Row erupts between Union and Royal Mail

[Broxi51]

http://www.irvinetimes.com/news/roundup ... oyal-mail/

Row erupts between Union and Royal Mail
by Alistair Neil


IRVINE'S postal saga has been hit with a new twist after it emerged some workers were sent home without pay following their refusal to work an extra half hour last week.

Local union rep Tam Dewar said Royal Mail workers were asked to carry out "overtime" on Friday, but three refused to do so and were subsequently sent home.

Mr Dewar, the CWU Area Delivery Rep for Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, said following their dismissal these workers even offered to deliver some of the mail delayed by strike action for free, but were told not to by "senior management".

However the Royal Mail have hit back at his accusation and say the work they were asked to do relates to the 2007 Pay and Modernisation Agreement and is not classed as overtime.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "The accusation is simply rubbish. We ask our staff to abide by the 2007 agreement which means, for instance, if a worker works half an hour extra one week then the next week they can work for half an hour less.

"This is not overtime."

24 hour strike action is today under way in Irvine and Kilwinning delivery offices



Can anyone tell me when we started this new phase please. Always thought the half hour was voluntary and returned the same week. Also no banking of hours as of yet as far as i know

[shelanda]

I was under the impression that the 30mins should be agreed with rep if mail unusually heavy first thing, and also only carried in that week not over into the next week, am I wrong?

[POSTMAN]

I was under the impression that the 30mins should be agreed with rep if mail unusually heavy first thing, and also only carried in that week not over into the next week, am I wrong?

They are wrong,but then again when are they right!!
This is good stuff,another abuse of the P&M deal.

[steven100]

Although if you work 30 mins over, you'll get back that week. Unless your getting the 30 mins back that week tell them to BEAT IT. :cfo

[hurricane]

Yeah,but when has anyone EVER got any time back?
It simply doesn't happen.
And most of the guys I work with don't even get a chance to take their break...they're too busy,and need to catch a van to begin their delivery!
Royal Mail makes it sound like we're all just standing round,twiddling our thumbs!!!!!

[Body Beyond Repair]

There is a rolling 1 week local agreement the problem is when management ask for it and valid reasons are given they do not accept this and are threatened to be taken off pay.Flexability works both ways so if the boys/girls are prepared to work the 30 mins flexi at short notice they should get it back at there discretion,also the local agreement says its for unforseen cicumstances i.e( network failure) this is abused by management also.

[Ahebban]

Please find below the specific clause that relates to your issue. It is part of the 2007-2009 Pay & Mod Agreement. I have highlighted the relevant sentence which highlights the /overtime/weekly hours issue ...

• Variation of hours – Where necessary, for example when traffic
volumes are unexpectedly high or resourcing issues arise, individuals
may be asked and may themselves request to vary their duty times by
up to 30 minutes on a swings and roundabouts basis. Again, individual
circumstances will be taken into account and total weekly contractual
hours would not change.

As you can see the 30 minutes must be returned to you during that same week so that your weekly contracted hours remain the same. If your DOM doesn't give you the 30 minutes back in the same week it has to go down as 30 minutes overtime as overtime is voluntary, not compulsory.

[Ahebban]

If your individual circumstances do not allow time for working the extra 30 minutes, there is no provision in the Agreement for the DOM to conduct anyone for it. As Postman said above .. a blatant mis-use and abuse of the Agreement.

[heston]

well boys and girls, trust and respect have flown out the window on this one,p/m says paid back the same week,agreement dg/ka agreement differs, we reap

what we sow ,LESSEN ADHERE TO NATIONAL AGREEMENTS.... DO NOT AMEND OR NEGOTIATE IT,ITS AGREED FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MEMBERS....

[BELIAL]

Clearly RM cannot be trusted with local agreements. Time to ditch them all?

[k979aaa]

Clearly RM cannot be trusted with local agreements. Time to ditch them all?

I say fu@kem too!.

[Body Beyond Repair]

Something i agree on local agreements are only inacted when your branch or HQ dont give clear guidance or give clear instructon to reps including area reps. 3.5 hour delivery span springs to mind being ignored all over the country why because it suits these people for there on agenda.