Fury at new Postman Plan? Any one in Lancs confirm?

[fedup postie]

I was reviewing the news on RM just and found this post in the Lancashire evening post. Is this happening in any one's office?

Fury at new postman plan
View GalleryIt's not snooker...but it's clearly loopy!

From Tuesday, posties in Leyland cannot leave their delivery office to start their rounds until 9am to prevent them finishing their shift as early as 11.30am.
Instead of beginning deliveries once all the mail is sorted, they have been told they must wait up to an hour and a half before starting their rounds.
And, instead of pounding the streets with their sacks of letters and parcels, they should stay in the office.
But the order has been slammed by staff and customers as well as union officials – who are already balloting members for strike action over pay and conditions.
Staff in Leyland were called into a meeting to be told of the move earlier this week. And one worker said the changes "make no sense."
She said: "We were told they were not going to pay for work we haven't done. But they would rather we played cards or pool than give our customers a better service.

"If you get out of the office earlier then you are obviously going to finish faster. If they feel they are paying us for doing nothing then why keep us inside for an hour and a half?
"We really don't understand what this is about."

Andy Tatchell, branch secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said: "Delivering mail has always been an early morning service to get things to people as quickly as possible.

"If the postmen don't get out until 9am they won't finish until a lot later. It is companies that require the early delivery of their mail who will suffer."
Staff at the centre on Braconash Road have been given the orders from Royal Mail bosses as part of a massiveshake-up of working practices.
The move could eventually see staff who currently begin their shifts at 5.30am not starting until 7am.
The Evening Post understands the move will affect around 20,000 homes and businesses in the PR25 and PR26 postcode areas.

Full article can be found here> http://www.lep.co.uk/news?articleid=2908432

[tony T]

Yes, we have been told by our manager that if we dont do extra ie, absorb another round , we will not be aloud on the sreets until 9.00am.

[redvan]

we are not allowed to leave the office till 9 oclock but what the said in our office was no cars and every one was going to work from bags that wher no heavier than 8kg so the manager soon turned his back on that one

[POSTMAN]

Is this a wind up What are theses people on!

[tony T]

No wind up, we told him if we cant get out on delivery till 9 someone will have to finish the job. He wasnt bothered and that he was following orders from the top.

[Zorro]

Letter to Branches




No. 483/07 Ref: 160.01 /450 Date: 25th May 2007

To: Branches with POSTAL Members

Dear Colleague

Early Start times in Delivery Offices

Please see the attached correspondence that I have exchanged with Royal Mail.

It will be noted that Royal Mail are intending to change Delivery Office start and finish times before the end of July at the latest while completely disregarding our existing agreements or the domestic arrangements of its employees, which is further evidence of the disregard they have for our members and our Union.

Please make this information as widely known as possible, particularly during this immediate period when the ballot papers for national industrial action are being delivered.

This latest action by diktat re-emphasises the need for Reps not to agree any savings driven or structural changes prior to a national agreement being reached. It should also serve to demonstrate to our delivery members Royal Mail’s contempt for those who choose to come in to work before their start times, not take their meal relief, use their private cars on delivery, take out overweight pouches etc. None of these are part of our members’ contract of employment and there is no obligation to continue with these malpractices, also if an individual makes a decision not to continue with such actions, it cannot be regarded as industrial action, as sometimes managers’ claim.

Now we have been put on formal notice of the business’s intention to act unilaterally on the matter, we must demonstrate to them the negative consequences that will result.

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 160.01 450
Email address: hnutley@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Bob Gibson
Assistant Secretary





23 May 2007

Mr M Collins and Mr T Pullinger
Assistant Secretary
Communication Workers Union
150 The Broadway
Wimbledon
LONDON
SW19 1RX






Dear Martin and Terry

Network 2007

When we met on Friday I promised to write clarifying the position on Network 2007 and revised delivery start times.

The 56 mph speed limit means we must change a lot of delivery start times in order to maintain service. Rather than having variable times across the country we want a consistent customer offering at delivery offices. So the standard normal delivery start time will be between 0600 and 0630. We are not aiming to differentiate walks which must change from those which might not.

We will look to make the changes as efficiently as possible while ensuring 100% connectivity across the network. Some people will be asked to start earlier than 0600 to process mail for firms deliveries. Details will be determined locally based on workload, but the large majority of delivery start times will move in preparation for the introduction on the new speed limit.

That happens on 13 August 2007 and in preparation delivery offices will move to the new start times before the end of July. A number have already done so or have their planning well advanced. We’re asking the others to accelerate their work to be ready in time.

Local managers will of course be involving their CWU representatives in making the changes required.

I’m getting more detail of the potential job losses from Network 2007. We’ll send it across to you in next few days.

Yours sincerely

Phil Murphy
Royal Mail
General Manager Network Distribution

cc: Bob Gibson
Our Ref : DP/160.01/450/07/hn

Date: 25th May 2007

Phil Murphy
Royal Mail
General Manager Network Distribution









Dear Mr Murphy,

DELIVERY OFFICE START TIMES (56 mph)

I am in receipt of a copy of your letter addressed to Martin Collins and Terry Pullinger concerning delivery start times. Unfortunately I could not attend the meeting last Friday due to other commitments but I am aware that apologies were given for my absence and issues were raised on my behalf. I am also aware that your letter does not accurately reflect what was raised at that meeting and that your response on the day was completely different to the content of your letter, which can only lead me to the conclusion that you had to seek authority from an ‘absent party’ before being able to provide a written response.

As you well know, or at least your ‘absent party’ will know, I am responsible for delivery office issues as far as the CWU is concerned and therefore it is discourteous for you not to direct such an important communication to anyone other than myself. Setting that aside, however, you know as well as I do that the use of the 56mph speed limit is a complete red herring as far as delivery start times are concerned. Your attempt to suggest that these proposed changes are due to anything other than an attempt at a further Transport review and efficiency savings relating to the business plan is completely disingenuous.

According to Royal Mail’s own documentation, and also confirmed to the CWU during a recent meeting with Royal Mail 60% of all mail for delivery offices is available at mail centres by midnight, and this will continue to be the case regardless of the 56mph speed limit. Therefore, there is no reason why there should not be a full head of work for staff attending at current start times and accordingly the whole basis of your letter and Royal Mail’s Network 2007 policy is false. The real objective is a cost cutting exercise to support your longer term plans for the industry that is being masqueraded as a requirement of legislation.

You have taken no account of the terms of a binding national agreement, which was agreed at the time of SDD. In particular, I would draw your attention to Appendix A paragraph (e) which specifically states “Saturday attendances will be significantly shorter than weekday attendances….â€

[yorkie]

one and half hours to spare till nine and they star at 5.30 am . no wonder the want later starts. in my office we are on the ips for upto 1 and half hours we usally start leaving the office after 8.30. dom did mention staying in till 9am but saw sense at the end..leyland office must get high mech volumes or they have bloody good walks to be ready for 7.30am ..



CAN ANDY THATCHELL DO THESE ROUNDS?

[iow1]

could some one explain to this seemingly stupid postman writing this...... who does the the 9am specials? we on the island are exempt from the service due to that nasty overpriced piece of water. but if you can't go out till 9am what happens to this service. surely if they try to do later start times they are putting one of their own services in jepordy

[leelatic]

This was introduced in our area a good few months ago.We have an intra missort run that comes in at about 820 and the boss lets us out after that about 830.To be honest I dont mind it because before we had more people coming in early and rushing round like headless chickens to get out,not taking a break etc.Anything that breaks the culture that has developed in delivery of cutting corners to get the earliest finish possible is ok with me.

[yorkie]

to iow1 9AM SPECIALS ARE RUN OUT BY DEDICATED DRIVERS IN MY AREA.THAT WAS A PRACTICE THE UNION REPS PUSHED FOR. BY THE WAY IF POSTIES ARE TAKING OUT 9AM IN YOUR OFFICE WHAT DO THEY DO IF THE SPECIAL IS AT THE END OF THE ROUND? OH YOU PROBABLY USE YOUR OWN CAR AND PETROL TO DELIVER R/M PREMIUM ITEM AT A COST TO YOU.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[F0zziebear]

THe DO that I ran didn't get out until after 8:30 because of the missort run. How do these other offices manage to get missorts back so early? If they are going out this early then yes they will finish earlier which means that they should be taking on more work? Maybe you disagree but from where I stood anyone consistently finishing so early mean't that there was room for cutting a duty and sharing more work between the remaining posties and in my opinion sharing some of that saving so the postie earns more.

Like to know what people think. Also regarding the 56mph I reckon there is some legitimate argument but the union are also probably right in that savings are needed. So if everyone is right then where does the company go from here?

F0zz

[POSTMAN]

Sorry mate,you know why and how they finish early
Have a look at the Burslem guys and the On the Vans threads.
We give them reasons to cut jobs,within those 2 threads you'll see they can't.
We're our own worst enemy.

[F0zziebear]

I remember exactly the same being said before SDD was introduced. Once a compromise came about the unions, management and posties managed to make it work. It took a few weeks to bed in and national quality of service improved whilst existing thousands of people and duties.

Please educate as to why it is different this time

[POSTMAN]

It's not different FOzz it's the same,and when the cuts do come in the same people will be rush,rush,rushing to get that hour or so out of the job,and make the job work.
Nothings changed mate,nothing at all.

[Big Daz]

Not had that LTB and it dosent appear to be on CWU website,

How did you get hold of it Zorro?

Ive set up to get ALL ltb's and news reports emailed to me but that has not cone through.