]

The point to note, which will not be popular but it is fact, is that it is NOT YOUR duty. This was pointed out to a postie at our DO who was asking the same questions.

She was told that all duties are owned by RM and they simply pay you to perform a duty.

Whilst it does sound as if the DIM has got the @r$e with you for no longer wishing to work your day off on SA, there won't be that much you can do if you are removed from it.

But in the real world duty holders are rarely removed, I can't recall when a postie was last removed from a duty in my DO.

[postslippete]

But in the real world duty holders are rarely removed, I can't recall when a postie was last removed from a duty in my DO.

Very true and this was always the problem RM were always going to have towards making their initial proposals for USO reform work in practice. The idea that Ahmed, Bob, Jane and Evie would be working together as a team to do routes A, B, C, D, E and F was never going to work while Ahmed and Bob prefer to stick with doing their usual routes on A and B whilst Jane and Evie only like doing routes C and D. The Union also believe that alternating between 2 duties on shared walks Monday to Friday is the way to go and it is pretty much what some of us are doing now. On top of this the company have also upgraded many part-timers onto full-time contracts, so where are the £300 million of savings going to come from if posties are still carrying on doing what they have been doing?

I'm not really in favour of USO reform but I wouldn't mind doing a 4 day week but I've been informed that it probably wouldn't be viable for them to have a dedicated parcel driver who is just delivering parcels and 1c mail on multiple rounds. What was it Einstein said about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results??