*New Starter* Explanation on potential strike please

[RMCJA96]

So I've been with the business barely a month, so as you can imagine, this dispute was like going for your first pint and walking into a full blown bar fight and forcibly having to join in by default.

Can anyone be as non-biased as possible and explain what voting yes or no on this strike action means for me/us as posties? What are the potential risk factors for both sides?

[2yearpostie]

ok issue 1.

The oversized parcels you currently take out will all be taken off you. If you work in a small office that work is gone for good along with 1 in 6 posties ( probably new starters) who will be offered a relocation on a take it or leave it basis.

If you work in a large office 1 in 6 of you will be delivering all the oversized parcels in your area between 1pm and 7pm potentially over a 60/70 mile radius.

The ones that are left will have around 60-150 extra delivery points added to there walk to be done in the same time for no extra pay.

Issue 2

Bit easier they want you to clock in and out. if you get in to early without authorisation you will not be paid, if you finish your walk early and go back to the office your pay will be docked.

[RMCJA96]

Thanks for this.

I work in a large office so I'm assuming the workload will be greater for no extra pay? Even if you go over? What about clocking out late? Surely if they're happy to pay you less for finishing early they'd have the decency to pay extra still for having a large workload/finishing late?

Is there anything else I should be aware of? A lot of what I've read that's been posted to me doesnt make much sense as I'm quite out of the loop.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thanks for this.

I work in a large office so I'm assuming the workload will be greater for no extra pay? Even if you go over? What about clocking out late? Surely if they're happy to pay you less for finishing early they'd have the decency to pay extra still for having a large workload/finishing late?

They'll pay you for the first few times you go over, and indeed they should pay you every time you go over. But they will start to question it, and if you haven't followed the local methods for overrunning deliveries they may in some instance refuse to pay you.

In other words, go over too many times and they will apply pressure.

Is there anything else I should be aware of? A lot of what I've read that's been posted to me doesnt make much sense as I'm quite out of the loop.

The main issue and the central cause of the dispute is we have a collective agreement between the Union and Royal Mail. Rico is trying to end this by whatever means possible. If he is successful we can look forward to open-ended working days (dressed up as annualised hours), 100% flexibility by employees but only statutory stuff in the other direction, insecure contracts, pressure on pay, and ultimately franchised deliveries (but thats unlikely).

[RMCJA96]

Christ. To be completely fair, is there any reason not to strike?... Besides not running the risk of potentially getting unfairly sacked?

[postieblueshirt]

Best advice make sure you are in the union.

[Celgar]

Best advice make sure you are in the union.

You do not have to be in the union to respect the vote and not turn up for work during industrial action.

[2yearpostie]

Best advice make sure you are in the union.

You do not have to be in the union to respect the vote and not turn up for work during industrial action.

I thought you were still meant to turn up to work but not sign in during a strike?

[RMCJA96]

Either way, I'm in the union and have been since day 1 so that wont be an issue

[twoloops]

If you are worried about going on strike ask your DOM to use the strike day as your day off?

[RMCJA96]

If you are worried about going on strike ask your DOM to use the strike day as your day off?

Good idea, I have a feeling many people will do this though

[FacesOfStone]

ok issue 1.
If you work in a small office that work is gone for good along with 1 in 6 posties ( probably new starters) who will be offered a relocation on a take it or leave it basis.

I’d be a bit cautious on assuming relocation will be the default, because the number of part time staff in a particular office could change the dynamic. They mention cutting down on overtime in their latest RMTV video, so I can see situations where redeployment doesn’t occur, but the job changes considerably for those on low-hour contracts. I wouldn’t be surprised to see people who’re on 20 hour basic yet consistently work five days a week and claim 15 hours OT told that they’ll usually only be needed for three or four days going forward.

[yellowbelly]

If you are worried about going on strike ask your DOM to use the strike day as your day off?

Good idea, I have a feeling many people will do this though

If you're one of the P/T dogsbodies like me who don't know their day off from week to week, the last time our manager said this would not be the case
as all the duty holders would already have their regular day off (on the strike day(s)), therefore all covers/leave reserves/dogsbodies who would cover
those days off/leave would not get the strike day(s) as a day off - they would be required to work - if they took IA then he would then
be able to dock their pay - thus saving some money as RM wouldn't be able to dock the pay of those who were on their duty days off