Postman & Blue Terrior!!!

[concerned]

Hiya
I sent you 2 a message on here on the email facility? wondering if you got it and if you could let me know? Im meeting up with my MP again next week and i need some info. Thanks

[POSTMAN]

Will move this to the ask admin forum.

We'll get back to you as soon as poss.

[concerned]

Not sure if the private mail thing works on here, but i emailed you both on it and if you did get it any chance of a reply? Im meeting my MP again next week so the info would help. Much obliged! xx

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Not sure if the private mail thing works on here, but i emailed you both on it and if you did get it any chance of a reply? Im meeting my MP again next week so the info would help. Much obliged! xx

Give us a chance please - there is a lot of behind the scenes stuff we have to do - will get back to when able promise.

[concerned]

Sorry!! I thought maybe it had been taken away because your not allowed to say stuff!

[POSTMAN]

Some bits in this thread..
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 64#p180864" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[concerned]

When you read the 2007 agreement it says things would need to modernise (ie machinery) which probably mean a reduction of jobs. It says in phase 2 that machines would be tried and discussed by RM, you and CWU. Im not sure i understand what has gone wrong.
Were the machines tried?
Were they succesful?
Is the current arguement about trying to stop the machines being introduced as it will result in job losses?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

from the thread

To be honest, even though im a member of the public supporting you -

Thanks for that Its appreciated by me - and other members of that I am sure.

i am a bit confused. I only know personally what goes on in 1 office and im disgusted about what happens there.

Bit like us then

The one thing i am confused about are the arguements about the machines. I thought that one of the reasons for strikes is the extra work being put on you without the machines brought in (as in, if the machines were there then you could manage the extra work as you wouldnt need to spend time sorting). Is this the case?

You have it right about the machines being put in after this round of cuts and savings, and yes we will have to sort less when they do come in which will mean more cuts . In principle we are not against mechanisation as it could benefit all, the business, the customer and the workforce, What we are against is their introduction without agreements and a full briefing of the impact on workers and customers. Being a delivery postie is very physical and with the introduction of machines to process the work we could with agreement look at reducing the working week.

Other things that make no sense are that the new machines they are talking about are not replacements for old machines, they are in fact an addition and as I understand it they will lengthen the pipeline for a standard postal item rather than reduce it,. Most business modernise by reducing manpower and the supply chain/pipeline - RM modernise by reducing the manpower and lengthening the pipeline.

Even though the machines would take away sorting jobs? Or are you against the machines being installed full stop?!

We are not against machines in principle but what we want is an agreement between our Union and our employers and a joint vision on modernisation so that we can make RM the world leader it once was. However RM refuse to discuss or reveal their plans to us and the public, the 2 groups who will be most affected and in fact although they hold meetings with our Union over modernisation its all one way - "Do it our way" its not the negotiation and implementation by agreement that they signed up to in the 2007 agreement. Royal Mail of course put a different slant on it in their press releases when asked for comment about the local strikes.

[POSTMAN]

The machines are not a problem although they do not seem to be as good as what was 1st thought.
But what is happening with this is delivery offices around the country are being geared up for theses machines,and have been for the last few years,and the machines are about 2 years away from being rolled out properly.

So now we have offices with many part time posties and there has been mass problems getting the work done properly because the work still needs to be sorted by hand as the machines are not here.

[POSTMAN]

With regards to phase 3,RM are abuseing the agreement by doing what they want with it,lapsing is being done willy nilly and workers are being thrown off their walks and put anywhere to accomadate it.

When lapsing can't be done beacuse we have no time,RM are stopping pay and threatenig the conduct code to posties as they want as much lapsing done as poss to save money.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

and your PM

Hi

But as you are royal mail chat aministrator on this site im hoping you will be able to help me with a couple of queries.....as someone has mentioned,nothing is being made clear to the public as we are lead to believe its about pay.

Thats just bad tactics by CWU and good control of the media by RM

Firstly what was and is in phases 2 and 4 - and what is in phase 3 as what im gathering is that phase 3 has been totally ignored? or is it phase 2 that has been ignored - trialing the machines etc

No phase 2 and 3 are in place mostly and have been since last year - its Phase 4 that is 17 months behind schedule and until recently not even discussed.

The whole of the agreement can be downloaded from our Library at http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 36&t=12462" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, these machines - whats the story with them? Ive read that RM got money from the government for them but have spent the money and machines arent anywhere.

Yep £1.2 billion - there have been trial sites which I thought were to be complete late last year. However, there has been recent movement on that and some Units are getting the machines in to enlarge the trial I think.

One reason ive heard is that in fact the machines arent as great as RM made out? But isnt part of the reason your striking because these machines havent been installed yet you are meant to take the extra work anyway (which you were going to do if machines had arrived)? Or are the strikes partly because you dont want the machines installed as you will lose jobs?

The savings according to well placed CWU officers are not as great at RM predicted and Geezer has commented on this in some of his posts. Also the ones I have heard about should be operated by 3 people and RM were trying it with 1 or 2. Rm thought they would save on prep time to a greater degree than what they actually do (10 minutes saving according to some reports)

The main reason for the current rounds of local industrial action is a mixture of local conditions, mainly bullying and harassment connected with not sticking to either local or National agreements, and in some cases imposing changes without agreement which all goes against the 2007 agreement.

The national ballot has been cause in part by the amount of local ballot requests, approximately 500 at one point, and Royal Mails refusal to discuss and agree on progressing Phase 4 or even discussing the impact of modernisation on their workforce and infrastructure.

I think however, that the CWU may be missing a trick as everyone sees Modernisation as the introduction of new machines to sort mail, but there are other questions as well. New methods of delivery, such as electric trolleys and cars, manual high capacity trolleys, 2 posties in a van, longer delivery spans, shorter working week, closure of local delivery offices - all of these are part of modernisation yet RM are not discussing these matters except on a piecemeal basis and this is probably the main reason for the current rounds of unrest.

[concerned]

So
Super doopa machines were part of agreement. As they were so great they were meant to cut sorting time before rounds which meant that either hours cut or people being able to take out more mail therefore reducing staff - 'absorbing'?
So far, machines are hidden somewhere and from what i hear cant do the job properly anyway as not suited to UK mail but RM are reducing hours or making people absorb more in their round - as tho the machines were being used. Regardless as to whether it is physically possible? - am i right so far?
Where has the other £600m gone as they only used half the money given by the government?
When was there a last proper review of rounds (not bloody computerised either!)
And really, if the machines were installed and they had done what they said - would you then be striking to save jobs? As job cuts, to be honest, were on the cards with this agreement.

As for bullying, my relatives branch has 5 local managers swooping there everyday as they are short staffed and need help but wont admit they need staff. Im guessing its also to intimidate workers too? Any examples of bullying?

[concerned]

.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

So
Super doopa machines were part of agreement. As they were so great they were meant to cut sorting time before rounds which meant that either hours cut or people being able to take out more mail therefore reducing staff - 'absorbing'?
So far, machines are hidden somewhere and from what i hear cant do the job properly anyway as not suited to UK mail but RM are reducing hours or making people absorb more in their round - as tho the machines were being used. Regardless as to whether it is physically possible? - am i right so far?

Yes but RM are using the supposed 10% drop in volume (though they changed how they measure volumes ) as the reason to absorb - not the machines.

Also although I don't have first hand knowledge of this as its outside of my function, apparently RM did not buy bespoke machines but off the shelf and 2nd hand ones.

Where has the other £600m gone as they only used half the money given by the government?

Shrugs - apparently they are going to use it to get the new vehicles and trolleys.

When was there a last proper review of rounds (not bloody computerised either!)

Each office undergoes its own "revision" and if you have good management in place they use a mixture of the computer system (Pegasus/Geo-route), and local knowledge. If not then the computer is king apparently. My own office had a revision about 2 years ago and we were recently informed we would be getting another in the near future.

And really, if the machines were installed and they had done what they said - would you then be striking to save jobs? As job cuts, to be honest, were on the cards with this agreement.

Royal Mail have always said no compulsory redundancies and if this does not change then reducing the head count should not be a reason "Nationally" to go on strike. However, some units do report some managers using other methods to reduce it such as sacking for trivial reasons, reducing hours by underhand means etc and this is one of the reason some units have balloted for IA.

As for bullying, my relatives branch has 5 local managers swooping there everyday as they are short staffed and need help but wont admit they need staff. Im guessing its also to intimidate workers too? Any examples of bullying?

Me personally No - but then banging my own drum I am ex-forces and don't take it lying down - plus I have a decent manager as well. However, there are plenty examples of it on RMC. Refusing to pay OT when it was worked, disciplining people for "cutting off" which means not completing their delivering even if it was impossible to do so, changing duties at the last minute, calling when sick or injured to find out when they are coming back the list is fairly extensive.

[POSTMAN]

As for bullying, my relatives branch has 5 local managers swooping there everyday as they are short staffed and need help but wont admit they need staff. Im guessing its also to intimidate workers too? Any examples of bullying?

RM have admitted that bullying goes on to our union but have refused to hold and inquiry or take it any further.