Computer Driven Posties

Management forced a postie to sign a medical release as he lay "doped up" in hospital after an accident where he had been left on his own by Australia Post management.

Other Posties are being "sweated" and bullied to achieve computer driven deadlines, forcing them to be clocked at speeds of up to 60km an hour on footpaths.

"I was never offered personal protective equipment," says Geoff*, who was run over by two cars while delivering mail.

Geoff was scathing of Australia post workloads that he says impacti on the elderly, as well as posties ability to do their job.

"They get you in the morning. They claim there's 200 letters when there's 300 and you have to work like a ball-breaker, going at 100 miles per hour to keep up to time."

Geoff was also critical of Australia Post's use of their employees' goodwill in the community while at the same time "abusing" those very employees.

"If you miss that time you have to make it up in your own."

"A lot of posties are part of their community, they'll go that extra yard for their customers.

"For a lot of older people in the community the postie is the only person they speak to."

Geoff is backed up by Joan Doyle, secretary of the Victorian branch of the CEPU, who claims that Posties are "timed to the minute" and that, while Australia Post has an official policy of health and safety at work, "the system of work doesn't support it".

"There is systematic bullying by some managers of those who are trying to do the right thing," says Doyle. "they simply cannot do the rounds in the time they're given."

"Posties just have to go flat chat all the time and it's not safe for them and it's not good for the community."

Motorcycle mechanics say that Australia Post bikes often operate with under inflated tyres because Posties simply don't have time to pump them up.

• Geoff is an assumed name as Australia Post prohibits its employees from speaking to the media.

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:37 EST