You're our union, so listen to us posties

[johnnyp]

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You're our union, so listen to us postiesPostal workers fear the CWU is not interested in their position. Here are a few suggestions as to how it could enter negotiations
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Roy Mayall guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 10 November 2009 10.30 GMT Article historyA letter to Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union

Dear Dave

I should have been on strike yesterday, instead of which I was back at work.

I'm not sure whether to be pleased or annoyed. I'm pleased because I don't have to lose any wages or clear any backlogs this week. It was the oddest strike in history, not least because the people most inconvenienced by it were us posties, who had tonnes of mail to deliver when we came back to work.

I'm annoyed because I still have no idea what we it is we have achieved. You said: "We can now have a period of calm where we hope we can genuinely take forward modernisation in a way that puts the union at the centre."

This worries me. It implies that your first interest is in the union's position, not ours. It is us postal workers who are bearing the brunt of the cut-backs and casualisation at the heart of this so-called "modernisation" programme.

Why does modernisation always seem to mean more work for posties and a worse service for customers?

The word in the office is "sell out". I'm going to be more measured and say that I trust you have a good strategy worked out. I'm glad we are not inconveniencing our customers over the Christmas period, but I hope that if a deal isn't reached in the new year we can hit the corporations and the private mail companies hard by refusing to deliver their bills for them.

I think you would find the public on our side if we did that.

With this in mind I would like to make a few suggestions as to what our negotiating position should be.


Door-to-door

Most people call this "junk mail". We're paid 1.67p per item, a figure that hasn't changed in 10 years. That figure should be increased, and posties like me, who are concerned about our contribution to global warming, should be allowed to opt out on ethical and environmental grounds.


Attendance procedure

Who negotiated this in the first place? I think the public would be shocked to discover that posties are made to come into work, even when they are sick or injured, on threat of dismissal. We need an end to the attendance procedure, and a fairer way to deal with sickness at work. After all, most of the time when we're off work, it's because of the stresses of the job.


Length of rounds

Mine is supposed to take 3.5 hours. Usually it is four, occasionally five. How much more weight is one postie supposed to carry? Let 3.5 hours mean 3.5, and if it goes over let me have the option to stop without bullying or harassment by the managers.


Downstream access

Do our customers even realise that much of their mail arrives on their doorstep courtesy of private mail companies, but that it is Royal Mail postal workers who are expected to deliver it? Royal Mail and the government refer to this as "competition"; but how can it be competition when there is only one mail delivery company in the business who actually delivers mail, and who is then expected to carry all its rivals' letters for them? Postal workers want an end to downstream access. If TNT wants to set up a rival mail network, let it – otherwise, if it passes through Royal Mail hands let there be a Royal Mail stamp on it.


The pensions deficit

This, of course, is the responsibility of the government. Even if Royal Mail were privatised, there's no private company in the world that would take on a £10bn liability like this. It would still be down to the taxpayer in the end. So let's stop beating around the bush. We need to bring the government into the negotiations. It is, after all, the only shareholder and the real force behind Royal Mail's current negotiating stance.

Thank you for listening Dave. I hope the negotiations end up with a better deal for postal workers and not just for the union.

[stokes11eg]

[Destroyer]

Thank you for listening Dave. I hope the negotiations end up with a better deal for postal workers and not just for the union.

Well Said !

[treadhead]

[uprising95]

i agree

[Stumpy]

Send a copy of this registered mail to HQ post haste, less the intended audience do not get to see it.

[Geezer]

The Guardian really has been fair to us through all this, and more importantly has tried to do some real journalism unlike most of the Red Tops.
They need to be applauded for actually digging a little deeper and getting to the truth through all of Royal Mails and the Governments spin,keep up the good work.

[DirtyHarry]

That is an excellent letter, it not only hits, but it hammers every nail on the head.

[piranha]

Good old Roy, I wonder who he/she is?

[Big Daz]

Downstream access

Do our customers even realise that much of their mail arrives on their doorstep courtesy of private mail companies, but that it is Royal Mail postal workers who are expected to deliver it? Royal Mail and the government refer to this as "competition"; but how can it be competition when there is only one mail delivery company in the business who actually delivers mail, and who is then expected to carry all its rivals' letters for them? Postal workers want an end to downstream access. If TNT wants to set up a rival mail network, let it – otherwise, if it passes through Royal Mail hands let there be a Royal Mail stamp on it.

Thats a tough one to achieve, we will need to team up with our fellow unions in the European postal sector and change European law. The U.K HAS to have its postal market open by order of European directives.

We will need to indentify all current MEP' s who voted against/do not support the liberalisation of Europes postal markets.

[mailman337]

Way to go bro, brilliant esp re attendance "PROCEDURE" :mfo :mfo

[kwf166]

Well said

[clashcityrocker]

Obviously doesn't understand much about DSA and the D2D stuff is middle class twaddle.
Wonder if he puts what he earns from journalism into the strike fund?

[smokerjim]

Downstream access

Do our customers even realise that much of their mail arrives on their doorstep courtesy of private mail companies, but that it is Royal Mail postal workers who are expected to deliver it? Royal Mail and the government refer to this as "competition"; but how can it be competition when there is only one mail delivery company in the business who actually delivers mail, and who is then expected to carry all its rivals' letters for them? Postal workers want an end to downstream access. If TNT wants to set up a rival mail network, let it – otherwise, if it passes through Royal Mail hands let there be a Royal Mail stamp on it.

Thats a tough one to achieve, we will need to team up with our fellow unions in the European postal sector and change European law. The U.K HAS to have its postal market open by order of European directives.

We will need to indentify all current MEP' s who voted against/do not support the liberalisation of Europes postal markets.

The other thing to do would be to renegotiate the DSA contract ( on the basis that if it isn't, RM will become insolvent / fail / whatever legalese term applies, and then no one will have their mail delivered ) then take full account of the final mile costs.....and then invite them to start their own delivery network ( which they might to avoid paying 25p+ a letter - bring it on TNT! )