Text of Letter sent to Angard Employees by Royal Mail : Potential strike action

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 19 Oct 2019, 08:06

Dear Angard Staffing Solutions Colleague,

Our Angard workers play a valuable role in our business as such we wanted to provide you with
some support and guidance in the current climate.

Potential strike action

As you may know Royal Mail is currently in mediation with the CWU. The CWU have today confirmed
a “yes” vote in their ballot of Royal Mail staff, to take part in potential industrial action. We want to
assure you that this dispute does not relate to your employment with Angard Staffing Solutions, who is your
employer. This means even if you are a member of the CWU, you are not entitled to take part in any
strike action.

The CWU have indicated the action may take place around 20 November 2019. Formal notice is still
to be received from the CWU and mediation will continue with the hope of reaching an agreement
so we will keep Angard Staffing Solutions up to date with the latest news.

Can I work during strike action?
We also wanted to assure you that you CAN work on the day of any industrial action where you are
performing your normal role. We will have managers at the picket line to support both Angard
Staffing Solutions and Royal Mail employees who wish to work. We welcome and appreciate the
support of everyone working on these days. Please be aware that should you decide not to work a
confirmed assignment e.g. because you do not wish to cross a picket line, then you will not be paid,
just as with any other unauthorised absence. We would also ask that you confirm to Angard Staffing
Solutions when you are not able to work a standard shift where you would be expected, this is for
health and safety reasons.

Queries
If you have any queries or concerns then please contact Angard Staffing Solutions who will be
provided with the most up to date information as we are able to share it.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours faithfully,
Alison Westwood
Head of Recruitment Services
Royal Mail Group

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 19 Oct 2019, 08:06

The question I would have is why weren't Angard members balloted.

26l34 · Post by **26l34** » 19 Oct 2019, 10:47

How many Angard employees are in the CWU d’you reckon? I’ve thought about joining but I’ve never got even an hello out of the union rep on my shift, I know some in the union dislike Angard and Angard employees because obviously we represent the sort of future workforce RM want, I think it’s surely one of the CWUs biggest failings that they’ve allowed a casual workforce to creep in to the extent it has already?

Post by **midegarelu** » 19 Oct 2019, 19:22

26l34 wrote: I think it’s surely one of the CWUs biggest failings that they’ve allowed a casual workforce to creep in to the extent it has already?

ennabee · Post by **ennabee** » 19 Oct 2019, 22:58

QUOTE

This means even if you are a member of the CWU, you are not entitled to take part in any
strike action

But like any Agency worker you are entitiled to be "visiting your Auntie in Clacton" "clearing out the loft" or "doing your Christmas shopping that day". There is advanced notice of the strike day/days.

I was a casual at the time of an earlier ballot. ( a few years before 2017... 2013?) and, as by that time being booked was often a "race to respond to texts" i intended to respond to texts that were not for strike days and otherwise not be around to answer the phone.

ennabee · Post by **ennabee** » 19 Oct 2019, 23:10

26l34 wrote:, I know some in the union dislike Angard and Angard employees

Many regulars started with Angard or were directly employed Royal Mail (year round) casuals.

Most think there should be a path to permanent employment for Casuals, like it seems there used to be.

From speaking to older workers it seems the difference between the Royal Mail "Direct Casual" era and the present is the sheer number of casuals Angard recruit. That is, far more than are needed.

There are a few staff who dislike casuals personally but on becoming permanent I discovered it's probably that they are misanthropic types in general!

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 20 Oct 2019, 00:32

I was under the impression that a company couldn't ferry in other workers to cross an official picket line or is this not the case?

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 20 Oct 2019, 02:46

Celgar wrote:I was under the impression that a company couldn't ferry in other workers to cross an official picket line or is this not the case?

No its not the case. Royal Mail do it for every strike unofficial and official.

They can use previously empoyed casuals on their normal tasks etc, what they can't do is employ casuals specifically to cover striking workers.

https://www.gov.uk/if-your-business-fac ... ial-action" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Using agency workers to cover during a strike
Agencies aren’t allowed to supply workers specifically to cover work that isn’t being done during lawful industrial action.

Agency workers already in place as part of your normal business can carry on as usual.

26l34 · Post by **26l34** » 20 Oct 2019, 09:00

ennabee wrote:
26l34 wrote:, I know some in the union dislike Angard and Angard employees

Many regulars started with Angard or were directly employed Royal Mail (year round) casuals.

Most think there should be a path to permanent employment for Casuals, like it seems there used to be.

From speaking to older workers it seems the difference between the Royal Mail "Direct Casual" era and the present is the sheer number of casuals Angard recruit. That is, far more than are needed.

There are a few staff who dislike casuals personally but on becoming permanent I discovered it's probably that they are misanthropic types in general!

By some in the union I meant people working for the union rather than unionised RM staff (who’ve always been sound with me), should’ve been clearer. You’re right about the current era, my MC’s crawling with casuals and there’s way too many of us on the books and the numbers only seem to get bigger, this aspect of the business seems like a massive blindspot on the union’s part, it can secure whatever agreements it wants regarding pay, pensions, the length of the working week, it’s like getting a locksmith in to secure your doors and windows but the burglars are already in the house hiding under the bed.

GRS · Post by **GRS** » 21 Oct 2019, 16:54

Could RM potentially recruit thousands of agency workers on the pre text of needing them for Christmas pressure ( even in offices where they never have them) and then if there’s a strike they’ve got themselves a workforce who they can say are ‘employed’ so can be used to get the mail out.

Route1 · Post by **Route1** » 21 Oct 2019, 20:35

26l34 wrote:I think it’s surely one of the CWUs biggest failings that they’ve allowed a casual workforce to creep in to the extent it has already?

We dont have any Angard staff or ever seen any so know nothing about it. But i've heard of Angard and couldnt work out how its allowed to happen.

I understand the biz might want zero hour staff available on demand and it may suit some individuals to work this way.

I just believe if "agency" staff are working the same shifts as RM staff, there should be a pathway to make it to RM permanent within a year for those that want it. Anything less is CWU taking the mickey, protecting what they have and ignoring the rest.

wandle · Post by **wandle** » 23 Oct 2019, 22:41

Route1 wrote:
26l34 wrote:I think it’s surely one of the CWUs biggest failings that they’ve allowed a casual workforce to creep in to the extent it has already?
We dont have any Angard staff or ever seen any so know nothing about it. But i've heard of Angard and couldnt work out how its allowed to happen.

I understand the biz might want zero hour staff available on demand and it may suit some individuals to work this way.

I just believe if "agency" staff are working the same shifts as RM staff, there should be a pathway to make it to RM permanent within a year for those that want it. Anything less is CWU taking the mickey, protecting what they have and ignoring the rest.

The CWU really should try to do this, create a path into a permanent role. Most of those who benefit from such a move would become CWU members, and thus pay subs that the union don’t currently have!

Binsey · Post by **Binsey** » 24 Oct 2019, 02:28

GRS wrote:Could RM potentially recruit thousands of agency workers on the pre text of needing them for Christmas pressure ( even in offices where they never have them) and then if there’s a strike they’ve got themselves a workforce who they can say are ‘employed’ so can be used to get the mail out.

They are already are see the CWU London Division Facebook page.

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 26 Oct 2019, 20:24

99.9% of agency staff are not in any union! I wonder why?