National postal strike risk

[TrueBlueTerrier]

National postal strike risk as workers are balloted after days of chaos and undelivered mail

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0RLf6UeJX" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A full national postal strike will come a step closer today as around 120,000 workers begin receiving ballot papers.

The Communication Workers Union is fighting to protect the Royal Mail against a slash and burn approach to cost-cutting by the organisation's management.

The management, led by chief executive, Adam Crozier, whose pay and perks recently topped £3million for one year, claims cuts and reorganisation are needed to cope with a 10per cent fall in mail volumes.

The ballot comes after a series of local strikes across the UK over the past few days, which has seen much of the postal service grind to a halt.
mail

Moves for a full strike have been condemned by Royal Mail but CWU leaders insist it has to act against the service's 'slash and burn' plans.

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward said this morning that they would consider a no-strike guarantee as long as Royal Mail steps back from 'arbitrary job cuts'.

Families across the country have already suffered major delays with some homes not receiving mail for ten days.

The disruption has left people open to late payment penalty charges on credit cards, store cards and utility bills.

At the same time, pressure is piling up on small businesses who are not receiving the cheques and orders they need to keep their heads above water.

Daily Mail readers have told how they have been hit with penalty charges for missing payment deadlines on credit cards, others are waiting for hospital appointments, birthday cards and presents.

Yesterday, the online auction site eBay said it had contacted sellers to offer advice on how to cope with the postal delays.


Changes by the Royal Mail, which have upset many families and business leaders, have pushed back most deliveries to the afternoon.

Other cost cutting has seen fewer post box collections and the closure of thousands of post offices.

The CWU claims the management has torn up a promise to negotiate changes to jobs and working patterns that formed part of a modernisation plan agreed following the last national strike in 2007.

Mr Ward, said: 'We believe that Royal Mail management has completely mishandled the current situation.

'Disruption is hurting small businesses and other consumers, but postal workers are suffering more than anyone in the current dispute.

'Small businesses stand to suffer more with reduced services in the future if Royal Mail doesn't reach a national agreement.'

He added: 'Postal workers are striking to defend future services as well as for jobs and modern conditions.

'Modernisation is crucial to the future success of Royal Mail, but the implementation of change must be agreed and it must bring with it modern pay and conditions.

'Postal workers deserve to be rewarded for change. We want to see a new job security agreement which will help people through this time of change for the company.

'CWU is focused on defending jobs and public services. Modernisation should improve services not cut them.'

The union claims that more than 20million delayed letters are held in a mail mountain backlog, however the Royal Mail puts the figure at nine million.

Royal Mail chiefs have condemned the ballot for a national strike apologised to customers for the mail delays.

Managing director, Mark Higson said: 'It beggars belief that CWU chief Dave Ward says today that the disruption caused by the CWU strike is hurting customers yet at the same time calls a national strike ballot to step up the damage they are already inflicting on customers big and small.

'The CWU leadership is well aware that it has already agreed all the changes Royal Mail is making and we urge them to recognise the tough economic conditions faced by all our customers and Royal Mail itself and to live up to their claims to support modernisation and to focus - as the company is doing - on delivering the postal service on which so many customers depend.'

He added: 'We are concerned about every single letter and we apologise wholeheartedly to customers for the difficulties caused by the CWU’s strikes.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0RLf9giPA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[concerned]

not wanting to sound too optimistic - but are the Daily Mail now actually trying to cover both sides a teeny bit. This seems like a better report than the Spanish Practices one last week....did anyone else email the journalist who did that?

[borders]

how much is a teeny bit then ?!!!!!

[andy2007]

I didn't Email him directly. But I did complain to the Paper.

[borders]

i ordered a book yesterday on the internet and it has just popped through the postbox , what a great service , all the way from london as well

[concerned]

well i emailed the journalist twice with links for him to read showing a bit about why it was happening. When i say i teeny bit - they have mentioned Croziers ridiculous pay and bonuses and they have mentioned about cuts to services and places closing. For DMs standard its better than the article last week saying you just want a pay rise and to continue leaving work early on full pay - dont you think?

[rhino49]

"Daily Mail readers have told how they have been hit with penalty charges for missing payment deadlines on credit cards"

A few strike days doesn't cause this - it is caused by the companies concerned using slower DSA delivery and mailsort to cut their costs, and posting late to customers - even at the best of times the so called best scenario, "56 days of credit", has disappeared and it's a real money earner for the banks.

[andy2007]

I assume you're referring to Mailsort 3 (3rd Class Post), rather than Mailsort in general. MS1 and MS2, should be treated exactly the same as STL 1st and 2nd.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No I think he means the DSA firms like TNT etc - my family has noticed that they get their statements 5 - 10 days later than they used to. I think the DSA lot store the mail till they hit a certain figure and then blast it through us. If its true it may explain the fluctuations we get from day to day and week to week.