CWU Sues Royal Mail Over Use of Temporary Staff

[Geezer]

Communication Union Sues Royal Mail Over Use of Temporary Staff


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... UDlu8jFm5I

Share Business ExchangeTwitterFacebook| Email | Print | A A A

By James Lumley

Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Britain’s Communication Workers Union sued Royal Mail Group over its hiring of temporary staff to help clear a backlog of post caused by worker strikes this year.

The union filed the lawsuit at the High Court in London on Nov. 9, according to court records, four days after it called off strikes and said it had reached an “interim agreement” with the state-owned postal service. Details of the filing haven’t yet been made available.

The CWU said on Nov. 5 that it would suspend strike action for the rest of the year after both sides made progress in resolving a dispute over job security and work rules.

The CWU, which represents 121,000 employees at Royal Mail, has had five days of nationwide strikes that left undelivered mail piling up in post offices. Royal Mail said last month that the earlier strikes had created a backlog of 35 million pieces. The company, which delivers 75 million letters and packages a day, recruited thousands of temporary workers.

“They may have broken the law,” CWU spokeswoman Sian Jones said in a telephone interview. While the union sued, it didn’t plan to pursue the case unless talks break down, she said.

“We have got the option there if we need it,” Jones said.

The sides have disagreed over how to secure jobs as state- owned Royal Mail spends 2 billion pounds ($3.3 billion) on modernization measures such equipment to speed letter sorting. The company has cut 26,300 jobs since 2004.

Royal Mail said in an e-mailed statement that the lawsuit hadn’t been served against it.

The case is: Communication Workers Union v. Royal Mail Group Limited, HQ09X04944, High Court of Justice Queens Bench Division.

To contact the reporter for this story: James Lumley in London at jlumley1@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: November 12, 2009 09:38 EST

[BELIAL]

[not me]

does this fit in with the period of calm?

[Post Off]

That's interesting, I mean about being able to serve a lawsuit, and then to (presumably) activate it when the need arises.

[rathbonepostie]

Sorry, but this report is rubbish. The CWU has been told that there isn't a hope in hell of wining the court case. Holding back during the "period of calm" is just a smokescreen. Of course, if there was a chance of winning then we shoulod be proceeding regardless - if it really is a "period of calm" rather than a surrender then the issue hasn't gone away, and, moreover, winning a court case would establish precedent for other unions in a similar situatuion.

The problem is (1) the law is so full of loopholes; and (2) the union put all its eggs in the basket of legal action to counteract the recruitment of casuals to undermine the strike. No leafleting, picketting or recruitment of the temporary workers, all that was left to local activists and supporters. Finally, there was due to be oficial CWU action on Monday 9th at Bathgate, but by then, of course, we had entered the period of calm.

[BELIAL]

Communication Union Sues Royal Mail Over Use of Temporary Staff


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... UDlu8jFm5I

Share Business ExchangeTwitterFacebook| Email | Print | A A A

By James Lumley

Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Britain’s Communication Workers Union sued Royal Mail Group over its hiring of temporary staff to help clear a backlog of post caused by worker strikes this year.

The union filed the lawsuit at the High Court in London on Nov. 9, according to court records, four days after it called off strikes and said it had reached an “interim agreement” with the state-owned postal service. Details of the filing haven’t yet been made available.

The CWU said on Nov. 5 that it would suspend strike action for the rest of the year after both sides made progress in resolving a dispute over job security and work rules.

The CWU, which represents 121,000 employees at Royal Mail, has had five days of nationwide strikes that left undelivered mail piling up in post offices. Royal Mail said last month that the earlier strikes had created a backlog of 35 million pieces. The company, which delivers 75 million letters and packages a day, recruited thousands of temporary workers.

“They may have broken the law,” CWU spokeswoman Sian Jones said in a telephone interview. While the union sued, it didn’t plan to pursue the case unless talks break down, she said.

“We have got the option there if we need it,” Jones said.

The sides have disagreed over how to secure jobs as state- owned Royal Mail spends 2 billion pounds ($3.3 billion) on modernization measures such equipment to speed letter sorting. The company has cut 26,300 jobs since 2004.

Royal Mail said in an e-mailed statement that the lawsuit hadn’t been served against it.

The case is: Communication Workers Union v. Royal Mail Group Limited, HQ09X04944, High Court of Justice Queens Bench Division.

To contact the reporter for this story: James Lumley in London at jlumley1@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: November 12, 2009 09:38 EST

Lets be having you then