ACAS Talks/Royal Mail calls in mediators

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 17 Jun 2007, 04:23

Royal Mail calls in mediators

By Dan Roberts, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 11:32pm BST 16/06/2007

The Royal Mail has offered to meet postal unions through the conciliation service Acas in a last-ditch effort to avert a crippling national strike.

Adam Crozier, its chief executive, has written to the Communication Workers Union this weekend in what looks like a significant concession to its demand for talks following a successful ballot for industrial action.

Nevertheless, Royal Mail executives are understood to believe that the involvement of third-party negotiators is the only way to get the CWU to back down. It remains determined to pursue its modernisation strategy, according to sources close to the management.
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The two sides disagree over pay and how the introduction of new technology will impact on jobs. The Government is keen to get both sides to talk in order to avert the first national strike for 11 years.

"If we want to be competitive so we can retain and win business and secure our future, we have no option but to modernise," writes Mr Crozier.

A copy, seen by The Sunday Telegraph, reveals a combative tone that will do little to calm the conflict. Crozier accuses the CWU of "protracted national wrangling over every small piece of change" and says employees are embracing the new ways of working more enthusiastically than their union maintains.

He also says postal competitors are 40 per cent more efficient, while the CWU wants a 27pc pay rise. The CWU says this figure is deliberately misleading.

In a letter to Crozier last week, the CWU accused management of hiding behind the word modernisation when what was meant was "cuts in the service, pay and jobs".

It added: "By refusing to negotiate you are revealing publicly your real motivation is about destroying the union rather than working with us to make Royal Mail a success."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.j ... ost117.xml

Bloke7 · Post by **Bloke7** » 17 Jun 2007, 08:44

From the Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.j ... ost117.xml

Still at loggerheads, but moving towards ACAS is I think a sensible step.

Post by **Carnoustie** » 17 Jun 2007, 10:42

Interesting though that it's Royal Mail that have blinked first, and asked to get ACAS involved. Would setting a date for the first one-day strike help put RM under a bit more pressure ? I think it would be a smart move right now. Under law, the CWU has to give at least 7 days' notice to RM, but that doesn't mean only 7 days, does it ? What I would advocate is setting a date in about 2 weeks' time. That way, we don't look to the public / media as if we're hell-bent on striking no matter what (after all, it's already been 10 days since the Yes vote was announced). IF we are subsequently put in the position of having to walk, we could argue that if RM hadn't found ways of reaching some sort of compromise after 3-and-a-half weeks (which by then it would be), they are never going to. The public and media will maybe then finally realise that it's Royal Mail that are trying to force a national strike

IWW Fellow Worker · Post by **IWW Fellow Worker** » 17 Jun 2007, 11:04

hertfordshirehog wrote:Interesting though that it's Royal Mail that have blinked first, and asked to get ACAS involved. Would setting a date for the first one-day strike help put RM under a bit more pressure ? I think it would be a smart move right now. Under law, the CWU has to give at least 7 days' notice to RM, but that doesn't mean only 7 days, does it ? What I would advocate is setting a date in about 2 weeks' time. That way, we don't look to the public / media as if we're hell-bent on striking no matter what (after all, it's already been 10 days since the Yes vote was announced). IF we are subsequently put in the position of having to walk, we could argue that if RM hadn't found ways of reaching some sort of compromise after 3-and-a-half weeks (which by then it would be), they are never going to. The public and media will maybe then finally realise that it's Royal Mail that are trying to force a national strike

You're talking a lot of sense there mate. I remember when we were heading towards a strike in the late 80s, ACAS found we had a strong case in our favour, but Royal Mail chose to ignore them. I wonder if they will ignore ACAS this time? After all the sabre rattling from Burke and Hare, it wouldn't put either of them in a good light

Post by **Carnoustie** » 17 Jun 2007, 11:58

Cheers for that.

I don't think they could ignore ACAS, assuming they tell RM what they don't want to hear. We're in a very different climate now, with the possibility of a regulator issuing fines, losing futher customers etc etc. There's one big difference between now and the late 80's. There is undoubtedly a financial pressure that comes with our overwhelming Yes vote, cos there would come a point where the level of fines would make slapping an extra 2.3% on the pay element of the 'offer'

and having a proper set of discussions about all the other issues would be cheaper than having a series of strikes and all the consequences that would ensue. Hell, a bunch of strikes would ultimately hit AL and AC in the pocket too, cos if profits take a hit then surely their bonuses would drop next time around ? At least that's what I'm hoping.

No sane person wants to strike, if a mechanism can be found to avoid it.

cruisey · Post by **cruisey** » 17 Jun 2007, 13:55

GOOD POST HERTS. RM HAVE A LOT MORE TO LOSE THAN US IN THE SHORT TERM. ALL THE SPIN ABOUT WIN/WIN, LOSE/LOSE WAS ALL A SMOKESCREEN FOR RM SH***ING THEMSELVES OVER A NATIONAL STRIKE. REGULATORY FINES RUNNING INTO MILLIONS OF POUNDS TOO.
WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT AS A UNION WE DON'T ROLL OVER JUST BECAUSE ACAS IS INVOLVED AND IT LOOKS LIKE A MORAL VICTORY.

side_door · Post by **side_door** » 17 Jun 2007, 16:48

If RM come to an agreement with the CWU would this not also affect the bonuses of Leighton and Crozier? It seems to me that if they get the deal they want, then they will feel justified in awarding themselves huge bonuses (similar to those they got after SDD). If on the other hand the people who actually do all of the work in this company get paid fairly and have decent conditions of work there will not be the huge short term profits to fund a big payout for the bosses.

mdtomuk · Post by **mdtomuk** » 17 Jun 2007, 18:07

STICK WITH LADS AND LASSES - THE B*ST*ARDS ARE BEGINNING TO CRACK!

:cfo :lfo

Big Daz · Post by **Big Daz** » 17 Jun 2007, 19:15

"embracing the new ways of working more enthusiastically than their union maintains."

Excus me for being dim but we sort either by hand or machine, transport and deliver the mail.

What new ways of working?

All RM is doing is a massive cost cutting exercise the wrong side of automation!

robmacca · Post by **robmacca** » 17 Jun 2007, 19:54

^^^^ I think he means in the offices where RM have brought in changes prior to a national roll out. A bit under handed, but no surprise!

pillar box · Post by **pillar box** » 17 Jun 2007, 20:14

The new Mech Machines will walk sort all Mail for delivery cutting out pep time,this means to Leighton and Crozier job cuts
on a massive scale

IWW Fellow Worker · Post by **IWW Fellow Worker** » 17 Jun 2007, 20:28

pillar box wrote:The new Mech Machines will walk sort all Mail for delivery cutting out pep time,this means to Leighton and Crozier job cuts
on a massive scale

Of course in a properly ordered society, the introduction of such machines would mean us all being on a 30 hour week with no loss of pay.

terrace · Post by **terrace** » 17 Jun 2007, 20:36

According to BBCnews 24 Royal Mail has written to ACAS offering to meet with the CWU ahead of a proposed strike.
The Company insisted it was not making any concessions but was seeking again to explain its position.
What 's the point of going to ACAS then?
We know what Royal Mail's position is.Does Royal Mail know what ACAS is?
The whole point of going to ACAS is not to explain one's position but to come to some kind of agreement with some kind of compromise isn't it?
Or have I got the wrong end of the stick about ACAS?

also check link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6761679.stm

billypants · Post by **billypants** » 17 Jun 2007, 20:46

Just read that article in the Telegraph and yet again Crozier is talking about us being 40% less productive and we want a 27% rise, without explaining where these figures come from and what they actually mean. He also states that we ( the postal workers ) are happier about the changes than the union let on. . . . . so why did 77.5% vote against them, even though it's gonna cost us money with potential strikes, you plonker.

Perhaps I'm just an old cynic but to me this looks like just yet another of Laurel and Hardys PR excercises.

Don't let your guard down just yet people

BB brother · Post by **BB brother** » 17 Jun 2007, 21:51

Mr Crozier blinks first !

Looks like we still do have some allies in the government!

You have to say as well that Dave Ward and his team have handled it magnificently so far,lets hope we close the deal.

ROYALMAILCHAT

ACAS Talks/Royal Mail calls in mediators

ACAS Talks/Royal Mail calls in mediators

ACAS Talks

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