Repicks and questions with the new way of working

[postiewhite]

In another post I mentioned that I have been offered a job with the council on the bins. Perks being 4 days a week (sat-mon off) but downsides are its a seasonal post 9 month position until end of Nov then back in March and the pay is £19.1k to £20.5k so a drop of £6k a year or £100 a week, affordable but not ideal. I'd also be a reserve so would probably end up doing upto 20 duties a month.
12 month contracts do come up at £26k but only occasionally and I'd have to apply

At present I have my own single duty in a semi rural area and love it but with 11 years seniority on 35hrs, I know it won't last forever. In my section there are 34 duties with 14 people more senior to me, also two of those duties are ringfenced with two people less senior to me. If this trial goes through I would like a duty and not end up being a reserve as I'm unsure how repicks would work if there are 3 people to 4 duties. Would more 30 part time duties become available as I'm thinking the structure would possibly need to include a more part time/full time mix of 3 people? If it was a standard repicks without the change I would get a duty in a repicks.

I do want to leave RM but I don't if you know what I mean because no one wants to take a pay cut and I just want to make sure I definitely am making the right choice before leaving. It's easy for people to tell me to 'get out' but at 52 it will be a big change for me but on the same token I don't want to stay and regret it being a reserve. I'm at a horrible crossroad right now.
The possibility of extra Saturdays has put me back in a position where I'm unsure now.

[Dexydog]

You could be a reserve after a re-pick.
Saturdays off are far from guaranteed.
The job will be even worse than now.
The pressure to complete will ramp up.
Any pay rise will be rubbish and you'll be giving some terms up. (again).
Leave, 100%.

[Londonsburning]

If you aren't prepared to either, cut off every single day for the next 15 years or be a managers pet then get out.

[Jefferson Starfish]

I thought you'd already decided to go?

[Dexydog]

I can understand him flip flopping.
It's a difficult decision, especially given his age (52?).
I wouldn't let the any perceived benefits of all this cloud my judgement- when has this job EVER got any better?
Personally I've decided I'm leaving this year whatever happens, I've put a deadline of September for a VR, if nothing by then I'm out.

[Londonsburning]

The carrot of VR has been dangled for at least the last 20 years, along with the occasional transfer out of delivery. It all depended on your DO.

[Wullie10]

You're over thinking, it'll just make you ill. I'd come in , put the pizza leaflets in the letter boxes then get paid and go home. Ive lost jobs "" I loved "" before. Two weeks later you've forgotten all about it.

[Dexydog]

The carrot of VR has been dangled for at least the last 20 years, along with the occasional transfer out of delivery. It all depended on your DO.

I don't get involved in any office politics.
Come in, do my job, go home.
So I'm not sure how many vacancies we have or if we're under or over staffed.
I suppose at the end of the day that's what it will boil down to.
Intending to suss that out in a couple of months when we might start getting some feedback from trials.
Lino I used to get along with is and is a straight talker is an area manager now so will ring him then and find out what the craic is.

[tramssirhc]

In another post I mentioned that I have been offered a job with the council on the bins. Perks being 4 days a week (sat-mon off) but downsides are its a seasonal post 9 month position until end of Nov then back in March and the pay is £19.1k to £20.5k so a drop of £6k a year or £100 a week, affordable but not ideal. I'd also be a reserve so would probably end up doing upto 20 duties a month.
12 month contracts do come up at £26k but only occasionally and I'd have to apply

At present I have my own single duty in a semi rural area and love it but with 11 years seniority on 35hrs, I know it won't last forever. In my section there are 34 duties with 14 people more senior to me, also two of those duties are ringfenced with two people less senior to me. If this trial goes through I would like a duty and not end up being a reserve as I'm unsure how repicks would work if there are 3 people to 4 duties. Would more 30 part time duties become available as I'm thinking the structure would possibly need to include a more part time/full time mix of 3 people? If it was a standard repicks without the change I would get a duty in a repicks.

I do want to leave RM but I don't if you know what I mean because no one wants to take a pay cut and I just want to make sure I definitely am making the right choice before leaving. It's easy for people to tell me to 'get out' but at 52 it will be a big change for me but on the same token I don't want to stay and regret it being a reserve. I'm at a horrible crossroad right now.
The possibility of extra Saturdays has put me back in a position where I'm unsure now.

If you've the opportunity of employment that is secure and guaranteed then now's the time to take it. ODM is going to completely change the non-customer facing side of the job. As a rough guide just think in your mind 'as directed'. All of the things that make the job bearable are going. If parcels are the future then more Saturdays off simply doesn't work. At one time the thinking was we'd all be getting Tuesday off so that we could work Saturdays. Saturday and Sunday are peak days in the postal industry.

If you wonder what ODM is going to be like simply model the plan on your workplace. Then try to get 9 day fortnights to fit that plan. You already know the outcome - it doesn't work. There is no plan for rural duties currently but there will have to be. Looking further ahead of rural and firms duties remain outside ODM then those duties are perfect for franchising.

The CWU can say what it likes because it's not the employer. When the takeover goes through and it's all settled in the CWU won't have any say in what's coming. It's not being brought so that the CWU can be a partner in the way it's run. It's being brought to get the liquid assets out.

[Dexydog]

Very well said.

[norris9]

What is this 'new ways of working' thing....

Can we put forward a way of working to management that we personally want and see if they will entertain it?

[Dexydog]

I have a new way of working
It's called going at a pace I'm comfortable with, nothing more.

[Chelseablue]

If they end up treating us like dogs , well im howling to do the bare minimum. . Its 2025 and working conditions are getting worse , do more for less. No ta

[michael147]

It may be different in other offices but VR may well be a forlorn hope.
In my office of about 45 people we have had only 7 VR`s in my 30+years of service.
These came in 3 batches, so basically once a decade!

[Jefferson Starfish]

It may be different in other offices but VR may well be a forlorn hope.
In my office of about 45 people we have had only 7 VR`s in my 30+years of service.
These came in 3 batches, so basically once a decade!

In my office of 100 people we've had 5 that i can think of in the same time.

VR comes down to a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time.