Worrying developments at NWRDC

[andy2007]

I've held off discussing this for a few days now, as I could get into trouble for posting this. But after yesterday, I REALLY need some advice!

We recently had something called World Class Mailing imposed on us, by Executive Action. And were told officially by the CWU, that we should take no active part in it, until there are proper agreements in place. Needless to say, Management are pressing ahead with it. And refusing to even discuss the matter with our Reps.

Now the biggest problem for me at the moment: Is that there is a growing number of people, who are ignoring the Union's advice, and criticising those of us who ARE following it. I was even told yesterday by one of my Collegues, who's actively encouraging others to ignore the CWU's instructions. That as long as RM are paying our wages, and the CWU aren't. We should just do as we're told. The really worrying thing, is that he seems to be winning most, if not all of my Collegues in my section over!

And this is at a time, when there was a recent (thankfully failed) attempt by an Early Shift Rep, allegedly (but I'm not sure about this bit) in collusion with Nights. To have the Late Shift, replaced with 4 hour portions of S/A for Earlies and Nights! Quite frankly, I'm beginning to wonder what the World's coming to, when there's so much backstabbing going on!

Our Shift Rep, has managed to save the Late Shift, at least for the time being. But I don't know what to do about the insurrection regarding WCM. Particularly, as I don't yet know whether it's localised in my section, or more widespread. Obviously, if it turns out to be the majority, then we'll need to get the non-compliance instructions revoked. The Union is a Democracy after all.

But if it is localised. Then is there anything that I can do through the Union, to get it stopped?
I tried going to my Rep about this. But he's "old school", and damn near exploded with rage, when he found out what was going on. And I don't want to risk him ending up on a disciplinary, if he blows his top, at the ringleader (if I was to tell him who it is). Who sadly, is someone he trusts.

[thehappyones]

world class mail is now started in the glasgow mail centre ,the cwu line is that it is an unagreed process and therefore you shouldnt take part in it ,also some staff have been told that if they dont pick up labels ,cable ties etc. thats on the floor then they will be going down the conduct code!!!!..........also they were trying to say that it is part of your T.p.M AND IF YOU DONT FILL IN THE JAM FORMS ETC AGAIN YOUR GOING DOWN THE CONDUCT CODE ALTHOUGH WE HAVE HAD ASSURANCES FROM OUR MAIL CENTRE MANAGER THAT NOBODY WILL BE GOING DOWN THE CONDUCT CODE WITH WORLD CLASS MAIL.....WE WILL SEE!!

[norbert]

" World Class " Mailing in a MC with RM in a MC - bit like " Our New Way of Working " that doesn't work at all .

Some ideas aren't necessarily bad sometimes in theory , but they tend to be ill considered and ill thought through and the real world doesn't quite play as neat as RM in Wonderland .

Seriously it's deliberate divide and conquer and reflects badly on RM 's arrogant , autocratic & overtly regimented top down approach , as the SNP said it's all based on a peculiar style of confrontation .

HR Director Milledge is aiming for a system with different places on all different rates on varying bonus rates and getting away from Union National bargaining & agreements - it's obviously very deliberate , on planet RM it's preparing RM for privatization . Those senior managers have been the subject of scathing criticism and looking for an exit strategy . They're not going to care if they've cocked everything up & it doesn't work .

They would just say it's their EEC masters idea of " efficient " & " competitive "

The other view is that RM don't like the idea that the CWU is the " human face of RM " , they'd prefer it that RM team leaders and it's teams were that " human face of RM " .

I smelt a rat as soon as schedy was mentioned , horrible soulless , greedy places with crap cultures . Human Zoos and RM know it as they tend to thrive on their own corruption .

Let's face it , these glorified key office staff can't fart or sneeze without a dicktat as to how and when from area or senior management .

Have to work out discreet ways to ensure that " system " doesn't work .

Log every single thing as back up if you get any trouble , unfair detriment for legitimate trade union activity is a serious offence , though RM specialize in flouting employment law . RM sh** themselves as it's harder to close ranks but expect a nasty stitch up for being " a loose cannon " - a vicious culture of fear and nobody is immune

GO UP THE UNION CHAIN OF COMMAND EVEN IF IT UPSETS THE REPS , i.e. Area then Branch Secretary , however those SM's & Lino's will be doing a witch-hunt for telling tales out of class , if they've never left the playground or those sh**holes are one big playground , that's someone elses' problem . It's all sour grapes as it's harder to close ranks .

It's just a game to some , call their bluff .

You have to win the wars not just the battles .

[k979aaa]

Sounds like every office has a management stooge as we have a few in ours i don't even speak too them now!. Any way good luck andy2007 and keep up the fight for your rights.

[norbert]

Sounds like every office has a management stooge as we have a few in ours i don't even speak too them now!. Any way good luck andy2007 and keep up the fight for your rights.

Don't initially go too high up the CWU food-chain or you'll get the sack , somebody will be looking for you , any little thing if you're suspected & no one likes a whistleblower though you are protected under the Public Interest Disclosure Act & or on H&S - Problem with MC's & DC's are the boys clubs on the shifts and the puppet-masters in charge . It's all they've known since cadets and they believe in the system - Hence the need to log everything to build a case for a worst case scenario .

Been that way before :lfo & :cfo , now it's the worst of both " cultures " .

[andy2007]

I found out on my break today, that several people have been taken in, to see some bloke who's running the WCM. They've been told, that a Senior Rep has now authorised the use of WCM. So they will have to comply with it.

I tried to verify this, with my Shift Rep. Who said he knows nothing about it, but will find out for me tomorrow (the senior Rep had already gone Home). Now personally, I think it's a bit fishy. Why would the very Rep, who issued the letter, asking us not to take part in WCM. Suddenly make an agreement like that, without telling the Shift Reps. But I'll find out tomorrow.

The really sad thing about all this: Is that if it was implemented, just as it's described. It'd be a fantastic idea. Finally asking those of us who do the job, how to improve things, rather than just some consultant, with no idea what's involved in processing the Mail.

But we were told that it'd been abused, when it was trialed. And in the 2 weeks since it was imposed here: We've had an attempt to remove an entire Shift, so that they could cut the hours, without reducing S/A. It's not a good start, is it?
God only knows what they'll try next!

[norbert]

I found out on my break today, that several people have been taken in, to see some bloke who's running the WCM. They've been told, that a Senior Rep has now authorised the use of WCM. So they will have to comply with it.

I tried to verify this, with my Shift Rep. Who said he knows nothing about it, but will find out for me tomorrow (the senior Rep had already gone Home). Now personally, I think it's a bit fishy. Why would the very Rep, who issued the letter, asking us not to take part in WCM. Suddenly make an agreement like that, without telling the Shift Reps. But I'll find out tomorrow.

The really sad thing about all this: Is that if it was implemented, just as it's described. It'd be a fantastic idea. Finally asking those of us who do the job, how to improve things, rather than just some consultant, with no idea what's involved in processing the Mail.

But we were told that it'd been abused, when it was trialed. And in the 2 weeks since it was imposed here: We've had an attempt to remove an entire Shift, so that they could cut the hours, without reducing S/A. It's not a good start, is it?
God only knows what they'll try next!

that bit about authorization sounds fishy , RM word games , half truths , spin & outright lies ?

[andy2007]

My thoughts exactly. I'm just going to have to wait for confirmation tomorrow, before taking things further.

[norbert]

My thoughts exactly. I'm just going to have to wait for confirmation tomorrow, before taking things further.

that bloke running things sounds like a bit of a sniveling coward not the first time RM have tried that one , the only thing that bloke is interested in is saving his sorry arse from more senior managers

[andy2007]

It's even worse than that. He's actually a consultant from the Japanise Company who're providing the WCM overhall. Aparently, they managed to turn Fiat round. And plan to do the same for RM. It's another case of trying a "one size fits all" system. But RM like it, as they claim that they can make us more efficient (reduce duty/OT hours).

I've not been taken in to see him yet. And I'm hoping to confirm the Union's position, before I do. As if the Union still doesn't want us to take an active part in it. I'll be politely explaining that, and then returning to my Duty. But from what I've been told, by those who were taken in yesterday (and told it was now agreed). He's adding a lot of extra duty content. And red tape, for when we discover any problems.

I'll let you know tonight, when I get Home, whether it actually HAS been agreed with the CWU or not. Although, as I already said: I find that very hard to believe. Still, if I'm wrong. I'll apologise.

[norbert]

It's even worse than that. He's actually a consultant from the Japanise Company who're providing the WCM overhall. Aparently, they managed to turn Fiat round. And plan to do the same for RM. It's another case of trying a "one size fits all" system. But RM like it, as they claim that they can make us more efficient (reduce duty/OT hours).

I've not been taken in to see him yet. And I'm hoping to confirm the Union's position, before I do. As if the Union still doesn't want us to take an active part in it. I'll be politely explaining that, and then returning to my Duty. But from what I've been told, by those who were taken in yesterday (and told it was now agreed). He's adding a lot of extra duty content. And red tape, for when we discover any problems.

I'll let you know tonight, when I get Home, whether it actually HAS been agreed with the CWU or not. Although, as I already said: I find that very hard to believe. Still, if I'm wrong. I'll apologise.

The bit about Japan is " interesting " as all the envelopes etc there are completely standard , the UK is a bit different hence the amount of rejects on RM 's machines . Senior Management are under a lot of pressure to introduce " modernization " having taken out these government loans . The problem was you can't just buy everything off the shelf and after all that scathing criticism they're looking for a exit strategy .

Consultants are just parasites , if you can't manage , you get them in and / or they are used to do the companies dirty work . It's a corporate self serving racket / gravy train .

I'd imagine ?? a Divisional Rep would have to agree to it in trailing , the Union's job is to find things wrong with RM & they CAN be very good at it . I think a DIM tried the same thing on in Scotland , then he couldn't name names & the "justification" for and / or " authorization " / " agreement " was on very ambiguous / vague & obscure grounds .

Either it's that or the CWU have sold you all right down the river ? and /or the CWU may have been a bit naive / gullible , something may look OK on paper but then RM move the goalposts to the next field ? , then there's a " elastic " definition of things - bung-jee jumping elasticity ?? and it gets abused with dodgy agendas from rogue managers like H&B , RMAP . If it's all slash and burn for an " efficient " & "competitive" RM , it will be dodgy but you'll have to live with it .

I'd suspect it would be in broad principle at best . The problem is that RM never act in the spirit of things .

That bit about picking things up has been on the backburner for years , they brought out these very glossy very patronizing " great fun to do " quizzes for Work Time Lying & Propaganda and there was a bit about that . The Branch told us to cooperate otherwise you'd be CofC for non attendance / refusing to obey "a reasonable instruction" but their position was we don't want team working or RM's divisive & destructive
" version " of it .

The Union issued a LTB in Scotland repudiating all of RM's " claims " , RM will deliberately try it on where they know the Union isn't so organized , the orders obviously come from on very on high and there will be a lot of pressure on it's key office staff subordinates . RM don't lead and / or motivate etc , they merely dictate .

[andy2007]

Sorry I've taken so long to update you. But I didn't get a chance to go on the Computer last night.

I went to see the Senior Rep who'd allegedly made an agreement, yesterday. It turned out to be an outright lie! He's made NO agreements about the use of the WCM initiative. And has no intention of doing so, until the trials are complete (which they aren't). And there is a proper consultation with the CWU, including safeguards against more job losses. He did say though, that he's told people that if they're afraid that it can't be removed now it's started, and want to join in. He won't try to stop them. He'll just leave it to their concience. He's also made sure that there are more copies of the letter asking us not to take part in this scheme, until there's an agreement in place. So hopefully, no-one else will be taken in by the lies!

So far, I haven't been asked to go in and see the Consultant. Although they've started including "updates", and "information" about WCM in our Team Briefs. So we now have the choice of sitting through it, or missing out on the rest of the Team Brief. Which sometimes includes important information. So I decided to stay in. But just didn't take the Manager up, on his request for "input" in the scheme.

It's just as well I did, too. As there were some "before and after" photos, of how WCM will supposedly make everything safer, and more efficient. But these had been faked. And I was able to make him admit that to everyone in the room. He tried to counter that argument, by saying that there wasn't time to complete something like that, since it was imposed on us (introduced, as he put it). So I asked him to provide any evidence of successes elsewhere. To which he said that it was at the same stage everywhere. So finally, I reminded him that there were trial areas, where it'd been in use for a couple of months. So SURELY there had to be a genuine success, however small, in one of them.

His answer?
Of course there are, but he can't provide any evidence to back that up!

And he wonders why so many people had been insisting on leaving the Team Briefs, as soon as they found out that it would include information about WCM!

[k979aaa]

What does WCM stand for is it World Class Machinations!.

[norbert]

What does WCM stand for is it World Class Machinations!.

they know what they're doing ! - trying to see which Offices will walk , it's all deliberate as RM want people on different bonus based contracts to sideline the union & national agreements / bargaining . They think everyone is like them - motivated ONLY by money .