THE DRAFT AGREEMENT

[spilie]

i dont see one thing that covers any of the sh*t we are going through at the moment, so if this is the shape of the things to come then we are all fuc**d

[Big Daz]

The letter from Mark Higson sent to CWU today was substantively different to the form of words achieved through negotiations so far and that is what led to the CWU being unable to call off strike action this week.

The above from CWU website is what I refer to by higsons version

RM have it on display and it is titled draft agreement

Those are the facts at my D.O!!!!

Whether one calls it agreement or framework is irrlevant Higons changes took the CWU to a point where calling off strikes could not happen.

[tam mcg]

that is just a big giant grey erea :mfo

[Stumpy]

All Higson seems intersted in now is clouding the issues to end the strike and then, no doubt, it will be as you were to his cohorts.

At yesterdays press conferance Dave Ward referred several times to the letter he had received that morning from Higson, to which the members of the press had each received a copy.

To me, it was clear that Dave Ward was saying, the contents of that letter had changed the deal that had been agreed in principle and that was unacceptable.

Assuming every member of the press sat with a copy of that letter and scrutinised the paragraph Dave Ward pointed them to, not one of them raised a concern that there was a misinterpretation on the part of the CWU.

Both Dave Ward and Billy Hayes made it patently clear that in their opinion it was outside influence that had scuppered the prospects of a deal and again, this was not robustly challenged at the time.

[Destroyer]

This is Higsons letter yesterday -

Dave Ward
Deputy General Secretary
Communication Workers Union
150 The Broadway
Wimbledon
London
SW19 1RX

Dear Dave,

I have had time to reflect overnight about the position our teams have reached in the discussions. It seems that despite the many meetings we had trying to resolve the current differences between us, the union is set on a course for industrial action. It still need not be the case and we are determined to do what we can to avert strike action and resolve the issues: we both understand the damaging and lasting impact such a strike would have on our customers and all our futures.

Whilst it has not been clear in the meetings what your view of the central issues in this dispute are, it is clear that there are two consistent but unrelated areas of debate to which we keep returning:

1) At the heart of this dispute seems to be the concerns that the CWU in London has about the changes we have implemented in London in line with the national Pay and Modernisation agreement reached in 2007 with support from the TUC and, in the early stages, ACAS.
2) The other area which we have been discussing at length is how we deliver the next set of changes, which we agreed would form Phase 4 of the Pay and Modernisation Agreement.

In the late summer you publicly offered a moratorium on change and industrial action in London. We announced a few weeks ago that we had finished all structural change for this calendar year so that we can focus, as always, on providing good service in the run up to Christmas and we have since been asking for you, in return, to honour your repeated commitment to a moratorium on strikes. That would give an opportunity for your local teams to re-engage with us in discussing improvements to the changes that we have already made - in line with the agreed industrial relations framework and of course recognising that there is no going back on change. Those discussions will have much more chance of success if we allow enough time, and if they take place in a period of calm which a moratorium would provide.

This dispute started out as disagreement over change in London but has evolved so that the union is now threatening national industrial action over what phase 4 of Pay and Modernisation looks like - yet this is an area where we have no current disagreement - and talks are continuing and making progress. Again, I think we both accept that our combined ability to succeed in reaching agreement in this area can only be improved by allowing sufficient time for our discussions to progress in a calm atmosphere. I think we’d also agree that, even with us both fully focused on it, we are unlikely to achieve that much before Christmas.

We are both aware of the huge damage and distraction that industrial action would cause, which would inhibit and delay us reaching agreement and would mean an even longer period of pain and disruption for customers. For all these reasons, I am proposing that we agree that the union does not activate its ballot at this stage and allows a much-needed period of calm. I know that under current legislation, the union would need to take action by 3rd November 2009 otherwise the ballot will be invalid, unless the company agrees to an extension. So I am offering an extension on that date of 4 weeks (the maximum allowed under legislation) to 1st December provided that:

- the union take no industrial action until that extension expires other than 15 minutes in the final week of the extension period should you still feel the need to validate your ballot
- the union takes no industrial action between the 1st December and the end of December
- no further industrial action is taken on the back of any other current local ballots prior to the end of December
- the union withdraws all instructions to representatives not to cooperate with change and modernisation and tells them to re-engage with the agreed industrial relations framework

As I said in my letter last week, I am happy to consider using a third party to work with us on developing our industrial relations framework in the future, which (as you know) is part of Phase 4 of the 2007 Pay and Modernisation agreement - but again we can only do so once you have shown your commitment to real progress by calling off the planned strikes, as you have publicly promised to do.

This overall proposal gives our customers much needed stability and certainty in the run up to Christmas and ensures that our people can maintain that important relationship with their customers in this important period. It also gives us an opportunity to resolve the national issues between us whilst local teams can work on their issues without the disruption of ongoing industrial action.

I very much hope that you will accept this as a sensible way forward for all of us.

Yours sincerely
Mark Higson
Managing Director, Royal Mail Letters

http://www.royalmail.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dvbuk55]

The wording of this " agreement" or "draft document" seems to be couched in exactly the same vein as the 2007 modernisation agreement and that is a worrying aspect. Nothing agreed but open to interpretation and we all know that the membership, the CWU and Royal Mail are on a different wavelength when it comes to interpreting the terms of an agreement. Merely having a trial seems to be tantamount to agreeing, flexibility is open to agreement - I could go on but I don't like the look of this either.

[fishtank]

"Whilst it has not been clear in the meetings what your view of the central issues in this dispute are, it is clear that there are two consistent but unrelated areas of debate to which we keep returning:"

Why is he pretending he was there?

[Geezer]

These are off RM's web site, there just press releases so there bound to be a bit fishy.

http://www.news.royalmailgroup.com/news/currenta.asp

[norbert]

If the strike are called off for this then its game over.

The only thing agreed in this draft agreement is that THERE IS NO AGREEMENT.

We need clear and and concise draft agreement that tackles the issues. Not something that is ambiguous.

it does sound very wooly & vague - you could drive a artic through that

[fishtank]

These are off RM's web site, there just press releases so there bound to be a bit fishy.

http://www.news.royalmailgroup.com/news/currenta.asp

Aso on CWU website twice as fishy?

[POSTMAN]

That would give an opportunity for your local teams to re-engage with us in discussing improvements to the changes that we have already made - in line with the agreed industrial relations framework and of course recognising that there is no going back on change.

Sums it up,everything they have exec act us will stay!

[Destroyer]

They should get the interviewer live on SKY next time he's on to ask that Paul Tolhurst to bring his Boss down to there recording studio & we'll send Dave Ward down & they can do it live on TV , pull up a table , thrash it out - Big Brother style & sign the agreement in front of millions ?? What do you reckon ??

[kingtubby]

They should get the interviewer live on SKY next time he's on to ask that Paul Tolhurst to bring his Boss down to there recording studio & we'll send Dave Ward down & they can do it live on TV , pull up a table , thrash it out - Big Brother style & sign the agreement in front of millions ?? What do you reckon ??

I'd buy that for a Dollar!!

[oypostie]

I think they should do it on Harry Hill. Fiiiggghtt !!!!

[norbert]

I think they should do it on Harry Hill. Fiiiggghtt !!!!