Union and Royal Mail in new talks to end dispute

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story ... 46,00.html

Mark Milner, industrial editor
Thursday October 18, 2007
The Guardian

Further talks aimed at ending the long-running dispute between the Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union which has caused widespread disruption to postal services in recent weeks are to be held today.

The union said it was seeking to clarify "remaining outstanding issues" in relation to a deal on pay, pensions and working practices hammered out at the end of last week between the CWU's general secretary, Billy Hayes, his deputy, Dave Ward, and the Royal Mail's chief executive, Adam Crozier.

The union's postal executive has been debating since Monday whether to recommend the terms to the 130,000 union members at Royal Mail.

Yesterday a union representative said: "Further negotiations took place last week between the CWU and Royal Mail's chief executive, Adam Crozier. Following these negotiations, proposed terms to settle the dispute were presented to the postal executive over the last two days.

"The TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, has now invited both parties for a further meeting so that the CWU can clarify the remaining outstanding issues."

The union did not give details about the issues but said that it had agreed to suspend the current industrial action. Royal Mail made it clear that it did not expect to be asked to negotiate any changes to the original deal.

A company spokesman said: "Royal Mail has agreed to meet with the union to clarify outstanding issues, but the agreement reached and endorsed last Friday [by Mr Hayes and Mr Ward] stands."

The company has offered CWU members a 6.9% pay deal over 18 months and the agreement also covers Royal Mail's plans to modernise its mail operations to cope with mounting competition from rival postal services and other communications media.

The union has expressed concern that Royal Mail's original proposals would have led to the loss of up to 40,000 jobs.

It is understood the agreement on conditions is based on decisions being taken at local and regional level, rather than the implementation of a one-size-fits-all national programme.

Though the CWU has suspended industrial action, postal services have been hit by a series of wildcat strikes. Yesterday postal workers at a depot in Yorkshire, who walked out on Tuesday, went back to work. However workers at depots in Liverpool are continuing to take unofficial action. The wildcat strikes flared after Royal Mail implemented later starting times.

Royal Mail has acknowledged that the current dispute with workers has cost "tens of millions" of pounds.

[fujitsu]

sounds like this deal is worse that the original one to me

[vigilante]

A company spokesman said: "Royal Mail has agreed to meet with the union to clarify outstanding issues, but the agreement reached and endorsed last Friday [by Mr Hayes and Mr Ward] stands."



THATS IT THEN, ROYAL MAIL ARE NOT GOING TO CONSIDER ANY CHANGES PROPOSED BY PEC TO THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.
LET'S NOW SEE THE CRAP OFFER AND VOTE IT OUT AND NO MORE MESSING ROUND.

[borders]

Better still, why havent the PEC got the balls to admit it is a crap deal and vote it out ? then we can get the strikes going again next week instead of waiting for a month. in our office the place was seriously close to grinding to a halt---no space to put anything and no equipment . gradually they are catching up and we have let them off the hook ---- again.

[Daniel Dunglas Home]

They had sh*tloads of casual workers in our place last night out of the blue and i believe its the same in other offices they shouldn't have been allowed in really except it shows us in a good light because as usual they're bloody useless.
And we shoudn't have let RM off the ropes last week.

[dvbuk55]

They had sh*tloads of casual workers in our place last night out of the blue and i believe its the same in other offices they shouldn't have been allowed in really except it shows us in a good light because as usual they're bloody useless.
And we shoudn't have let RM off the ropes last week.

THEY might be crap - but you know who will get the blame when the complaints start rolling in.

[shaunyr]

we are getting no news just afew rumers this is taking to long.the way forward all over again one big stitch up .they have agreed a deal or they have,nt,its simple .give us some facts or our money back

[mdtomuk]

Check out Lovejoys latest Post on NEWS!

ITS NOW FRIDAY AT THE TUC

[smarterdarter]

"Desicions made at local and regional level"

No thanks VOTE NO!!!

[evilc]

"Desicions made at local and regional level"

No thanks VOTE NO!!!

there goes any chance of getting national agreements in the future.Weak offices will be picked off to work their crap ideas then they will try with the rest creating more industrial unrest.

[maximus]

Deleted

[meweavy]

at the end of the day the final vote is still down to us,and there can,t be an postie in the country that would agree to that..so it will be a big fat no from everybody.

[dvbuk55]

"Desicions made at local and regional level"

No thanks VOTE NO!!!

there goes any chance of getting national agreements in the future.Weak offices will be picked off to work their crap ideas then they will try with the rest creating more industrial unrest.

Divide and conquer seems the two sh*ts have found a new way to win this! Billy Dave and pec cant be that dumb can they?

:lfo :cfo

Yes!