Ipswich Royal Mail centre union ballot over job losses

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-23988701" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail workers in Ipswich are being balloted on industrial action over the proposed transfer of posts to Essex.

The company announced it was looking to move processing jobs to Chelmsford as part of a national reorganisation.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said that it would affect at least 139 staff in Ipswich.

It said the move had not been agreed with the union and it had a number of concerns. Royal Mail said no final decision had been made.

Dave Scott, union branch secretary for Suffolk, said: "In August, Royal Mail told all staff under the roof that the entire processing element of work was to be transferred to Chelmsford.

"This [ballot on industrial action] is to try and force Royal Mail to step back from the executive action it has imposed and re-negotiate with the union.

"The union has made representations not only for the 139 jobs that would be lost, but also for protecting the current postal service the people of Ipswich and the surrounding area receive."

Ballot 'disappointing'
The union said a total of 230 people worked in the processing and delivery offices at the Commercial Road site in Ipswich.

Royal Mail said no final decision had been made on Ipswich, but "current thinking" was that the jobs could start moving to Chelmsford in 2014.

Sally Hopkins, Royal Mail spokesperson, said: "It is disappointing that a ballot for industrial action has been issued, however we remain hopeful that the issues can be resolved locally.

"Royal Mail is fully committed to the process of trying to resolve concerns of postal workers in Ipswich by continuing to follow the national jointly-agreed framework with the union."

The union said the result of the ballot would be known on 16 September.

[silly suffolk]

royal mail review team totally ignoring mail centre rationalisation agreement. that's all we want. adherence to national agreements. where have we heard that before.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/ipswich_roya ... _1_2370421" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ipswich: Royal Mail staff in strike threat over sorting office closure

The Royal Mail sorting office in Ipswich is set to close by the summer of 2015, staff have been told.

The company – which is preparing for privatisation – has told staff that 139 sorting office jobs will be affected when all sorting currently undertaken in Ipswich is moved to Chelmsford.

Ipswich staff are now being balloted on possible industrial action in response to the closure threat – the result of the ballot is due to be announced on September 16.

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail said that the consultation on the future of the Ipswich sorting office, which started in November last year, was continuing.

However the current thinking of the company was that it would start winding down sorting operations in Ipswich next autumn and all sorting would transfer to Chelmsford by the summer of 2015.

The sorting office is owned by the borough council – and leader David Ellesmere was disappointed to hear about the current proposals: “There would be a loss of jobs from Ipswich. Even if some people transferred to Chelmsford, when they came to leave the jobs would be filled by people from Essex – they will be lost to Ipswich.”

Dave Scott, the local secretary of the Communications Workers said staff were angry at the proposed closure of the sorting office – and he felt many would be unable to transfer.


“Some of the staff there are part-time, working 15 hours a week. It isn’t going to be viable for them to go down to Chelmsford.

“This is very bad news for Ipswich and the Royal Mail in particular – but we feel this was always what was going to happen.

“They said they were having a consultation, but they always
knew what result they were looking for.”

The Royal Mail said that in previous sorting office closures a significant number of staff had transferred to new locations – although the spokeswoman said they accepted this was not always possible.

She said the proposals should not affect mail delivery or the collection of parcels which should continue from the existing building in Commercial Road.

“But I have to stress that this is only our current thinking – we are still talking to unions, staff and other interested parties and we have not reached any final decision.”

[UnhappyGremlin]

......and we have not reached any final decision.”

Like any of us will believe that.
They have too long a track record for lying and deceit. No trust left.