Postal workers 'a long way from solving dispute'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Postal-w ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TALKS are being held in a bid to halt a possible strike by postal workers based at a depot serving south Bristol.

But unions say they are currently a "long way" from agreeing terms with the Royal Mail to solve the dispute at the Mead Street depot.

Communication Workers Union branch secretary David Wilshire said a meeting between the two sides was due to be held tomorrow in response to union proposals calling for, among other things, more jobs, a review of deliveries and an investigation into allegations of bullying.

Workers are currently voting on support for a strike which could affect Christmas deliveries to the BS4 and BS14 postcode areas, including Knowle, Brislington and Hengrove.

Mr Wilshire said: "The meeting is only scheduled for two hours. We are quite a long way apart still, so whether we can come to an agreement or not in the time is uncertain.

"This is a positive step, although there is some distance between the two sides at present. From our perspective, it is not merely a case of concluding any agreement but an agreement that is acceptable to our members at this unit".

Mr Wilshire said that Royal Mail needed to readdress staff shortages at the depot, near Temple Meads station, and conduct a "full review" of deliveries to ensure that a backlog of undelivered mail does not build up again.

He also said that the CWU will be asking for an investigation into allegations of bullying at the depot which had been made over the past two months.

Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth said the organisation was concerned that a ballot was being staged before other channels of solving the crisis had been explored.

He said: "We are pleased this meeting is going ahead because Royal Mail has been disappointed the Communication Workers Union is balloting staff for industrial action before taking any concerns it might have through our jointly agreed framework for resolving local issues and finding solutions. This framework works well across our company and is agreed with the Union.

"We are aware of staff concerns about operational changes we have made to some delivery rounds. There is a national agreement with the CWU on our modernisation programme covering the whole of the UK including the changes made in Bristol South East delivery office.

"These matters will be resolved within the standard framework for reaching local agreement with the Union. We urge Union representatives to continue working with us within that framework."

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail staff protest ahead of ballot http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Royal-Ma ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

POSTAL workers held a protest as ballot papers asking union members whether they want to strike over working conditions were sent out.

The Communications Workers' Union dispatched ballot papers to workers at the Royal Mail depot in Mead Street, near Temple Meads, where a protest was held yesterday morning.

The CWU, which is urging members to support the call for strike action, claims that the depot is understaffed and people are being overworked there which has resulted in undelivered mail piling up.

The Royal Mail says the problem is down to staff sickness and will be resolved.

The ballot closes in a week and a "yes" vote could see industrial action in the lead-up to Christmas.

Staff based at the Mead Street depot normally deliver mail to the BS4 and BS14 postcode areas, which include Brislington, Knowle and Hengrove.

[Lincox]

Is this the same nationally agreed framework that takes a year or more to deal with grievances. If thats the case then the mail pile up at Bristol would be still there in Xmas 2013 and someone who is or has been bullied may have been carted off to a sanatorium. Well done Bristol lads, you have done the only thing you could have done to get this company to sit up and listen to what is happening all over the country.

[minimumstandard]

Well Done Bristol the CWU should relocate HQ to Bristol

[north london driver]

Well Done Bristol the CWU should relocate HQ to Bristol

to relocate HQ TO bristol would cost 6o grand for each officer and billy would want double.

[Johnny_Rad]

What a pile of s**t!!!! I'm sick of the CWU.. We have never achieved anything striking apart from losing money and support from the public. Work to rule and stop doing overtime you f***ing idiots.. Problem solved...... RM will then come across as the bad guys and not the posties.. The job is a joke, the union is a joke and RM staff are their own worse enemys..