Management attacks continue despite Interim Agreement

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postal Strike - Management attacks continue despite Interim Agreement

http://www.workersliberty.org/story/200 ... -agreement" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At a national meeting of branch secretaries in London today, Dave Ward and the Postal Executive Committee appear to have taken a more militant tone than previously. Dave Ward has given assurances that 'if Royal Mail does not significantly shift' on unilateral changes and bullying, the union would schedule more national action, possibly within a week. This militant talk from the PEC appears to be the result of several factors.

Firstly, postal workers are massively dissatisfied with the Interim Agreement, and rightly so. Even after it was explained that the Agreement did not mean a no-strike deal until Christmas (which was a widely held belief due to Brendan Barber's appearance on TV with talk of a strike-free Christmas and the PEC's utter failure to communicate properly with the membership), the membership was overwhelmingly against stopping the action during negotiations. Although a few branch secretaries and area reps defended the PEC's decision after its announcement, the tone of the discussions at workplaces and on forums such as royalmailchat.co.uk was overwhelmingly against the Agreement. Postal workers expressed shock at the stand-down, and frustration that the back-log, which had been paid for out of members' lost wages, was being frittered away. Another worry was that after a 'truce' of this nature, it might prove more difficult to gear the membership back up for action. The PEC in general, and Dave Ward in particular, have come in for a lot of criticism for this disastrous tactic, and the high-handed manner in which they kept the membership in the dark until the last possible minute.

It seems that the PEC is caught between a rock and a hard place. As one London postal worker told us, the PEC was wary of letting the national industrial action run and run because, “they are scared of losing control of the membership; of being overtaken by events”. On the other hand, a West Country CWU member offered us the opinion that “a secret motivation for this new tough talk was that things had got so bitter that the PEC was worried that there would be unofficial strikes, which would have been dangerous - but there would have been positive possibilities there too. There is not much of a tradition in the CWU of lobbying and political opposition - instead people tend to react to things by just walking out”. So the newly militant talk coming out of the PEC seems to reflect the pressure created by the membership's reaction to the deal.

The second reason for the more militant attitude of Dave Ward is that management is by and large not abiding by the 'spirit' of the Interim Agreement, at least as the PEC understands it. The Interim Agreement didn't commit management to anything more concrete than talking to area reps on a unit-by-unit basis and continuing national negotiations. But it was also understood that the Agreement would see a general “cooling down” of hostilities on both sides. But instead management attacks have continued unabated. One of the branch chairs who attended today's meeting reported that in 6 out of 9 divisions, management were not only refusing to budge at all on the executive actions and unilateral changes introduced so far - but were actually continuing attacks. In various workplaces, management are still using harsh discipline to bully workers and victimise the more militant CWU members - taking people off pay and suspending workers for such offences as “wilful delay” - i.e. failure to complete one's shift on time. Reports of continued suspensions and bullying have been coming in from all parts of the country - but it seems that management attacks are worst in London. It is still unclear as to whether this aggression is spontaneous, instinctive viciousness on the part of local managers, or whether it is the result of a strategy being handed down from Royal Mail's top bosses. In any case, the 'goodwill' that the Interim Agreement was supposed to herald has clearly failed to materialise. When faced with a climbdown by the union, management behaved exactly as any intelligent workplace militant would have expected: and continued to run rampant, attacking workers and making changes just as it pleased.

Dave Ward made a bold declaration in front of branch activists today, that the PEC would announce more strikes if management did not budge and continued to block negotiations. The pressures acting on Ward and on the CWU postal leadership are clear. But equally, it is not impossible that, presented with a few kind words from management and a relaxation in the rank-and-file anger at the Interim Agreement, Ward could declare on the 16th of November, the day of the review, that it is 'too soon to tell' how negotiations are going, and put action off again. The only way to be sure that the dispute is strong and conducted correctly is to build an organised rank-and-file network to monitor and control the dispute. Branches and reps opposed to the Interim Agreement should convene a national meeting as soon as possible.

In spite of the Interim Agreement, the postal workers are still strong. The mood among postal workers is still for the fight to continue until real concessions have been won. Solidarity committees and real public support for the postal workers still exist. If they fight on, and seize the advantage they still have in the run-up to Christmas, they can win.

[jockstrapp]

Dave Ward being more MILITANT don't make me laugh......maybe if he had a pair of b@lls and an ounce of brain matter we would maybe have royal fail sqirming bt now and this is for WARD not Mandleson :mfo :mfo

[fishtank]

If this is a serious shift from Dave it's great news.

If it's a sham to look good in front of the branch secs were done for.

I'll make my mind up on monday.

[ldsposti]

fishtank whats happening on monday

[fishtank]

fishtank whats happening on monday

It's the day of the first review.
We should find out how well the real negotiation are going,and if we are going back out this would be the time to tell us.

[Martin Walsh]

This briefing today went as I thought it would. The PEC met before to be informed that the interim agreement was resting on a knifes edge as Mark Higson was written to prior to the meeting saying unless Royal Mail started to abide by the agreement in all areas then when the PEC meet on Weds further strike action will be announced.

Brendan Barber was also informed who arranged a meeting between our officers and Higson and Royal Mail for Monday.

In additon Dave attended a meeting this afternoon with the divisonal reps in London with Royal Mail London directors and Dale Hadon and Paul Toolhurst as London, Anglia and Scotland seemed to be having the most problems with the managements application of the agreement. To say this meeting was stormy would be an understatement and Royal Mail was left in no doubt unless they change tack over the weekend then further strike action would be announced.

All the Divisonal Reps were asked afters Daves introduction to give their reports of the Branch"s within their divisons. Midlands were the first and they had a lot of problems especially with the levels of casuals and the fact they have Paul Joblin to deal with. Next was South West/ South Wales who had made progress including reaching a joint statement , resolving all the reps cases and closing the Bristol causal centre. North West / North Wales were next and said they had made some progress but still some issues to be resolved. London was next and we gave all the problems we were expeirencing , South Central no real problems and had moved some issues on already , Anglia they had problems with both absorbtion and casuals. South East had both some postive and negative point to the agreement. Scotland and Northern Ireland not much progress. North East had move the agreement forward in some places.

Afterwhich it was opened up to branch contributions and most but not all got up and highlighted breachs of the agreement and calling for further action.

In my view the agreement has until next weds to be kept to by Royal Mail or come Weds I cant see how the strikes wont be back on.

[POSTMAN]

Toolhurst Was that a slip of the keyboard!

Anyway,what's the score with the last letter a 2 for us in london and the 4 day week scam rm are doing?
Baring in mind we have had last letter at 3 for the 4 day week guys for 2 f***ing years!

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=21963" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[baldrick]

Email from London Division Reps to RM London Director

From: Martin Walsh
Sent: 12 November 2009
To: Gerry O'Rourke

Gerry O'Rourke

I am writing to express our anger and frustration at you and the managers under
your control for refusing to abide by the terms of the interim agreement.

It has become apparent that Royal Mail management in London are continuing
to settle old scores. in particular the refusal to offer normal resourcing levels
including overtime. In particular Management are continuing to punish our
members by offering overtime first or in some cases only to those who did not
support the strike action. how can we rebuild trust and move this agreement
forward when you continue to discriminate against members who supported the
strike?

In addition Royal Mail's actions in regards returning work to its parent office is
nothing short of a disgrace. It would appear managers are refusing to staff to
levels in mail centres which was normal prior to the strike and was recognised
then as the right resourcing numbers to clear the mail centres.

Your refusal to allw our members overtime in line with 3.2 of the interim
agreement regarding local overtime allocation is unacceptable. Instead your
decision allows for the continued use of casuals in front of trained staff.

Furthermore it is totally unacceptable that you continue to flood delivery offices
with an army of managers without first and foremost attempting to resolve the
backlog with the use of our members within the office. Instead you continue to
accuse our members in units of working slowly which is laughable considering
the unprecedented numbers of casuals and managers you are flooding these
offices in.

We are also very disturbed that your email once again states that we can only have
CWU meetings in the workplace if managers are present.

Unless we resolve these issues prior to Monday then we will be informing the
PEC that you are not keeping to the agreement. It is apparent that your
directors and the managers below them are sabotaging the agreement.

Yours sincerely

Martin Walsh
Mark Palfrey

[Mercian]

We are also very disturbed that your email once again states that we can only have
CWU meetings in the workplace if managers are present.

Is this not normal practice for all RM sites ? - we have to have meetings OUTSIDE THE SITE GATES because RM managers where I am based do not let us meet on site whether a manager is present or not.

[Danelectro]

Toolhurst Was that a slip of the keyboard!

Anyway,what's the score with the last letter a 2 for us in london and the 4 day week scam rm are doing?
Baring in mind we have had last letter at 3 for the 4 day week guys for 2 f***ing years!

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=21963" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I dont question the 4 day week that you have negotiated cos thats union policy but last letter at 3 o clock is that a good thing?
The leaked document stating that d2d payments and last letter will be3 o clock was what convinced a lot of people in our office to go out on strike.I knew some offices had set up 4 day weeks but i had presumed that would have meant a 4 o clock starting time and not a later finish.Im sure because of the way royal mail have set up the network that an early start was not possible but it just highlights why local agreements set precedents that are not be popular in all areas.

In my office ever since SDD we have had problems gaining access to buildings with service buttons going off at 11 to 12 in the morning, we are told to chalk up mail after 3 days but in reality people come in early,deliver not as frame and dont take any breaks so they can try and get the mail delivered.This problem has not and wont ever get fixed cos the council wont spend money sending a sparky round to change entry systems and the police locally have advised not to have service buttons on in afternoons.Locally we have argued against later last letter because of the access problems which means thousands of people dont get their mail on a regular basis and because of that we are not providing a decent service.

[Big Daz]

You need to get hold of the acess codes , I can get into the flats on my round as I have the codes.

Without them though its a case of pressing buzzers and hoping someone will let you in.

[baldrick]

We are also very disturbed that your email once again states that we can only have
CWU meetings in the workplace if managers are present.

Is this not normal practice for all RM sites ? - we have to have meetings OUTSIDE THE SITE GATES because RM managers where I am based do not let us meet on site whether a manager is present or not.

It is certainly not normal practice at Mount Pleasant. We have previously been allowed to hold CWU
meetings in the restrooms without managers being present, which would inhibit open discussion.
Since the IA started we have not been allowed to hold members meetings on the premises, and have
held them in a Church Hall nearby.

[Stormproof]

We are also very disturbed that your email once again states that we can only have
CWU meetings in the workplace if managers are present.

Is this not normal practice for all RM sites ? - we have to have meetings OUTSIDE THE SITE GATES because RM managers where I am based do not let us meet on site whether a manager is present or not.

It is certainly not normal practice at Mount Pleasant. We have previously been allowed to hold CWU
meetings in the restrooms without managers being present, which would inhibit open discussion.
Since the IA started we have not been allowed to hold members meetings on the premises, and have
held them in a Church Hall nearby.

Our meetings are now held at the gate with lots of people passing by, its like airing your dirty laundry in public

[DGP1]

We are also very disturbed that your email once again states that we can only have
CWU meetings in the workplace if managers are present.

Is this not normal practice for all RM sites ? - we have to have meetings OUTSIDE THE SITE GATES because RM managers where I am based do not let us meet on site whether a manager is present or not.

It is certainly not normal practice at Mount Pleasant. We have previously been allowed to hold CWU
meetings in the restrooms without managers being present, which would inhibit open discussion.
Since the IA started we have not been allowed to hold members meetings on the premises, and have
held them in a Church Hall nearby.

Our meetings are now held at the gate with lots of people passing by, its like airing your dirty laundry in public

We have ours in the pub, it's great for the first hours but then we start getting 'a bit rowdy' and then things can get very noisey

[dvbuk55]

Our meetings are now held at the gate with lots of people passing by, its like airing your dirty laundry in public :whistl

We have ours in the pub, it's great for the first hours but then we start getting 'a bit rowdy' and then things can get very noisey

The mind boggles, I get a sort of double vision here, your rowdy style karaoke and stormproofs airing dirty laundry

We don't have meetings it is a sort of whispering campaign with a touch of mystic meg reading the runes.