Union members ordered to cover work in Royal Mail dispute

[Geezer]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 882940.ece

From The Times
October 21, 2009
Union members ordered to cover work in Royal Mail dispute
David Sanderson


The Royal Mail dispute enveloped another trade union yesterday after thousands of its members were ordered to cover the work of striking employees.

Unite, which is not taking industrial action with the Communication Workers Union, accused the Royal Mail of “igniting the flames rather than damping them down”.

Mark Higson, managing director of Royal Mail, said that the covering of driving and mail sorting jobs by supervisors and managers, who have previously been allowed to volunteer for the tasks, would no longer be optional.

In a letter to 5,000 employees he wrote that while he wanted their “mandatory” redeployment to be for two days a week at the moment, this could increase if the strike escalated.

Paul Reuter, Unite’s national officer, described the letter as a veiled threat. Other union sources said that Mr Higson was deliberately trying to create tension between Unite’s 10,000 Royal Mail members and the CWU, whose 120,000 members working at the company are due to take strike action on Thursday and Friday.

The Royal Mail and CWU continued discussions yesterday in an attempt to break the deadlock. Royal Mail’s position that it would go to Acas, the arbitration council, only if the union called off strikes is a major stumbling block.

Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, described the strike yesterday as “totally self-defeating” and warned that more customers would be driven away from Royal Mail, which faced “terminal decline” if it stood still.

He told the House of Lords: “Royal Mail’s finances will be plunged into the red ... one thing this company cannot afford is strikes and industrial action.

“Royal Mail’s small business customers will look on with anger and exasperation. Just as there are signs of the economy recovering and the prospects for their businesses are improving, strikes now will set them back and put their businesses in jeopardy.”

Billy Hayes, general secretary of the CWU, described the Business Secretary’s comments as “extremely unhelpful” and said that they would “damage the talks”.

Mr Reuter said that although his members were expected to cross the picket lines on Thursday and Friday, there was great sympathy with the CWU’s concerns about Royal Mail management.

He said that Mr Higson’s letter to Royal Mail managers was an “unreasonable instruction”, adding: “To force our members into such an invidious position would be inappropriate and potentially dangerous. This unilateral action by Royal Mail undermines its responsibilities.

“Our members have never had a problem in the past with covering other duties but this is a veiled threat: if you do not do this you will be disciplined. Mark Higson is only igniting the flames, not damping them down.”

The postal operator has already announced plans to recruit 30,000 temporary workers to deal with the backlog of mail. The CWU has threatened to take legal action if the temporary workers are doing the work of striking employees.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “It is absolutely right that Royal Mail managers put our customers first, which is why managers from across Royal Mail are working hard to deliver customers’ letters as quickly as possible following any industrial action by the CWU and are doing a fantastic job in minimising delays to the mail. Anyone who is not able to work directly in the operation for whatever reason is not required to do so.”

[opgpat]

One stern letter and they're running for the hills. Bully boys getting a taste of their own medicine and they don't like it BOOO HOOO.

[phantomshare]

“Our members have never had a problem in the past with covering other duties but this is a veiled threat: if you do not do this you will be disciplined. Mark Higson is only igniting the flames, not damping them down.”

Well you should be bloody ashamed of yourselves, and hand in your union card!!