Stoke-on-Trent posties vote for Christmas strike

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Dec 2008, 12:19

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ne ... ticle.html

POSTAL workers have voted for strike action, days before the last posting day for Christmas.

Up to 80 distribution workers in Stoke-on-Trent are threatening to walk out in a row with Royal Mail.

They claim the firm is threatening their jobs by transporting post from Wolverhampton to Stoke in articulated lorries.

The ballot result comes as 600 posties at Crewe sorting office announced a 24-hour strike on Friday, 24 hours before the last day for first-class Christmas cards to arrive on time.

Those postal workers are angry at plans to move 600 sorting office jobs from Crewe to Warrington.

In Stoke-on-Trent, unions are asking Royal Mail for more talks.

Andy Plant, Midlands branch secretary for the Communication Workers Union (CWU), said: "What Royal Mail is proposing ultimately threatens jobs.

"We are going to get in touch with the company and ask for some assurances, and if that fails we will carry out industrial action."

The dispute with distribution workers has broken out since Royal Mail announced it was shutting its Leek Road sorting office to transfer work to Wolverhampton. The union says the firm is using agency workers to ship mail to Stoke in lorries, rather than staff in Royal Mail vans.

But Royal Mail says the lorries are being used because of high mail volumes before Christmas and that this will be reviewed in the new year.

Union leaders in South Cheshire say they were given no alternative but to strike. CWU branch secretary Steve Wright, said: "We want to show Royal Mail that they can't just kick us in the teeth.

"We know it is the last recommended day for posting before Christmas, but if we had walked out before, we would have interrupted the Christmas flow a lot earlier and we didn't want to do that."

He added: "There are 600 people in Crewe having their lives turned upside down. They are being expected to travel 40 miles to work and 40 miles back, and those working mornings and nights are not going to be able to get buses."

Strikes will also be held in Liverpool, Coventry, Stockport, Oldham, Oxford and Bolton on Friday.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We are asking all our people to get on and deliver the Christmas service our customers want and deserve."

Community leaders in South Cheshire today backed the strike action. Borough councillor Roy Cartlidge said: "They are supporting customers because once the sorting office closes, people will suffer from an inferior postal service."

Hugh Emerson, secretary of Crewe And District Pensioners' Association, said: "Now we know in advance, people can post their Christmas cards earlier."

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 13 Dec 2008, 18:20

Let us support our brother's and sister's and may i add all the mail center staff who go on this strike for with heavy heart they must do this as royalmail will not take it's finger's out of it's grubby hole's and communicate with it's own staff!. IT IS A SAD DAY WHEN A COMMUNICATION'S SERVICE CANNOT OR WILL NOT COMMUNICATE WITH IT'S STAFF.

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 13 Dec 2008, 19:09

Yes but an even sadder day when workers pull out the rug from beneath their own feet by upsetting the public. Well that closes that door then. No support anywhere now. Madness.

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 13 Dec 2008, 19:42

Night Tonic wrote:Yes but an even sadder day when workers pull out the rug from beneath their own feet by upsetting the public. Well that closes that door then. No support anywhere now. Madness.

It just goes to show if you don't listen you will never learn!. royalmail will be upsetting the public now for not listening and in future with their plan's of slash and burn!. How much later will the mail arrive after the mail center's are closed down?. Or do they have magic carpet's and your wish is my command!. I remind you that royalmail used a 14 mph cut in motorway speed's to slash 1 to 2 hour's off the arrival time's at most D/O's are we all so thick to believe the propaganda that royalmail seeks to sow!.

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 13 Dec 2008, 20:51

Sure, but do you honestly believe Royal Mail will panic and reconsider?

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 13 Dec 2008, 21:02

Night Tonic wrote:Sure, but do you honestly believe Royal Mail will panic and reconsider?

I see a faint but agreement on one's half?, But if you do not try you will never know!. Also did the opposing of of the NSDAP not make a difference ultimately it was to late but those who said it made no difference were left on the side line's or en-unturned for the good of the nation!.

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 13 Dec 2008, 22:02

I wouldn't say anyone was waking up. Just dismissive. Check all the comments in the national press - great ammo for RM.

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 13 Dec 2008, 23:30

Its a valiant call but no substance in it I'm afraid. I suppose people will believe what they want to believe. Give me a shout in a few months time when everyone has turned their back on us and try to convince me then.

andy2007 · Post by **andy2007** » 14 Dec 2008, 05:55

Night Tonic wrote:Its a valiant call but no substance in it I'm afraid. I suppose people will believe what they want to believe. Give me a shout in a few months time when everyone has turned their back on us and try to convince me then.

Although I'm bitterly disapointed that the Strikes are taking place before Christmas, instead of January. The fact is, that it's the only effective weapon left in our arsenal.

Whenever there are Strikes, the Press get involved, and the Public take notice, because it affects their day to day life. Often we're seen as lazy and greedy. Mainly because that's how we're portrayed in the Press. But now that the Public is seeing the adverse effects on the service, as a result of RM's policies. The more intelegent people, will see that it was all predicted by us. And we tried, and failed to prevent it.

Hopefully, this time around, they will get on to their MPs. In an attempt to get something done, to prevent further degridation of the service. Although, to be honest. I doubt that they will, because of the timing of the Strikes.

norbert · Post by **norbert** » 14 Dec 2008, 13:50

andy2007 wrote:
Night Tonic wrote:Its a valiant call but no substance in it I'm afraid. I suppose people will believe what they want to believe. Give me a shout in a few months time when everyone has turned their back on us and try to convince me then.
Although I'm bitterly disapointed that the Strikes are taking place before Christmas, instead of January. The fact is, that it's the only effective weapon left in our arsenal.

Whenever there are Strikes, the Press get involved, and the Public take notice, because it affects their day to day life. Often we're seen as lazy and greedy. Mainly because that's how we're portrayed in the Press. But now that the Public is seeing the adverse effects on the service, as a result of RM's policies. The more intelegent people, will see that it was all predicted by us. And we tried, and failed to prevent it.

Hopefully, this time around, they will get on to their MPs. In an attempt to get something done, to prevent further degridation of the service. Although, to be honest. I doubt that they will, because of the timing of the Strikes.

I do think that these strikes have been orchestrated - there has been thinly veiled threats by someone of a dubious identity on another Forum that RM will make sure the CWU get as much "dog whistle " negative coverage as possible .

The bigger picture is that RM want people through the door as cheaply as possible without giving them any problems , you have to consider the typically underhand and dishonest way that RM operate without paying EVR , VR , state minimum notice , comply with MTSF , paying travel allowances .

Also they would prefer a more malleable PT workforce in their supercentres , the maximum contract with TNT is 15 hours - an ASDA style workforce reliant on overtime and benefits to race to the bottom .

If Senior management get signals that it's relatively easy to get rid of people it'll be a green light for elsewhere . Don't fall for that fake paternal / patrician cr** ! about if you want a job you can have one - they are about as cuddly as a piranha .

It's one hell of a coincidence that the Hooper report is due , New Labour only commission reports to tell them what they want to hear .

The CWU can't be seen to put the white flag up - secondly if RM want rid of people they'll have to do it properly .

andy2007 · Post by **andy2007** » 14 Dec 2008, 13:58

It seems I underestimated the Public. There's already one MP, who's trying to avert the Strike. By attempting to talk some sense into RM.

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 18&t=13057

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 14 Dec 2008, 15:22

andy2007 wrote:The fact is, that it's the only effective weapon left in our arsenal.

Its the only weapon but effective no. Its about as effective as standing outside Old St and wagging a finger at the receptionist or writing to Crozier and telling him he's 'naughty'.

pinstripe · Post by **pinstripe** » 14 Dec 2008, 16:06

Night Tonic wrote:
Its the only weapon but effective no. Its about as effective as standing outside Old St and wagging a finger at the receptionist or writing to Crozier and telling him he's 'naughty'.

Well, have you any suggestions on how we can save our jobs and the service.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 14 Dec 2008, 16:14

Night Tonic wrote:
andy2007 wrote:The fact is, that it's the only effective weapon left in our arsenal.
Its the only weapon but effective no. Its about as effective as standing outside Old St and wagging a finger at the receptionist or writing to Crozier and telling him he's 'naughty'.

So the national strikes from last year achieved nothing - I beg to differ. This is they way I see it from the offers at around May 07 and what we actually got come Nov.

1. We kept our shift allowances when they changed the start times.
2. We kept the MTSF agreement - they wanted that binned totally.
3. 2hr change of start/finish times without notice - reduced to 30 minutes with 24 hours notice.
4. D2D - they wanted to increase the amount and stop paying us - We kept it at 3 and being paid - until the CWU cock it up of course.
5. Originally there was no pay rise on the table. We ended up with 2.54% and 1.5% staged.
6. Pensions was part of the Pay and Modernisation deal and if it had been accepted as is we could not continue to try and get a better separate deal in the future. Although I am loosing faith and hope that this will end up in our favour.
7. Retirement age would have been changed to 65 immediately - the Union got an agreement that this would be delayed 2 years.
8. The attendance procedure was going to be changed and become a much shorter process - We kept the old procedure, flawed as it is but fairer than they wanted to implement.
9. Flexibility was going to be decided Nationally with no regard to local issues. This was watered down to local agreements (which they are now ignoring).
10. 2 Bonus payments which were not even on the table at the start of discussions

So was it a victory - no but it was certainly not a defeat, more of a draw. We got concessions and changes that we would never have got without going on strike.

If interested this is what I said in march:

http://overpaidunderworked.blogspot.com ... ccess.html

and in November.

http://overpaidunderworked.blogspot.com ... te-no.html

http://overpaidunderworked.blogspot.com ... ay-be.html

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 14 Dec 2008, 16:55

Any gains count for little if the end result is a sell-off. Even the pay and modenisation agreement has a short lifespan as you know. I still stick by the belief, as do so many of us, that all this strike will do is burn bridges, not effect change.