Bullying claims by postal workers

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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POSTAL picketers claim they are scared to speak out for fear of being bullied at work.

Postal workers across the country hit the picket lines yesterday and Thursday because of a deadlocked row with Royal Mail management over jobs, pensions and modernisation.

In Barrow, strikers were out in force on Rawlinson Street bearing placards.

But when approached by the Evening Mail yesterday, the group said they could not give their names for fear of reprisals at work.

One picketer said: “You’re being constantly picked on, you’re watching your back every second.”

His colleague said: “We’ve been told that there’ll be consequences if people talk out of line, so there’s a fear of speaking out in case something happens to your job.”

Their claims have been backed by Barry Bowes, assistant branch secretary for the North Lancashire and Cumbria Communications Workers Union (CWU), which initiated the strikes.

Mr Bowes said: “A lot of workers are scared. Because of the current financial climate we are losing member after member under the discipline process faster than we ever were. I can fully understand why some of our members would refuse to be identified.”

Union members are also hitting out at bosses over “modernisation” plans, which they say would involve job cuts, a higher workload for those staying on, and drastic changes in their working hours.

One Barrow picketer said: “The things they’re bringing in aren’t what they agreed to. We want modernisation, but not this way.

“You can’t say we aren’t flexible, but these new decisions are a step too far. We’ve changed what we do three times in the last seven years, changed the number of deliveries, the time of them, the size of them and the times we start and finish work – and they’re still not happy.

“There’s no structure to what they’re doing, no agreement. They just bring it in whether we like it or not, and it’ll be us that has to clean up the mess, not them.”

He added: “If those changes go ahead, you’ll be getting your mail at five in the afternoon. At the end of the day, we’re protecting this service. It’s one of the best public services they’ve got and they want to wreck it.”

The Evening Mail asked Royal Mail about the bullying claims – but they did not comment about the allegations.

But Royal Mail managing director Mark Higson did dismiss the union’s claims that they have the public interest at heart.

Mr Higson said: “It’s appalling that the CWU has called still more strikes in its determination to damage customers and ruin the UK postal service.

“Any pretence from the CWU that they care about customers or the future of the postal service is now shown to be totally dishonest.

“We have an agreement that was reached on Tuesday night and we had an agreement in 2007 on which the union reneged – the real issue is not about getting agreements, it’s about the CWU leadership’s ability to deliver and honour them.”

Mr Higson also said it was “totally outrageous” for the CWU to accuse the company of reneging on a deal when it was the union that had walked away.”

More strikes are set to take place next Thursday Friday and Saturday.

[DirtyHarry]

Mark Higson, very symbolic of our new, very corrupt, country. I suppose Higson would describe what he says as being "spin", I'm a more down-to-earth, pragmatic sort of guy, I call it lying.

[Post Off]

Mr Higson said: “It’s appalling that the CWU has called still more strikes in its determination to damage customers and ruin the UK postal service.

“Any pretence from the CWU that they care about customers or the future of the postal service is now shown to be totally dishonest.

If the negotiations go tits up then we'll know where to lay the blame for any break down of talks. I mean, how can this person openly accuse the CWU (without any real proof) of having no interest in the future of Royal Mail, its staff, and obviously its customers -- including all our public customers and business ones too.

[pinstripe]

Totally agree Dirty Harry, and this from our new lord and master says it all:
"we had an agreement in 2007 on which the union reneged" So who Mr Higson refused to discuss or implement phase 4 of the 2007 agreement?

[norbert]

Totally agree Dirty Harry, and this from our new lord and master says it all:
"we had an agreement in 2007 on which the union reneged" So who Mr Higson refused to discuss or implement phase 4 of the 2007 agreement?

The Asst Branch Secretary is a former Preston Area Processing Rep , he was brought in to help Andy Tatchell ( Former Burnley Mayor ) as NW Lancs & Cumbria is a very big patch .

A Fluffy Plant said " This is why we brought Mark Higson in , the Union had a veto on everything , that had to be stopped " . " Most of the "bullyboy" stuff is actually performance management " .

[Fred B]

Totally agree Dirty Harry, and this from our new lord and master says it all:
"we had an agreement in 2007 on which the union reneged" So who Mr Higson refused to discuss or implement phase 4 of the 2007 agreement?

What would Higson know? He wasn't employed by Royal Mail until after the 2007 agreement was struck. Just like Crozier (who was) he had no part in the deal.

[Stumpy]

The truth is out there, and Higson and co are becoming very aware of it.

In years gone by they have preached in the media that any dispute is about pay and the public have lined up behind them. Times change though and thanks in part to the power of the internet the truth is there for those who want to acknowledge it.

Early polls are showing that the public have cut through old Higsons hype and in my opinion the swingometer is only going to go one way.

I note also that the bullying and harrassment side of our grievance is startinng to get coverage and we all know that this is happening on a daily basis

Could there just be a sudden panic on the part of Crozier and Higson et al to get a resolution to this dispute before there is too much damning information put before the public?

[postgirl*]

prior to the dispute if you were to turn up for work not wearing the correct uniform you would be disciplined, today i've received a letter from RH telling me in go in wearing what i like, hows that for hypocracy?

[DirtyHarry]

prior to the dispute if you were to turn up for work not wearing the correct uniform you would be disciplined, today i've received a letter from RH telling me in go in wearing what i like, hows that for hypocracy?

Oh, that's run-o'-the-mill for Royal Mail, postgirl.

[novaswift]

We recieved the same letter today, but it missed out telling us that they can smuggle a postie through a picket line in the back of a van as they did at our D.O. last week. Surely against H&S RULES IS'NT IT?

[janitor]

Think you will also find its against the law, unless the van has proper seats and seat belts, like a crew bus, but the whole idea is so the cowards cant be seen, i think i would respect them more if they walked through the line, wouldn't like it but would respect them for having the guts to do it, not like our strike breakers who were sneaked in and out in the back of a managers van.

[bandit650]

From what i undrstand anything goes,if you get caught riding without helmet on a po bike you have to go for a chat with the gov,if you dont wear the correct footwear you get a chat with the gov,Royal Mail causes industrial striff forcing it's staff to take action in with drawing it's labour and you get well if you want to come to work come and have a chat and we can get you in by putting you in the back of a van,no health and safety breach nothing to get concerned about,hey how times change

[DirtyHarry]

Think you will also find its against the law, unless the van has proper seats and seat belts, like a crew bus, but the whole idea is so the cowards cant be seen, i think i would respect them more if they walked through the line, wouldn't like it but would respect them for having the guts to do it, not like our strike breakers who were sneaked in and out in the back of a managers van.

Not me, whether it's in a back of a van, or brazenly right through your picket line, a scab is letting their colleagues down big time.
That's as much as I'll give the vermin.

[janitor]

As i said i wouldn't like it, but if your morals allow you to scab, then your morals should allow you to walk past the people you are shitting on.

[novaswift]

The guy works in another office, drove down parked in a public car park and was smuggled in the back of a van. The only thing missing was a blanket over his head!!