'Death wish' as national post strike declared

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Dea ... 5717179.jp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

POSTAL workers have voted in favour of a national strike in a bitter row over jobs, pay and services, threatening widespread disruption to mail deliveries in the coming weeks, it was announced today.
The Communication Workers Union said its members backed a nationwide walkout by 3-1 in protest at the "imposition" of changes to working practices as well as cuts in their pay and job losses.

The union will have to give seven days notice of a strike, raising the threat of industrial action across the country by the end of the month, just two years after the last national stoppage.

The CWU said 76% of those who took part in the ballot voted for a strike.

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "This is a huge vote of no confidence in Royal Mail management. The company has tried to make out that problems only exist in some local offices, but postal workers across the UK have now spoken and they say no to Royal Mail's arrogance.

"Royal Mail has never really been engaged in modernisation. They've been running down the business, running down services and cutting costs and it's that business plan that postal workers have overwhelmingly rejected today.

"There's still an opportunity to reach an agreement before any national strike action takes place.

"We need a national agreement which secures a fair deal on modernisation and reward for the efforts of postal workers in transforming the business. We want reassurances on job security, covering both redundancies and full-time part-time ratios.

"Crucial to an agreement is fair workloads with agreed standards of measurement. Constantly disciplining postal workers will not improve efficiencies but will drive an ever bigger wedge between workers and what they are told is modernisation.

"We've seen cuts and increased workloads and now we need an agreed roll-out of real modernisation. Aligning the interests of customers, employees and the company as a whole is a prerequisite for the successful modernisation of Royal Mail.

"The Government must act now to resolve the pensions deficit which is crippling the Royal Mail's finances and chances to modernise effectively."

Almost 81,000 CWU members took part in the ballot, a turnout of 67%. A total of 61,623 backed strikes, with 19,207 against, a majority of 76.24%.

Postal affairs minister Lord Young said: "A national postal strike is completely self defeating and will only serve to hurt consumers and businesses who rely on the post and drive even more people away from using mail as a means of communication.

"Royal Mail must modernise and these strikes will slow down that essential process. The amount of mail being posted continues to fall dramatically and the company's financial position is precarious. Management and the unions have to resolve their differences and work together on the change necessary to safeguard the future of the company."

Robert Hammond, post expert at Consumer Focus, said: "It's hugely disappointing to watch a great UK institution tear itself apart.

"We call on Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union to urgently ask for Acas intervention to resolve this dispute.

"A prolonged strike over Christmas could cripple the service and will lead to a miserable time for consumers and businesses alike.

"The bottom line is that there are no winners in this dispute. Royal Mail customers are already finding alternative ways of communicating and many will not return once the dispute is over.

"Post users should consider what the disruption will mean for them. People will need to rely on telephone, email or fax.

"To avoid extra charges, consumers expecting bills should call the company in advance and arrange an alternative way to pay - such as phone, online or at a bank or post office.

"We are urging companies that are heavy users of the post service - such as Amazon or eBay - to make their plans clear on their websites, especially if the strike continues in the run up to Christmas.

"Banks and credit card companies should also show flexibility when considering late payment charges incurred as a result of delayed mail.

"Failure to modernise the postal service is a long-term problem and must be addressed. There's been a lack of focus since Lord Mandelson announced that the Government would not proceed with the Postal Services Bill. As the shareholder, the Government must come up with a plan that delivers modernisation."

Dr Adam Marshall, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "This strike announcement defies logic at a time when businesses and Government are working hard to move the UK economy back to growth. Postal delays are already hurting small businesses and major companies across the country.

"At a time when businesses are taking drastic measures to keep as many people in employment as possible, the CWU's call for strike action in the run-up to the busy Christmas period is akin to a death wish."

The union's leadership will meet on Monday to decide its next move, giving a "window of opportunity" for talks to head off a strike, said Mr Ward.

He said the overwhelming ballot result, on a high turnout, was a "damning verdict" on the way Royal Mail was running the business.

"Every postal worker understands that Royal Mail has to adapt, but it has to take the workforce with it. Royal Mail is not engaged in modernisation - they have been running the company down and managing decline."

Mr Ward said he regretted that the dispute had worsened, but he warned that the postal service was being "destroyed" by the cuts.

He urged the Government to intervene, saying it was responsible for many of the company's problems after introducing competition earlier than elsewhere in Europe and for allowing the pensions deficit to balloon to billions of pounds.

"In these circumstances, it is unacceptable for the Government to sit on the sidelines."

Mr Ward said there was now an opportunity to resolve the dispute before strikes are held, adding: "We know we have difficult challenges ahead. We want to do that with agreement and we will work hard to secure an agreement before a national strike becomes a reality."

Mr Ward said postal workers were feeling "desperate" because of the cuts.

He said: "They see no vision from the company, no light at the end of the tunnel. The company is running this business into the ground - we are the people defending the service.

"If the only thing Royal Mail can do is continue to axe jobs, cut services, cut pensions, and cut terms and conditions, who in their right mind is going to support that approach?"

Online auction site eBay said it has decided to temporarily remove the option for buyers to rate sellers on the time taken to dispatch an item, following the strike decision.

It said: "This action was agreed as a way of supporting eBay sellers as their status and discounts on the site are wholly dependent upon their Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) - of which dispatch time is one such criterion.

"The change will be implemented for the duration of the strike and a period thereafter.

"As many of eBay's sellers rely heavily on Royal Mail, we are working with a number of alternative postal carriers to ensure sellers can provide the levels of service that are critical in the run-up to Christmas.

"eBay has also expressed its concerns directly to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, insisting that it is unacceptable that so many hard-working small businesses selling on eBay are victims of a dispute that is beyond their control."

Managing director Mark Lewis said: "Some 120,000 businesses are currently registered and making a living on eBay.co.uk.

"While they work with a variety of postal suppliers, many rely on Royal Mail for their deliveries and are understandably concerned that further postal strikes will continue to cause huge disruption at a time when they can least afford it.

"Our businesses tell us that Christmas typically accounts for a fifth of their annual sales and despite the tough economic conditions, they're successfully growing their businesses and investing for future growth.

"In fact, our sellers have already seen buyers hunting for pre-Christmas bargains with tinsel sales up 65% and Christmas tree sales up 112%.

"While we appreciate the complexity of the issues at hand, the Royal Mail, the Government and the union must work to bring this dispute to a swift end."

Federation of Small Businesses chairman John Wright said: "Industrial action by postal workers is one of the single most disruptive occurrences for a small business.

"Wildcat strikes across the regions have already had a damaging impact on small businesses, but a national strike could be catastrophic for already struggling firms.

"The loss and damage of post can have a devastating impact on small firms which, in the worst case, lose trade and clients because cheques and invoices don't arrive on time - sometimes up to three weeks late.

"At a time when small businesses are cutting costs and doing all they can to keep afloat during the recession, the postal strikes can have a disastrous impact on their cash flow.

"After a tough year and with Christmas fast approaching, this is a key time for small firms to ensure they are getting invoices and cheques paid on time, and products and services to their customers to ensure they can start 2010 in the strongest position possible so they can help stimulate the economy."

Robert Keitch of the Direct Marketing Association said: "No party stands to gain from the CWU's proposed national postal workers strike. However, UK business will be the ultimate loser.

"Strike action will deal a severe body blow to every company that relies on the post to issue invoices, collect payments and market their products and services to their customers. With the economy being a fragile as it is, strike action will cause untold harm to UK plc.

"The Government is being non-committal in terms of how it regards its role in finding a resolution to the postal strike.

"I believe that the Government needs to take an unconventional approach as the shareholder and take decisive action. Like the management of Royal Mail, the CWU ultimately wants the same thing, namely, a successful, vibrant Royal Mail.

"If the Government is to support UK businesses, it needs to realise that these strikes will only serve to undermine the commercial value of post as a means of doing business."

Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke said: "This strike is the most foolish and irresponsible for many years. It's almost impossible for anyone outside the union to work out what it's all about. The business needs to be reorganised and turned into a functioning delivery service as quickly as possible, but the Government appears to have gone into a state of total inactivity on Royal Mail. "

Royal Mail condemned the CWU's plan for a national strike as "deplorable and irresponsible" and said the union's action would drive customers away from the business and undermine confidence in the entire postal services industry.

Royal Mail managing director Mark Higson said: "It is clearly reprehensible for the union to continue to hold strikes when Royal Mail is not planning any further efficiency changes for the rest of the 2009 calendar year and the priority facing everyone in Royal Mail is to deliver the best possible service to customers in the run-up to Christmas.

"We have held more than seven meetings with the CWU over the last few months and we call on them now to stop the strikes, get back round the table and talk.

"The union leadership agreed to these changes but have reneged on that agreement and now they are reneging on their repeated offer to call off strikes and are intent on disrupting customer service as much as they can even though nearly 60% of our postmen and women did not vote for strike action.

"The union says it supports modernisation and wants to serve customers - but again these prove to be empty words.

"Every letter is important to us and we apologise unreservedly for the disruption and inconvenience our customers have suffered as a result of the CWU's strikes."

[hubbahubba]

The amount of mail being posted continues to fall dramatically
Total bol**x!GET REAL AND GET TALKING!! :cfo

[IWW Fellow Worker]

"Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke said: "It's almost impossible for anyone outside the union to work out what it's all about."

Then keep your ill informed opinions to yourself you fat Tory drunkard!

[PrestwickPostie]

lord young can go and take a flying f*ck to himself :cfo :mfo

[jockstrapp]

Why don't these @rseholes visit a delivery office and see what is going on instead of giving ill informed views

[Fred B]

Why don't these @rseholes visit a delivery office and see what is going on instead of giving ill informed views

By the time they got their lard arses out of their stinking pit, the day is half over!

[stevie247]

Postal affairs minister Lord Young said: "A national postal strike is completely self defeating and will only serve to hurt consumers and businesses who rely on the post and drive even more people away from using mail as a means of communication.

These liebour ministers before opening thier mouths should ask the "labour" force that work for RM why standing up for your terms and conditions is NEVER "self defeating".........

[baldrick]

Postal affairs minister Lord Young said: "A national postal strike is completely self defeating and will only serve to hurt consumers and businesses who rely on the post and drive even more people away from using mail as a means of communication.

These liebour ministers before opening thier mouths should ask the "labour" force that work for RM why standing up for your terms and conditions is NEVER "self defeating".........

And Lord Tony Young should know better as he was a Deputy General Secretary of the CWU
- although he was on the BT side. But as an ex Trade Union leader you would think he might
have some understanding of why we have voted for IA.
But I suppose now that he is on the New Labour gravy train he will side with the employer.

[bexhil palace]

To be honest there is a part of me that hopes that RM gets it's way and brings in all the destructive changes they crave.
And when they do and big business get a third world postal service,(sorry to use the S word) they can go and royally F..k themselves.
Then i think of my customers, and i know they deserve so much better than these clowns can offer.