As for comments regarding CWU HQ not taking issue with early starts and delivery by car .. there have been campaigns devoted to doing 'the job properly and safely' which covered these issues among others. Delivery by car is not a new issue that has come out of the 2007 dispute. I have archived LTBs dating back to the 1990s where the use of own cars for delivery was causing concern.
The CWU, to my knowledge, has never rejected out of hand any request from RM for discussion over any matter. That image is only portrayed once RM can't get it's own way over a particular issue. There will always be grey areas in national agreements which, rightly, need to be agreed at local level as no two DOs or MCs quite work in the same manner.
I, and colleagues at my Delivery DO, have been bombarded daily by our DOM seeking o/t volunteers to sort/process mail/packets from an overwhelmed MC. All he receives in return is the expected derisory laughter to his request. One would hope that CWU members would see the sense in presenting a united front to RM, and not require reminding of their commitment and duty to support CWU and its members when in dispute, whether directly or indirectly affecting you personally.
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