Rejoined after 12 years, what happend!

[malnuman]

so after 12 years away I rejoined as a postie last week, and what a change I have seen, it's totally like a new job, PDAs and van share are new to me, so it's taking getting use to, and I havnt been placed with a work coach as promised.. Can't belive all the extra parcels we now have, and the sizes of them,.
What surprised me a lot was the leaving of mail, and in most cases whole walks, having two walks into one loop now means we alternate two walks, but take all the parcels for both every day, it's clear to see where Royal Mails priority now lies, totally parcel focused.. Not sure I'll be here for the long haul, don't like the way it's done now and my body is wrecked by end of my 6 hours I'm worn out.. I didn't feel like this before.., then again I am 12 years older I guess

[whisperlite6]

Welcome back!! (To the chaos)

[tramssirhc]

Thank the CWU.

[malnuman]

Thank the CWU.

Yeah I've been reading a lot of bad stuff bout them, this time round I'm not joining up, esp with how us new starters got a naff contract

[scotchy1962]

Thank the CWU.

Yeah I've been reading a lot of bad stuff bout them, this time round I'm not joining up, esp with how us new starters got a naff contract

The union take the hit for a lot of things they have done lately, deserved in my eyes, but they didn't make you sign a s**t contract. Sometimes you have to take the hit.
I would still consider joining the union as it does give you protection to a certain extent.

[Smoothbackground]

The union is facing an existential crisis, at least so far as its continued representation of frontline mail workers is concerned, because soon the CWU won’t have the mandate it needs (49% of the workforce to be members?) to be our self-appointed staff-side body given the mass exodus of longstanding staff and, critically, the reluctance/refusal of new staff to join a union that, on one view at least, sold the rights of future employees down the Swanee but which now relies on those future employees for its own survival. Some might say the union has scored a massive own goal. Membership numbers are dwindling and the smarter new starters are decidedly against joining the union for reasons like the one you identify. Indeed, at a local level the union are resorting to creative methods to persuade new starters to join and are coming up with some interesting arguments/methods to persuade us joining is crucial.

[SpacePhoenix]

I think quite a few staff now think of the union and RM being one and the same

[nuisance]

I was a postie for a while over 20 years ago. I left and returned 7 years ago and was a bit at how the standards had declined, but that was nothing to how much they've declined since the pandemic. To me being a good postie is all about overcoming all the obstacles and getting the mail delivered. Now the biggest obstacle is our own management, it's not a situation I plan on sticking with for long now, it's too frustrating.

[HTPostman]

I was a postie for a while over 20 years ago. I left and returned 7 years ago and was a bit at how the standards had declined, but that was nothing to how much they've declined since the pandemic. To me being a good postie is all about overcoming all the obstacles and getting the mail delivered. Now the biggest obstacle is our own management, it's not a situation I plan on sticking with for long now, it's too frustrating.

That could have been written by me! Did the job about 18 years ago, left, came back 7 years ago. Things have changed massively and not in a good way. As for the union, the last 3 times I’ve asked for help it’s not been forthcoming, I’ll give anyone 3 chances but I felt I was paying for nothing. Besides I leave soon.

[kazardaimenu]

The pace of change has been crazy even in the past 3 years. Times were good during covid when we could just get on with it. Now we are park and loop, scan every tracked packet multiple times, take a photo of packets, box collections on Saturdays, SISO, bigger duties, later finish times. The list goes on the further back you go.

[postslippete]

Indeed, at a local level the union are resorting to creative methods to persuade new starters to join and are coming up with some interesting arguments/methods to persuade us joining is crucial.

If the Central Arbitration Committee declared recognition without a ballot more than 3 years ago, a union can be derecognised if the level of union membership in the bargaining unit falls below 50%.

https://www.gov.uk/derecognise-a-union/ ... ss-than-50

What creative methods have you have heard to persuade new starters to join the Union?

[yubin282]

In 12 years your once decent job has turned to mostly s**t, all backed by the CWU.

[Mr Rush]

it's totally like a new job

On days when we've left the entire walk just to do Tracked, I've said to guys that have been here since before I was born 'do you ever miss the job?'.

There's no way I'd ever want to start from the bottom again because there's nothing to work toward now. Putting in the years isn't going to get you a duty when the Delivery 2.0 crock comes in.

[Smoothbackground]

What creative methods have you have heard to persuade new starters to join the Union?

Things like local reps engineering petty complaints from other posties or friendly customers whereby they then “leap to the rescue”, even without being told of the situation or being asked to help, making clear they can categorically put a stop to such complaints. It has been used — and worked — with at least one in our cohort. Also, one of our younger cohort who joined the union immediately on joining the company has recently been pumped for info about why the other new starters aren’t union members, asking about specific people by name, basically trying to find out about people without speaking to them directly, even asking if the “gang” had a ringleader. Seems quite desperate imho.

[malnuman]

What creative methods have you have heard to persuade new starters to join the Union?

Things like local reps engineering petty complaints from other posties or friendly customers whereby they then “leap to the rescue”, even without being told of the situation or being asked to help, making clear they can categorically put a stop to such complaints. It has been used — and worked — with at least one in our cohort. Also, one of our younger cohort who joined the union immediately on joining the company has recently been pumped for info about why the other new starters aren’t union members, asking about specific people by name, basically trying to find out about people without speaking to them directly, even asking if the “gang” had a ringleader. Seems quite desperate imho.

Yeah the union rep came to me this morn, told him I prob won't join this time round, and my reasons, he just said if we don't all stick together it will be harder for the union to reverse some of the new contract stuff, we're stronger together etc etc..