Postal
If you have faulty gear, get it replaced!
(4 May, 2009): Posties in a number of delivery facilities in the Brisbane area were as mad as hell when their wet weather gear failed to keep them dry whilst delivering their rounds in the rain a couple of weeks ago.
After getting little satisfaction from managers at the local level the posties contacted the CEPU for help.
The union agreed that posties shouldn’t be getting wet when delivering the mail and the matter was with Australia Post.
Contrary to the inaction of some managers on this issue there is a process for dealing with any faulty wet weather gear issued by Mountain Design and that process was ascertained to be as follows:
- Advise your manager of your faulty wet weather gear and request that he/she order replacement garments.
- When the new gear arrives swap it with your faulty gear and leave the faulty gear with your manager.
- The manager should arrange for the faulty gear to be returned to Mountain Design for testing. A note identifying where the garment is leaking should also be forwarded to Mountain Design.
As Mountain Design’s warehouse is in Brisbane and they are fully stocked at the moment posties should have replacement garments in two or three days, up to five days maximum in other States – so don’t accept any excuses not to order new gear.
Hopefully the problems experienced with the wet weather gear should become fewer as Post upgrades the material the garments are made from to a thicker membrane, wrist garters are incorporated into the design of jackets pending satisfactory trial outcomes and the manufacturer and manufacturing process is now compliant with international quality standards.
It is worth mentioning that the Mountain Design wet weather gear was first issued in 2005 and was only intended to have a life of three years.
So if your gear hasn’t been replaced since 2005 or is three years old then it may be time to consider replacing it.
Got something to report about this issue? Let us know: feedback@cepu.asn.au