Union claims posties will need 'stamina of the SAS'

[Pat Ostman]

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/new ... rtComments

Posties in Lincoln will need SAS-style stamina to complete their rounds following a service shake-up, according to their union.

Members of the Communication Workers' Union have begun voting on whether to launch a national strike in a bitter row with Royal Mail over pay, jobs and services.

The result of the national ballot of 120,000 members is expected on October 8 or 9.

The long-running dispute has already sparked a series of walkouts across the country over the past few months, causing huge problems for businesses.

In March this year postal workers at the Lincoln sorting office walked out in an unofficial three-day strike over changes to their job descriptions, working practices and health and safety fears about a new van-sharing plan.


Regional CWU secretary Paul Clays said the mood in Lincoln over the latest row was no different to anywhere else in the country.

"Post men and women are absolutely sick of being dictated to by a management which is intent on ruining the service for the public," he said.

"Royal Mail wants to introduce different shift patterns which would result in later deliveries, if at all.

"They are also talking about post men and women walking up to five miles on their rounds with 100kg of post on their backs.

"That's more like being in the SAS than being a post man or woman."

Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the CWU, said a "period of calm" was needed over the next six weeks to give both sides time to discuss how the service should be modernised.

Royal Mail's managing director Mark Higson has said that changes being made were in response to falling volumes of mail as people switched to other forms of communication such as e-mails and texts.

[stokes11eg]

Period of calm? Sounds more and more like the Unions are going to let us down again------------

[dvbuk55]

Period of calm? Sounds more and more like the Unions are going to let us down again------------

I certainly hope not, because if they let us down this time, there will be no point in being in this union at all and I would imagine a mass exodus of union members possibly to another union, which may not be recognised by RM as such but will have some measure of protection. Six weeks takes us 3 weeks beyond the ballot closure - what we really need is the union to be banking on a YES vote and be organising the strike days now.

One thing that worries me about the union stance is that it still relies on LOCAL agreements and what we really need is a national standard with minor changes for local agreement, not 5 weeks in 1 week off, 4 days @ 10 hours, a more regimented standard for attendance patterns.

[steven100]

I'm going to start my own union if CWU bottle it again. Army of darkness, AofD union.

[stokes11eg]

I'm going to start my own union if CWU bottle it again. Army of darkness, AofD union.

Can we have True Blue for President?

[Jack Mehoff]

I'm going to start my own union if CWU bottle it again. Army of darkness, AofD union.

Can we have True Blue for President?

With you there mate.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

[Jack Mehoff]

I've read most of your threads and I'm certain that a lot of the guys on here will back you as you always make sense of what is happening.
I'm not suggesting you should form a break-away but I think your views and opinions should be heard on a much larger scale. Maybe you should be in an advisory posistion for CWU.

I'd bet a pound to a penny that most on here would agree with me.

[Puppetmaster]

Can only agree with what has been said already

[andy2007]

Perhaps Teebs could be convinced to go for Dave Ward's job, next time it comes up. What do you think?

[stokes11eg]

Better still--he should go for Billys job--aim high--

[brothermagrew]

Now then now then, not a few unreasonable suggestions, but I would prefer him spending at least 6 to 9 months in charge of Head of Communications as he is a rare breed who ferrets out the news grand style for us, and above all else brings it to us post-haste

[POSTMAN]

ermmmmm excuse me,teebs aint going nowhere,he's needed here!!

[andy2007]

Can't he do both?

[DGP1]

If we're to have the stamina of the SAS then do we get those cool black uniforms, with proper boots (I'll leave the MP5 because I have enough weight to carry )



Anyway, Teebs just remember this........................You've just been volunteered for the role (I would have thought that all those years in the military would have taught you to avoid volunteering ).