Post Office staff vote by 90% for further industrial action

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Workers in Crown post offices have voted by nine to one in favour of industrial action short of strike. The ballot closed today with 90% voting yes for action which is likely to comprise a sales ban on financial products and services.

Crown post office staff have already taken nine rounds of strike action having voted by 88% in favour of strike action in a ballot in March. The dispute is over plans to close and/or franchise 75 of the network's 372 Crown offices - 20% of the remaining network - to cut 1,500 jobs, and a pay freeze.

Today's ballot result means workers can take different forms of industrial action in addition to strike action. A sales ban would mean Crown post office staff not selling products such as insurance, credit cards, and other banking products. CWU already has concerns about the sales strategy with undue pressure being put on staff to sell these products. There is also a concern about the reputation of the products as the Bank of Ireland (which provides banking products for the Post Office) was ranked 21 out of 21 by Which? in a recent report.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "This ballot result sends another strong message to Post Office management that their staff completely disagree with their business plan and will not be trampled on. A sales ban will hit an integral part of the Post Office's business plan and hopefully focus minds to resolve this dispute.

"Staff are feeling alienated from the company's controversial business plan which is overly reliant on cuts, closures and aggressive sales targets. We are concerned that sales targets are over-ambitious and could lead to hard-sell tactics which would be at odds with the Post Office brand.

"The strong ballot result - especially during summer holidays and after five months of dispute - is an amazing demonstration of how strong the workforce is united in this dispute. We want to resolve it, but management must take their heads out of the sand."

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Letter to Branches




No: 562
Ref: 101
Date: 15 August 2013
TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS

Dear Colleague

POST OFFICE: PAY 2012 AND BEYOND AND THE FUTURE OF THE CROWN OFFICE NETWORK

89.6% vote YES to take action short of a strike over job security and pay

Ballot Result

YES VOTES
1878
89.6%
NO VOTES
219
10.4%
SPOILT PAPERS
3

TURNOUT

58.3%

Associated with this LTB is a copy of the ballot result from the Independent Scrutineer - ERS

After nine bouts of strike action and some five months since the dispute commenced, this ballot result is, once again, a stinging indictment of the way the Post Office are treating our members. It is also clearly a further pressure point, which should help us secure a resolution in our dispute over pay and job security. The Post Office now needs to behave responsibly and respond positively by ‘listening to the voice of its greatest asset – the workers.

We have 28 days in which to activate this ballot, therefore, any action would need to be taken by 11th September. We also need to provide the Post Office with 7 days notice of any action we take.

Branches are urged to bring the ballot result contained within this LTB to the attention of all Crown Office members. Please note the ballot result will also be communicated to our Crown members via Facebook, website, Twitter, email, text and a home mailing. Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey Dave Ward
Assistant Secretary Deputy General Secretary (P)

[Red Robbo]

So how many were balloted then ?

[Lincox]

Approx 4000. 58.3% turnout