The fact is we do care. However we do not the luxury to ingore the threats which face all of our members.
Ofcom have not changed the USO as some kind of sanction on the workforce, they have done it because they have full access to Royal Mail’s finances and deemed it could not survive long term without the change to USO.
I get that members do not fully understand the model and the fact that 50% of the routes will not get non priority letters (2nd class and DSA) and this will be held in the Mail Centre.
But this is a better model than the ODM model as it using the 4 into 3 in a more supportive way reducing the call rate and the amount of addresses each individual goes then ODM.
Ultimately our members will decide if they don’t want DM26 or an agreement.
Only a week to go before the vote will be announced.
As others and I have said, in the last 18 months revisions could have been planned so that pairings do 1 side 1 day, and the other the next day. What's the point in putting 3.5k walks back in when you're having to take extra loops off 2 walks ?
Exactly, it needs amending to ODM26.1 with the difference that everyone does 50 50 from the same fixed duty or pair of duties not just the rurals/singletons that can't really be paired up.
No titting about it's loads simpler
Let's get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet and for once make an attempt to get the workload fairer
Last edited by ted_e_bear on 22 May 2026, 15:28, edited 1 time in total.
The fact is we do care. However we do not the luxury to ingore the threats which face all of our members.
Ofcom have not changed the USO as some kind of sanction on the workforce, they have done it because they have full access to Royal Mail’s finances and deemed it could not survive long term without the change to USO.
I get that members do not fully understand the model and the fact that 50% of the routes will not get non priority letters (2nd class and DSA) and this will be held in the Mail Centre.
But this is a better model than the ODM model as it using the 4 into 3 in a more supportive way reducing the call rate and the amount of addresses each individual goes then ODM.
Ultimately our members will decide if they don’t want DM26 or an agreement.
Only a week to go before the vote will be announced.
I'm not impressed by an office clearing half of the walks. I'm even less impressed when that office is staffed at somewhere between the old and new staffing levels. There's plenty of excess to mop up the bits not done. And there will be until it's actually 3 people doing 4 people's work. And then the s**t will build up and the sweepers will be off somewhere with their redundancy millions watching homes under the hammer.
I think guys you are on your own on this one, from what the union says they think you don't understand the "Model"
Martin the only one who seems to understand the model is you and the company, there's a reason for that, the people in delivery know how to deliver and also know when they are getting smoke blown up their ass.
You think by saying the very people you expect to deliver this don't understand it is the way to get your yes vote?
If they don't get it perhaps it's not really viable.
Who the feck is going to vote for something they don't understand, i just don't get it.
Either represent your membership or let someone else who will.
I think guys you are on your own on this one, from what the union says they think you don't understand the "Model"
Martin the only one who seems to understand the model is you and the company, there's a reason for that, the people in delivery know how to deliver and also know when they are getting smoke blown up their ass.
You think by saying the very people you expect to deliver this don't understand it is the way to get your yes vote?
If they don't get it perhaps it's not really viable.
Who the feck is going to vote for something they don't understand, i just don't get it.
Either represent your membership or let someone else who will.
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
We've got a trial DO in our area, it'll be interesting to see what % of the mail for that DO gets deferred by the DTS tonight. In theory I think it'll be just a single tray going out with the walks bundled. Depending on what goes out I think there's a possibility in the long term that the 1C will just get sent out as manual where it won't be worth running the machines.
We've got a trial DO in our area, it'll be interesting to see what % of the mail for that DO gets deferred by the DTS tonight. In theory I think it'll be just a single tray going out with the walks bundled. Depending on what goes out I think there's a possibility in the long term that the 1C will just get sent out as manual where it won't be worth running the machines.
It seems madness to suggest that an office is clear when it's only clear because the mail is being kept back at the MC.
I wonder how long it will function correctly before the system loses the plot forgetting which post it should be sending and which it should be keeping back?
We've got a trial DO in our area, it'll be interesting to see what % of the mail for that DO gets deferred by the DTS tonight. In theory I think it'll be just a single tray going out with the walks bundled. Depending on what goes out I think there's a possibility in the long term that the 1C will just get sent out as manual where it won't be worth running the machines.
It seems madness to suggest that an office is clear when it's only clear because the mail is being kept back at the MC.
I wonder how long it will function correctly before the system loses the plot forgetting which post it should be sending and which it should be keeping back?
Odds on it gets sent out wrong at times
Or the first people go off sick
Or couple of vans won’t start or breakdown on delivery
Hero , the USO changed on the 28th July 2025. Yet we in the last week of May 2026 and yet No units other than the 35 pilots and Manchester SE have gone live.
If Royal Mail got what they want then they would have imposed from July as every month it was delayed cost them £20 million pounds. Yet the union has changed the model from ODM put in more routes , taken 20% of the routes out of scope and increase the full time staff levels by 6000 and got safeguards.
Royal Mail certainly did not want this. Scotchy hope retirement is going well but this is not your fight. I have been meeting with members and reps and is difficult for them to understand that they won’t be delivering what they are currently.
For example some one posted how can they say the office is clear when the work has been kept in the Mail centre. Because that is the new USO you only receive 1st class for all routes and 50% of the routes will receive the non priority mail, the rest will be kept in the mail centre.
We've got a trial DO in our area, it'll be interesting to see what % of the mail for that DO gets deferred by the DTS tonight. In theory I think it'll be just a single tray going out with the walks bundled. Depending on what goes out I think there's a possibility in the long term that the 1C will just get sent out as manual where it won't be worth running the machines.
It seems madness to suggest that an office is clear when it's only clear because the mail is being kept back at the MC.
I wonder how long it will function correctly before the system loses the plot forgetting which post it should be sending and which it should be keeping back?
Odds on it gets sent out wrong at times
Or the first people go off sick
Or couple of vans won’t start or breakdown on delivery
The wave 1 for the trial DO could all fit into a single tray. Wasn't on the machine that it was run through but I'd estimate no more than 20 letters per walk. If it's going to be like that for every DO on a Friday night then I reckon it's possible that it'll end up with the 1C being sent out as manual.
Hero , the USO changed on the 28th July 2025. Yet we in the last week of May 2026 and yet No units other than the 35 pilots and Manchester SE have gone live.
If Royal Mail got what they want then they would have imposed from July as every month it was delayed cost them £20 million pounds. Yet the union has changed the model from ODM put in more routes , taken 20% of the routes out of scope and increase the full time staff levels by 6000 and got safeguards.
Royal Mail certainly did not want this. Scotchy hope retirement is going well but this is not your fight. I have been meeting with members and reps and is difficult for them to understand that they won’t be delivering what they are currently.
For example some one posted how can they say the office is clear when the work has been kept in the Mail centre. Because that is the new USO you only receive 1st class for all routes and 50% of the routes will receive the non priority mail, the rest will be kept in the mail centre.
