DO THE JOB PROPERLY – IT’S YOUR JOB – IT’S YOUR FUTURE
We believe that your employer, Royal Mail does not recognise the tremendous effort put in on a daily basis by their employees who deliver the mail, and their prime objective is to reduce hours on a regular basis in delivery offices up and down the country. As someone who works in a delivery office you will know how difficult your job is and how much more difficult it will become if Royal Mail continue to reduce hours (notwithstanding automation), especially hours out on delivery.
It is time that they were shown just how much the delivery network takes advantage of the goodwill
and self sacrifice of those who deliver the mail. There are currently offices around the country that have
come to this conclusion themselves and they have decided enough is enough and that Royal Mail gets
only what it pays for. They have started to do the job properly – nobody starts before their due time
and everyone is taking their full meal relief entitlement, which also helps to protect the jobs of our
Quadrant members, they have also ceased the use of private cars on delivery.
Royal Mail has now seen the true value of their delivery employees in those offices.
Royal Mail’s reaction to this is to accuse members of taking unofficial industrial action if they start on
time, take their proper meal breaks or decline to use their own cars! Our reaction has been to say to
Royal Mail: “If you really believe that, then take us to court”. Not surprisingly, Royal Mail has not done so.
For the record it is not unlawful to start your job on time. It is not unlawful to take your full meal relief.
It is not unlawful to stop using your own car for deliveries.
Far from these things being unlawful, the law only requires you to work your contracted hours;
the law requires you to have proper meal breaks.
ALL DELIVERY MEMBERS
Members are also weighing their bags before going out on delivery in those offices. The CWU and
Royal Mail reached a binding collective agreement at the time of SDD in the light of health and safety
law that the weight of the first bag should be no more than 16kg, and all pouches after the second
should get progressively lighter, in accordance with the matrix shown below.
I have to say that Royal Mail’s accusations expose what they really think about you. They want to continue to exploit your goodwill by making threats. You can come to your own conclusion on that point.
To summarise: you are legally entitled to:
Stop coming in early
Start taking your full meal reliefs especially before going out on delivery
Stop using your private cars
Start weighing your pouches in line with the matrix.
You will be working safely and legally and at the same time demonstrating to Royal Mail just how
much they took advantage of your generosity to save their costs!
Think about it – no more stress. It’s your job – it’s your future.
Check out the official Lighten the Load campaign document, giving you more advice on all things delivery, just click on the underlined link, to download your own copy.
High Capacity Trolley
High Capacity Trolley ramp
Walk Sequencing machines
MULTIPLE POUCHWEIGHT MATRIX Agreed with Royal Mail
| Equipment | Circumstance | Weight |
| Delivery Pouch | Flat or undulating terrain No individual capability issues No significant hazards on route |
16kg Max for one pouch which may be the first but does not have to be. Thereafter all bags have a maximum weight of 11kgs. |
| Delivery Pouch | Steep hill | 8kg Max |
| Delivery Pouch | Very steep or long & steep hill or area where stairs or steps predominate | 5kg Max |
| High Capacity Trolley | Flat or undulating terrain | Max 105kg gross weight |
| High Capacity Trolley | Hilly terrain but not severe | Max 75kg gross weight |
| Lightweight Delivery Trolley | | Max 32kg = 2x16kg pouches |
| Small pouch for use with Car Derived Van | Flat or undulating terrain No individual capability issues No significant hazards on route | Max 10kg |
| Small pouch for use with Car Derived Van | Steep hill | Max 8kg |
| Small pouch for use with Car Derived Van | Very steep or long & steep hill or area where stairs or steps predominate | 5kg Max |
| Cycles | Flat terrain where delivery point density and security allow | Max 16kg in front basket Max 8kg per pannier where security allows |
