how is the trials going? u getting double mail a lot?
It’s ridiculous for town duties. One week we do all the mail and parcels on a mon, wed and fri. The other days we do two duties parcels and 1st class mail. The following week we do two duties parcels and 1st class mail all days except on a tue and Thursday when everything goes out. Saturday is always parcels and 1st class.
So some days have double and triple mail and the supposed lighter days of parcels and 1st class you will be going out with anywhere between 140-220 parcels and maybe 30-60 letters. Overtime has went up. But sure its all good and helps reduce fatigue…….
In year 1, the High Season ran from week 24 (4th September 2023) to week 38 (17th December 2023). 15 weeks
There was a Low Season from week 44 (22nd January 2024) to Week 52 (24th March 2024). 9 weeks.
The next low period will run from week 12 (17th June 2024) to Week 22 (1st September 2024). 11 weeks
There will be a High Season (18th November to 22d December or 25th November to 29th December. 5 weeks.
Based on full time 37 hr contracts
20 weeks worked at 39 hours
20 weeks worked at 35 hours
(same principle applies to part time contracts)
No loss to members.
Equally, we do not owe the business!
Martin, if only every worker was a legacy' worker, full time and not employed after the 'low' period in 2024. What are you doing about getting the time back for those workers who are already marginalised thanks to the CWU? Is it any wonder workers wont join the CWU when you put out messages focused on your preferred demographic. f**k everyone else eh?
The reality of seasonal variation is the workers lost. The attitude they received when trying to get the time back was 'its only 10 mjnutes' when trying to finish on time. They had an uphill struggle getting the leave time credited back and many still don't have that time back. Workers hated it and simply gave the time away because it was an overly complicated system.
Like we knew the 'low' period was no such thing because duties couldn't complete at any time thanks to the CWU allowing lapsing which became permanent. Unsurprisingly seasonal variation is going in the bin because it doesn't work.
Last edited by tramssirhc on 16 Apr 2025, 09:01, edited 3 times in total.
"The leadership will sabotage the fight and only make the slightest move under fear of powerful working class action" - Des Warren
how is the trials going? u getting double mail a lot?
It’s ridiculous for town duties. One week we do all the mail and parcels on a mon, wed and fri. The other days we do two duties parcels and 1st class mail. The following week we do two duties parcels and 1st class mail all days except on a tue and Thursday when everything goes out. Saturday is always parcels and 1st class.
So some days have double and triple mail and the supposed lighter days of parcels and 1st class you will be going out with anywhere between 140-220 parcels and maybe 30-60 letters. Overtime has went up. But sure its all good and helps reduce fatigue…….
Whats the CWU doing about?
"The leadership will sabotage the fight and only make the slightest move under fear of powerful working class action" - Des Warren
In year 1, the High Season ran from week 24 (4th September 2023) to week 38 (17th December 2023). 15 weeks
There was a Low Season from week 44 (22nd January 2024) to Week 52 (24th March 2024). 9 weeks.
The next low period will run from week 12 (17th June 2024) to Week 22 (1st September 2024). 11 weeks
There will be a High Season (18th November to 22d December or 25th November to 29th December. 5 weeks.
Based on full time 37 hr contracts
20 weeks worked at 39 hours
20 weeks worked at 35 hours
(same principle applies to part time contracts)
No loss to members.
Equally, we do not owe the business!
I think a lot of DO's like ours didn't do the low season from 22nd of January to 24th March though, mainly because we was not informed about it.
some good input hero about the new trials, i do some double days mail the now and u do get pissed off doing double its hard going, now if its overtime the now, whats it going be like in high season all this double triple mail just going be carnage injurys and people being fatigued
So if someone joined in the last wave or recruitment they just have to accept the loss? Sounds like classic Royal Mail. I’d say they are entitled to a summer low season.
So if someone joined in the last wave or recruitment they just have to accept the loss? Sounds like classic Royal Mail. I’d say they are entitled to a summer low season.
The point is, with hours saved IE not paying OPGs for hours worked is saving RM a fortune also add in all the early starts, not claiming every minute OT working over and the business model is massively skewed.
It was designed around the variations of workload the current USO structure reflects.
There was no structure or knowledge of how the new way of working or USO would look like back when it was agreed.
Things change
If I was a betting man I'd say post will be lower in the summer but higher during peak, although no doubt peak will catch RM by surprise again this year!
Whilst the CWU are denying the USO reforms will be introduced regardless of the outcome of the trials this latest move suggests the reforms are almost certain to be in place by peak, if not later this summer. In fact they probably don't want staff working shorter hours just as the reforms are introduced.
Thank you, wish the offices/union would get communication out and put up in offices, and confirm this for everyone to know and see so it's simple and clear.
I'm sure the period at the shorter weeks in the summer went on for way longer than the shorter period at peak last year.
I think it's been equalised.
All been squared up to now.
but last summers weeks were to make up for 2023s winter weeks
This summer was supposed to make up for 2024s winters longer weeks
Would need to look back and see how many weeks we did longer and shorter each period in 2023/24 to see if it has equalised
in dec 23 when this started we did longer hours for x amount of weeks , so in summer 24 staff was give the 6 weeks x 2 hours = 12 hours owed from dec 23 and they where also given an extra 5 weeks x 2 hours = 10 hours so you would pay it back in dec 24 , and i know this because in summer 24 i had a hip replacement and never received any time back and also i worked the 10 hours in dec 24 so thats 22 hours i have worked for f***ing FREEEEE for this company i have been chasing this up for months hr are ignoring me and i have sent 2 emails to cwu hq regarding this and havent had a reply from them either , so my next stop will be acas .
All hours were balanced. Royal Mail found from an accounting measure they could not go into the new financial year of 24/25 with owing hours so they reduced to 35 hours in the lead up to April.
Meaning that after last summer it was our members who owed hours which was recovered in peak.
Under the proposed USO reform where workload will be different due to non priority mail being delivered every other day means that there is not as big a fluctuation in traffic to need seasonal variations.
But no one is owed any hours it was balanced in December.
Martin any chance of chasing the 22 hours i am owed , no reply from 2 emails to cwu hq ?
In year 1, the High Season ran from week 24 (4th September 2023) to week 38 (17th December 2023). 15 weeks
There was a Low Season from week 44 (22nd January 2024) to Week 52 (24th March 2024). 9 weeks.
The next low period will run from week 12 (17th June 2024) to Week 22 (1st September 2024). 11 weeks
There will be a High Season (18th November to 22d December or 25th November to 29th December. 5 weeks.
Based on full time 37 hr contracts
20 weeks worked at 39 hours
20 weeks worked at 35 hours
(same principle applies to part time contracts)
No loss to members.
Equally, we do not owe the business!
Thank you, wish the offices/union would get communication out and put up in offices, and confirm this for everyone to know and see so it's simple and clear.
I'm sure the period at the shorter weeks in the summer went on for way longer than the shorter period at peak last year.
I think it's been equalised.
All been squared up to now.
but last summers weeks were to make up for 2023s winter weeks
This summer was supposed to make up for 2024s winters longer weeks
Would need to look back and see how many weeks we did longer and shorter each period in 2023/24 to see if it has equalised
in dec 23 when this started we did longer hours for x amount of weeks , so in summer 24 staff was give the 6 weeks x 2 hours = 12 hours owed from dec 23 and they where also given an extra 5 weeks x 2 hours = 10 hours so you would pay it back in dec 24 , and i know this because in summer 24 i had a hip replacement and never received any time back and also i worked the 10 hours in dec 24 so thats 22 hours i have worked for f***ing FREEEEE for this company i have been chasing this up for months hr are ignoring me and i have sent 2 emails to cwu hq regarding this and havent had a reply from them either , so my next stop will be acas .
Tricky one.
I'm sure many were sick in the longer periods and not in the summer.
Will they have to give back them hours to the company, I doubt it and nor should they.
Also presume you received full sick pay while you were off if you have been working for royal mail for more than a year.
Might not get that back to be fair.
It was designed around the variations of workload the current USO structure reflects.
There was no structure or knowledge of how the new way of working or USO would look like back when it was agreed.
Things change
If I was a betting man I'd say post will be lower in the summer but higher during peak, although no doubt peak will catch RM by surprise again this year!
Whilst the CWU are denying the USO reforms will be introduced regardless of the outcome of the trials this latest move suggests the reforms are almost certain to be in place by peak, if not later this summer. In fact they probably don't want staff working shorter hours just as the reforms are introduced.
weve been told that even if the trials arent doable or working , October they will be in .
how is the trials going? u getting double mail a lot?
It’s ridiculous for town duties. One week we do all the mail and parcels on a mon, wed and fri. The other days we do two duties parcels and 1st class mail. The following week we do two duties parcels and 1st class mail all days except on a tue and Thursday when everything goes out. Saturday is always parcels and 1st class.
So some days have double and triple mail and the supposed lighter days of parcels and 1st class you will be going out with anywhere between 140-220 parcels and maybe 30-60 letters. Overtime has went up. But sure its all good and helps reduce fatigue…….
dont do the o/t and take it back and show what a s**t show it is
Thank you, wish the offices/union would get communication out and put up in offices, and confirm this for everyone to know and see so it's simple and clear.
I'm sure the period at the shorter weeks in the summer went on for way longer than the shorter period at peak last year.
I think it's been equalised.
All been squared up to now.
but last summers weeks were to make up for 2023s winter weeks
This summer was supposed to make up for 2024s winters longer weeks
Would need to look back and see how many weeks we did longer and shorter each period in 2023/24 to see if it has equalised
in dec 23 when this started we did longer hours for x amount of weeks , so in summer 24 staff was give the 6 weeks x 2 hours = 12 hours owed from dec 23 and they where also given an extra 5 weeks x 2 hours = 10 hours so you would pay it back in dec 24 , and i know this because in summer 24 i had a hip replacement and never received any time back and also i worked the 10 hours in dec 24 so thats 22 hours i have worked for f***ing FREEEEE for this company i have been chasing this up for months hr are ignoring me and i have sent 2 emails to cwu hq regarding this and havent had a reply from them either , so my next stop will be acas .
Tricky one.
I'm sure many were sick in the longer periods and not in the summer.
Will they have to give back them hours to the company, I doubt it and nor should they.
Also presume you received full sick pay while you were off if you have been working for royal mail for more than a year.
Might not get that back to be fair.
seasonal hours didnt involve sick pay as you would have been paid your contracted hours regardless on sick , im more pissed that i had to work the 10 hours in Dec 24 for free .
