Doing overtime and working your day off

[P739]

Had this conversation with a colleague regarding starting early and doing overtime plus working your day while the industrial actions is taking place...I would just like to gauge the thoughts of my fellow posties regarding this issue..thanks

[postieblueshirt]

for me its a no and no but inever do either at anytime lol

[R5001]

No unpaid work, end of. If I'm in early, I've been promised pay for it, every minute.

Not going to work strike days unless we end up 20-30 days in deficit. I'll understand for many after 10 days or so, everyone has a financial limit of what they can manage. The first few though, everyone should be out, to prove the point.

Working overtime and day off, well that's frankly a personal trade off, less personal time for more work and money. The work is there, and so long as you're getting paid for anything you do, I see no reason to go against it. The balance around strikes, RM won't pay "to clear backlog" anyway, but if someone typically works their day off, it's not an issue for them to continue to do so, given said day isn't a strike day. Nobody should need overtime to survive however.

My opinions, and might not match all.

[kookoo32]

Not for me. But then I don't do overtime or work my day off any other day of the year.

There's a few in our office coming in on their day off (Saturday). I'm shaking my head at this but biting my tongue. I'll rant on here though. Part of going on strike is about causing disruption, coming in the day after on your day off to clear/part-clear the mail is not causing disruption. It's playing into their hands. Also if you do this you hardly have the moral ground to criticise a strike breaker as it may be the case that they are working 5 days a week - the same as you but you're getting an overtime rate for it so don't bleat to me about them lining their pockets.

Rant over.

[LaggyBand]

Holy sh*t when I first read this I thought you were asking if we thought it was ok to not only break the strike but also do a few hours docket before start time on the day.. you’re not asking that, are you?

[2chorizon]

Alot of people in my MC are planning on working saturday OT to cover fridays strike pay loss,
and then bank holiday monday OT to cover next wednesdays strike pay loss.

Defeats the whole object of withdrawal of labour if you ask me.

[hans solo]

There should be no ot or working days off
During strike weeks
Defeats the purpose and I will be chinning people who do it as it undermines myself taking action in the first place
If it continues I would need to consider my own actions re the strike

[pinstripe]

Interesting comments, but what about part timers struggling on 25 hour contracts, that need to do every bit of overtime they can just to pay their rent and feed their families. Every week. On such a low income they can barely make ends meet, but they’ll strike every day it’s called, and you seriously want them to refuse the overtime that they normally have to work just to survive? Sorry, but attitudes like that will make them wonder who’s jobs and conditions they are really striking to protect.

[LaggyBand]

Interesting comments, but what about part timers struggling on 25 hour contracts, that need to do every bit of overtime they can just to pay their rent and feed their families. Every week. On such a low income they can barely make ends meet, but they’ll strike every day it’s called, and you seriously want them to refuse the overtime that they normally have to work just to survive? Sorry, but attitudes like that will make them wonder who’s jobs and conditions they are really striking to protect.

Nah nah f**k that, if someone needs to do OT to make up for strike days then that’s fine, it’s WAY better than not striking, it’s still puts pressure on RM, if the person can go an additional step and put a gap between the strike day and their OT day then again that’s way better.

Please don’t break a strike anyone if doing OT in the same month for example means you can strike!

[nikrad]

Yes I’m in on sat o/t I can get the point it’s not in the spirit but in all fairness I’ve been working days off for years now. My attitude is that it makes the strike action more financially viable for a lot of people. It’s far better that we strike and if we do make up money via overtime then fair play to you. I would rather this than people break the strike. Also I won’t be working over my time on Saturday so a lot of stuff will just come back to the depot.

[Mickeybrowneyes]

Personally I think that doing overtime after and before may actually prolong the dispute potentially.
If we are cleaning up the mess with earlies the following day and staying out to clear walks or doing extra shifts to clear the mail centres it is counterproductive and more manageable for the business.
However, it is up to the individuals discretion. We have not balloted on action short of strike and many people will not financially survive, so if may be the best approach long if this dispute drags on. Those with large families and financial commitments will remain on board longer term if they can still earn their crust some how.
So it's a difficult one....

[LaggyBand]

Striking for a long time pressures RM in terms of constantly not being able to guarantee this and that to senders; striking hardcore with no OT for a short period doesn’t I’d suggest.

It’s no good saying strike hardcore if a decent portion are gonna start to break cos they’re encouraged to not do OT by colleagues, cos as soon as the cracks show it doesn’t take long for the dam to burst.

I say keep RMs image in “on strike” mode for as long as possible no matter what it takes.

And I’m a guy that never does any OT, ever.

[Tinoblade]

Was having this discussion as well, I normally come in early on a morning to do IPS. I'll never work a strike day, however if I completely cut my OT I will be in trouble financially very quickly. I'm not talking about working days off but just 2 hours in a morning and then not extending to clear my duty. It does feel wrong but on a 30 hour contract losing a days pay is frigging huge

[LaggyBand]

Was having this discussion as well, I normally come in early on a morning to do IPS. I'll never work a strike day, however if I completely cut my OT I will be in trouble financially very quickly. I'm not talking about working days off but just 2 hours in a morning and then not extending to clear my duty. It does feel wrong but on a 30 hour contract losing a days pay is frigging huge

f**k that, do it, just keep striking, people need to support this type of striker not make it harder.