BLACKMAIL

[Stormproof]

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BLACKMAIL

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By Clinton Manning 21/10/2009

Posties told to take on extra work or pay will be stopped

Royal Mail has stopped the pay of hundreds of posties who refuse to soak up the extra work created by 63,000 job cuts.

Union leaders say staff are being told they must shoulder the extra load, even if it means working late to deliver all the mail.

But they will get no overtime - no matter how many extra hours are worked every day to clear the backlog.

Delivery staff who refuse to be "flexible" and do the extra duties are having their pay stopped until they cave in, the unions say.

The Communication Workers Union said it will challenge the bully-boy tactics in court.

Royal Mail staff in Peterborough are due to walk out for 24 hours next Monday to protest at workers having their pay stopped.

A union source said: "People are being bullied into taking on more work and when they can't, management stop their pay."

The row comes as union leaders and management yesterday held another full day of talks aimed at preventing national walkouts of up to 120,000 tomorrow and Friday.

Royal Mail's demand for "flexibility" in absorbing the extra work goes to the heart of the dispute. The imposed changes along with a move to more part-time jobs triggered local strikes before snowballing into national action. Bosses are taking a similarly hardline approach with drivers over pay. Those who refuse to cross official picket lines are docked a day's pay even if they have already worked most of their shift.

Letters sent by Royal Mail and marked "strictly confidential" spell out their tough line with staff who refuse additional duties. They will get a warning.

Then they will be warned again that unless they do as instructed within 10 minutes their pay will be stopped. The letter adds: "You will not be paid, whether or not you choose to continue to work (as any work done after pay was stopped would be voluntary)."

In the past, if a postie thought he had too much to deliver he could pass some to a colleague, agree to do overtime or bring back any undelivered mail. Now bosses are refusing overtime and insist workers deliver everything before finishing.

Royal Mail claims it is delivering 10million fewer items a day because rivals have poached some of its business. But union leaders say while the volume of mail has fallen 10% the workforce has shrunk 28%. Royal Mail said: "All we are asking is people work fairly, flexibly and all the hours for which they are paid. All the changes being introduced are in line with the 2007 Pay and Modernisation Agreement which the CWU signed."

KEVIN MAGUIRE: PAGE 8

MANDY WADES IN

Lord Mandelson yesterday stoked tensions over the postal strike by warning it would hit pensioners and patients.

The Business Secretary said the walkout by Royal Mail staff would be "totally self-defeating".

OAPs could miss out on pensions and hospitals would be thrown into chaos if appointments and test results were delayed, he said.

But his grim prediction was met with short shrift by union leaders, who accused Lord Mandelson of "damaging" talks aimed at ending the dispute.

Lord Mandelson said the Royal Mail could be permanently damaged.

He said: "I think it is totally self-defeating for our postal services and those who work to deliver them. Taking industrial action will not resolve this dispute. It will only serve to drive more customers away from Royal Mail."

John McDonnell, chairman of the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs, said: "Mandelson is just making things worse and if he can't say something constructive, a period of silence from him would be extremely welcome."

[mandelsons_toenail]

the truth is coming out.

everyone share it with facebook etc

the more people know the better :mfo

[Stormproof]

OAPs could miss out on pensions and hospitals would be thrown into chaos if appointments and test results were delayed, he said.

why don't they get the NHS Logistics firm TNT to deliver the appointments, I have hospital appointments but always arrange them on the phone they just send out a confirmation letter, so not a big deal. Do pensioners still have payment books? my dad has his pension paid directly into a PO account.

[Captain Scarlet]

All scaremongering by Mandy, h probably still has some russian billionaire lined up to take a share(or a brazilian) so bring it on and shut it Mandy cos your ar unelected as far as we can see!!!!

[brunswick]

lets get copies of these letters put in the national press for all and sundry to see