LTB 431/22 - ROYAL MAIL GROUP: PAY AND CHANGE DISPUTES-RE FACEBOOK LIVE

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-431-22-roya ... -disputes/

LTB 431/22 – ROYAL MAIL GROUP: PAY AND CHANGE DISPUTES
No. 431/22

2nd November 2022

Dear Colleagues,

ROYAL MAIL GROUP: PAY AND CHANGE DISPUTES

As reported via Facebook Live last night, the Postal Executive has determined a new strategy to pursue our aims and objectives. We have always said the dispute was dynamic and would require us to be flexible to deal with any developments. Therefore, in view of the revised pay and change offer received from Royal Mail on Monday (attached), we have decided the best approach is to withdraw the national strike action scheduled for:

Saturday 12th November and Monday 14th November

The Postal Executive has replaced the above with two 48 strikes around the key pressure periods of Black Friday and Cyber Monday as follows:

48 hours from 04:00 Thursday 24th November until 04:00 Saturday 26th November
48 hours from 04:00 Wednesday 30th November until 04:00 Friday 2nd December

In addition, the Postal Executive will determine a programme of action up to Christmas.

Consultative Ballot of all Members to Reject the Pay & Change Offer

We will also be conducting a workplace consultative ballot of our members to support the rejection of the RMG pay and change offer, which covers Fleet and Parcelforce for Change but is silent on pay for these members. Arrangements are in progress to ensure Branches receive the ballot papers for distribution to members starting from early next week. This consultative ballot will close on Wednesday 16th November, which is the eve of Royal Mail Group’s half yearly financial results being announced to the markets.

To support the necessary membership engagement, we will be holding an on-line Zoom meeting with all Representatives on Monday 7th November at 6.30pm, in order to provide more details surrounding this crucial activity. Further details on the wider communications plan will be reported.

Vote of No Confidence in Simon Thompson, CEO

Coupled with the pay and change consultative ballot will be a further question on the ballot paper whereby we will be recommending members support a Vote of No Confidence in Simon Thompson, CEO. This is necessary due to the strategic direction he is taking the company in, which essentially is an all-out attack on our members’ jobs, pay, terms and conditions, including Compulsory Redundancies and Outsourcing. We believe there has been gross mismanagement of Royal Mail Group which will be declaring a loss for the first six months of the year, yet only in May declared a record profit of £758m and paid out £594m this year in the form of shareholder dividends and a share buy-back. The reality is, responsibility for RMG’s loss making lies at the door of the CEO and Royal Mail Group Board.

Our strength lies within the workplace and by engaging directly with our members. As the consultative ballots will be our main focus over the course of the next two weeks we will therefore be providing Reps with communication materials to support an effective membership engagement. It was the unanimous view of the Postal Executive that the strike action scheduled for 12th and 14th November would have been a distraction to delivering massive votes to support the rejection of the pay & change offer and the vote of no confidence and this is why we have withdrawn.

Acas Negotiations with Royal Mail Group

We are more committed than ever to resolving these disputes and have informed Royal Mail Group we remain available for meaningful negotiations at Acas. However, for progress to be made, it will require Royal Mail moving away from the unrealistic position contained within the pay & change proposal. The calling of the two 48 bouts of strike action is specifically designed to place pressure on Royal Mail to negotiate a solution for a holistic settlement that encompasses all of our members including Parcelforce and Fleet.

Major Shareholder Meeting

We have also decided to invite all major shareholders to a meeting to hear the Union’s view of this dispute. This will be based upon us putting forward the real reasons why Royal Mail Group faces serious challenges. We will also set out our views as to what we believe resolves the dispute, together with an alternative business plan that can build a successful future for the company and our members.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary

Andy Furey

Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Attachment link...
https://www.cwu.org/wp-content/uploads/ ... 31-Oct.pdf

LTB-431222022.10.31-Stuart-MacDonald-to-Dave-Ward-Andy-Furey-New-Offer-31-Oct.pdf

[hans solo]

why not out on cyber monday

[clashcityrocker]

When is the major shareholder meeting? Who is invited?
Can we all go?
I am fascinated by what the alternative business plan might include.

Since when did it become the union's role to make up a business plan?

[guardianangel]

Looks like they are losing the members faith,they need to do a big u turn and quick ,i have never seen so many pissed off posties as i seen today,Mr Ward needs to resign and quick before its too late.

[exetererica]

.

[heraldmoth]

Looks like they are losing the members faith,they need to do a big u turn and quick ,i have never seen so many pissed off posties as i seen today,Mr Ward needs to resign and quick before its too late.

When I first read vote of no confidence I assumed it was in the cwu leadership

[guardianangel]

Looks like they are losing the members faith,they need to do a big u turn and quick ,i have never seen so many pissed off posties as i seen today,Mr Ward needs to resign and quick before its too late.

When I first read vote of no confidence I assumed it was in the cwu leadership

Your right it should be total tools.

[claystones]

Most of the posties in our office are completely demoralised all doom and gloom today we were all hoping for the cwu to ramp up the strikes but the dates they announced and the cancelled dates are a joke no striking for 3 weeks going to lose any momentum we had very poor planning by the cwu

[heraldmoth]

I think the 3 weeks just gives people the time to reevaluate and we will find something like a 60-40 split on who stays out and who goes in. That’s the most demoralising part.

[clashcityrocker]

why not out on cyber monday

That's Monday 28th November - it must still be going ahead. The above doesn't say it's been cancelled. It just says the 12th and 14th have been cancelled

I believe the 28th was cancelled as well.

[sindba]

why not out on cyber monday

That's Monday 28th November - it must still be going ahead. The above doesn't say it's been cancelled. It just says the 12th and 14th have been cancelled

I believe the 28th was cancelled as well.

No-one knows!

CWU have said nowt official, either to us or to Royal Mail. Martin Walsh on here said it was cancelled, other reps think it isn't, others don't know.

<Benny Hill theme tune plays>

[49erman]

Lot of posties I’ve spoken to very demoralised also…….almost resigned to the fact that we will lose…..

[Sputters]

Lot of posties I’ve spoken to very demoralised also…….almost resigned to the fact that we will lose…..

Same in our office today unfortunately.

[scotchy1962]

Jesus guys get some backbone would you, never seen such negativity about this place ever. I seldom post because usually somebody posts something vaguely sensible, but this defeatist claptrap is unworthy of this site. Simple simon has you all running scared and all he did was get the same deal and make it look different, stop whinging stand back and have a good look at what the future holds for you if you agree to what he wants. Then stop the CWU criticism and back your union and have some faith. Simon is only trying to wear you all down with his tactics, taking vague details of a agreement to say its no longer relevant, wanting very specific details for the AI which are very difficult to answer to scare the union into withdrawing it, going on workplace and baiting every idiot who will take heed with his posts and just generally fighting a very dirty fight. Its the first dispute in my 60yrs i have seen fought on social media and to be truthful i find it quite unsettling the way the CEO has behaved with his tactics, i guess the youngsters think this is ok but its not for me. This Despot is intent on destroying Royal Mail and your jobs along with it and be under no illusions that it will only get worse. As for me i will hang about and do my job which i have enjoyed for the last 15yrs until it is no longer workable or if i stand firm and back my union i might have a job that is workable with a good work life balance and i can retire in 5 years.

[mjd24]

why not out on cyber monday

That's Monday 28th November - it must still be going ahead. The above doesn't say it's been cancelled. It just says the 12th and 14th have been cancelled

Oh ffs please can someone clear this up!!