£400 flexibility.

[k979aaa]

Just got an email with an attached area agreement that is signed and states "no outdoor work" as part of phase 2.

That seems ok, but what I don't like the look of is that the summer period has now been extended from weeks 11-21 to weeks 8-24.

Am I stupid, but this looks like we have handed over more savings for nothing and cut our members overtime opportunites over an additional 6 week period?

That £400 looks less and less by the minute. At an office level we are in our rights to reject this aren't we?

If any deal does not meet your aspiration's you are well entitled to reject this "agreement" !. FOR ONLY IF YOU ARE SURE IT IS A GOOD DEAL SHOULD YOU ACCEPT!.

[Carnoustie]

its on a rota system so the day you work doesnt clash with annual leave and its just for this year
have to wait and see what they throw at us next year

Sorry to call into question this 'good deal' and play devil's advocate, but surely once you've agreed to flexible working, you've agreed to it in perpetuity, i.e. you're stuck with it ? That £400 won't be an annual 'bung' that comes in with whatever plan has been agreed by your office for that year. It's a once-only payment.

Royal Mail's interpretation of your office agreeing to work flexibly (and triggering the payment) will be that RM can make you do this 'free day' in your office every summer.

Giving RM a free day's work every summer at £60 a throw means you will have given RM your £400 payment back in under 7 years, and they'll be saving £60 per worker every year thereafter

[johnnyp]

its on a rota system so the day you work doesnt clash with annual leave and its just for this year
have to wait and see what they throw at us next year

Sorry to call into question this 'good deal' and play devil's advocate, but surely once you've agreed to flexible working, you've agreed to it in perpetuity, i.e. you're stuck with it ? That £400 won't be an annual 'bung' that comes in with whatever plan has been agreed by your office for that year. It's a once-only payment.

Royal Mail's interpretation of your office agreeing to work flexibly (and triggering the payment) will be that RM can make you do this 'free day' in your office every summer.

Giving RM a free day's work every summer at £60 a throw means you will have given RM your £400 payment back in under 7 years, and they'll be saving £60 per worker every year thereafter

Good point Carnoustie mate,but as wakkono said its just for this year so come next year you tell them no thank you and dont work your free day,unless of course another £400 is up for grabs if not your local agreement covers you.

[Carnoustie]

Johnnypick, this situation highlights an inherent danger in flexibility being agreed in a series of local agreements.

If RM try to break / disregard a National agreement, a ballot for IA of the entire membership would most likely be called, and RM could be forced to back down.

If, however, they dishonour their agreement at wakkono's office, and this time next year say 'right boys, those flexible working arrangements worked a treat last summer, so it's more of the same this year', what power do those people at that office have to fight with ? People working at other offices that have brought in a different (worse?) form of flexible working than wakkono's office have agreed, are unlikely to go on strike to support them. At least, that's what Royal Mail will be hoping, and then smaller or weaker offices will be shafted

I know now what other posters mean about 'divide and conquer' tactics

[dvbuk55]

Johnnypick, this situation highlights an inherent danger in flexibility being agreed in a series of local agreements.

If RM try to break / disregard a National agreement, a ballot for IA of the entire membership would most likely be called, and RM could be forced to back down.

If, however, they dishonour their agreement at wakkono's office, and this time next year say 'right boys, those flexible working arrangements worked a treat last summer, so it's more of the same this year', what power do those people at that office have to fight with ? People working at other offices that have brought in a different (worse?) form of flexible working than wakkono's office have agreed, are unlikely to go on strike to support them. At least, that's what Royal Mail will be hoping, and then smaller or weaker offices will be shafted

I know now what other posters mean about 'divide and conquer' tactics

They were shafted the moment this agreement went in.

[k979aaa]

Johnnypick, this situation highlights an inherent danger in flexibility being agreed in a series of local agreements.

If RM try to break / disregard a National agreement, a ballot for IA of the entire membership would most likely be called, and RM could be forced to back down.

If, however, they dishonour their agreement at wakkono's office, and this time next year say 'right boys, those flexible working arrangements worked a treat last summer, so it's more of the same this year', what power do those people at that office have to fight with ? People working at other offices that have brought in a different (worse?) form of flexible working than wakkono's office have agreed, are unlikely to go on strike to support them. At least, that's what Royal Mail will be hoping, and then smaller or weaker offices will be shafted

I know now what other posters mean about 'divide and conquer' tactics

It begs the question's why was the 2007 pay and moderization agreement put to a vote!. AND WHY IN GOD'S NAME DID 64% VOTE FOR IT (OF THE ONE'S TO BE BOTHERED TO VOTE)!.

[dubdaz]

It begs the question's why was the 2007 pay and moderization agreement put to a vote!. AND WHY IN GOD'S NAME DID 64% VOTE FOR IT (OF THE ONE'S TO BE BOTHERED TO VOTE)!.

I think it was put to the vote (i.e.recommended)because Dave and Billy suddenly realised they'd led us down a blind alley they could'nt get out off and washed their hands of the whole thing and left it up to the poor local reps to sort out.f***ing disgrace

[k979aaa]

It begs the question's why was the 2007 pay and moderization agreement put to a vote!. AND WHY IN GOD'S NAME DID 64% VOTE FOR IT (OF THE ONE'S TO BE BOTHERED TO VOTE)!.

I think it was put to the vote (i.e.recommended)because Dave and Billy suddenly realised they'd led us down a blind alley they could'nt get out off and washed their hands of the whole thing and left it up to the poor local reps to sort out.f***ing disgrace

It was not that which you say at the first point of your post for it was at the very insistance of GORDON BROWN " FOR I WANT THESE PEOPLE BACK TO WORK NOW!. " !. But your second point is 100% correct and now we have a fragmentation of our union!. FOR NOW WE HAVE MORE DEAL'S THAN DFS!.

[mitzi]

we have it agreed here in wales were all on a rotational day off and we have all agreed to work 1 day for free and that way there is no extra to do throughout the summer weeks and no one gets taken off there job and no dutys get condensed
£400 payout all signed off and agreed but were in a good office and out dom is ok ( sort of) but were only a small office (70/80) dont think this would work if we were any bigger

????????????????????

[BELIAL]

IF our DO agrees to work for jack s**t forever do you think Alan will let us have our pension untouched?

[madelin4]

we have it agreed here in wales were all on a rotational day off and we have all agreed to work 1 day for free and that way there is no extra to do throughout the summer weeks and no one gets taken off there job and no dutys get condensed
£400 payout all signed off and agreed but were in a good office and out dom is ok ( sort of) but were only a small office (70/80) dont think this would work if we were any bigger

????????????????????

well that would make it easier, but something sounds suss??? 1 days work for £400??? ummm.

[dvbuk55]

we have it agreed here in wales were all on a rotational day off and we have all agreed to work 1 day for free and that way there is no extra to do throughout the summer weeks and no one gets taken off there job and no dutys get condensed
£400 payout all signed off and agreed but were in a good office and out dom is ok ( sort of) but were only a small office (70/80) dont think this would work if we were any bigger

????????????????????

well that would make it easier, but something sounds suss??? 1 days work for £400??? ummm.

I must admit it does sound odd- the flexibility was supposed to be from week 11 to week 21? - I don't see how a single day could possibly fulfil the criteria set and it wouldn't matter if it was an office of 8 or 80 - I would definitely check the small print and even the not so small print on this one.

[wakkono]

e mail me your e mail addy in a pm and ill send you a scan of the agreement
its only a 1 off for this year next year we can sort it out then
im not worried about next year only this year if there is 400 quid up for grabs and we think we can get it without shafting ourselves we are going to go for it
like i said in a earlier post this wouldnt work for everyone only certain offices and it just happens to work for us
its what we wanted and its what we are prepared to do for the £400 payment
has anyone else got any better idears ?if so let us know what they are

[Edward Hunter]

Our office has just about agreed for the £400. Its phase 3 where the aggro will start

[Herodotus]

I am under pressure to sign off before the 15th March but something tells me to 'Beware the Ides of March'! Didn't someone else - more from my era - get well stabbed in the back on the Ides of March? When will we ever learn?