Obviously, Kretinsky and RM senior management don't want rapid equalisation. If they did, it would have been delivered upfront or on a clear staged timetable. Instead there's shifting timelines, vague promises and continued delay while more new entrants join on inferior terms, which saves the business money every month that passes.
The CWU’s main bargaining chip was always their support for RM’s preferred USO reform and new delivery model. That was the moment to secure meaningful equalisation rather than any promises for later. Giving backing to reform first, while newer staff still remain behind and overtime rates are cut, doesn't look like a strong deal from the workforce side. And when you look at DM26, many posties think it resembles ODM in all but name: 3 staff covering 4 duties, sold through efficiency language and balanced workload claims.
And many of us have seen this pattern before. Extra duties may be put in initially so QoS looks stable and the rollout appears successful. Once that's done then pressure returns through lapsing, revisions and additional workload pushed back onto the job. Meanwhile, more recruits keep joining on lower terms and thousands already employed still remain behind legacy rates. If EQ wasn’t secured when the union had maximum leverage, when exactly will it happen?
After the last dispute, there seems to be very little appetite for another strike when many members no longer believe that the leadership can extract genuinely strong outcomes. There may be a pay rise on paper, but if it trails inflation and is tied to an unproven workload model, many workers will understandably question the real value of the deal.
On the face of it, shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.
