Christmas strikes loom as union and RMl talks lack progress

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Christmas postal strikes loom as union and Royal Mail talks lack progress
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/2 ... royal-mail" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Union may suspend talks if no headway made over modernisation plans

The postal dispute could reignite next week if Royal Mail continues to stall over peace talks, sources close to the Communication Workers Union have warned.

The two sides began negotiations under the auspices of mediation service Acas this week but it is understood that little headway has been made. "So far, it's been a case of talks about talks," one source said. "If no progress is being made you can't rule out the union going back to strike action."

Next Thursday, the CWU will review what progress has been made after it called off strike action earlier this month in order to try to thrash out an agreement with Royal Mail over its modernisation programme.

If the union believes that the two sides are no closer to reaching a deal, it is expected to suspend the talks.

Further strike action before Christmas could also be announced as the ballot for industrial action which was passed by CWU members last month still remains in place.

The Guardian has also learned that Roger Poole, until recently the chairman of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, has been appointed by the two sides to act as an independent mediator.

Poole, also a former assistant general secretary of the Unison union, began mediating on Thursday.

Four more days of talks are due next week, culminating in Thursday's review when the CWU – as well as Royal Mail and Poole – will assess how well negotiations are progressing.

Earlier this month, the two sides reached an "interim agreement" where the CWU committed to calling off industrial action in return for holding talks under Acas to agree how to implement a long term modernisation programme of the business.

This would cover the introduction of "walk sequencing machines" next year, the impact of modernisation on postal workers' workloads, pay and job security. The two sides have also committed themselves to local reviews of practices to resolve local disputes.

But it is understood that Royal Mail union members in London, where the industrial action was the most severe, remain particularly concerned over Royal Mail practices.

Royal Mail is far less efficient than its rivals and postal workers have to spend hours each day sorting mail by hand before beginning deliveries.

The company is introducing automatic sorting machines but the union argues that managers are using modernisation to push through working practices resulting in unreasonable workloads and hours for staff. There is also concern that the changes will lead to thousands of redundancies.

The interim agreement allows for a "period of calm" with the "intention of both parties to make significant progress by early December with the aim of concluding a final agreement by the end of 2009".

[piranha]

Next Thursday?! I thought the strikes were called off on the 5th so 2 weeks should have been Thursday the 19th
WTF are Dave and co. playing at?

[dvbuk55]

Next Thursday?! I thought the strikes were called off on the 5th so 2 weeks should have been Thursday the 19th
WTF are Dave and co. playing at?

I'm not sure but the recent LTB said that the PEC would meet next TUESDAY meaning that there will be no decision then because the review is on THURSDAY, I think we are being played for mugs.

[DGP1]

Royal Mail is far less efficient than its rivals and postal workers have to spend hours each day sorting mail by hand before beginning deliveries.

That's because none of our rivals do our job and the reason why walk sequencing hasn't been introduced up to no is a lack of commitment by management to instal the machines and work out a sensible work rate.

[dropbag_clone]

Royal Mail is far less efficient than its rivals and postal workers have to spend hours each day sorting mail by hand before beginning deliveries.

Yes I have heard this mentioned before, some right wing think tank spokesman incredulous that “here we are in the 21st century and postmen still have to spend a number of hours each day sorting and preparing by hand their letters and packets….before they go out on delivery”

So when we “modernize” with the introduction of the new walk sequencing machines we will simply turn up for work fill our bags up with presorted mail and off we go….

Errrr what about the mail that the sequencing machines can’t handle?
“Ah that will have to be sorted by hand then”
And the packets that don’t go through any machine?
“Oh that will have to be sorted by hand”
And the items that turn up too late to be handled 3 times by the sequencing machines?
“Well you will need to sort that by hand"
And the filling of our mail delivery puches?
"Done by hand"
And, heaven forbid, the machines break down?
"You will have to revert to a very old fashion system of doing it all by hand.......but essentially 'modernization’ will mean the old methods of working will be consigned to the dustbin of history, and with the exception of the manual handling of mail, in the morning (or it could be early afternoon before the sequencing machines have it ready for handling, sorry I mean further processing) you will be able to get out onto to the streets much more modernly than before….though we are still left with the small problem of having to delivery the mail by foot and bloody hand…

Our next step on the road to ‘Modernization’ will have to be to do away with the manual side of delivering the mail completely .

[underpaidoverwalked]

Royal Mail is far less efficient than its rivals and postal workers have to spend hours each day sorting mail by hand before beginning deliveries.

Yes I have heard this mentioned before, some right wing think tank spokesman incredulous that “here we are in the 21st century and postmen still have to spend a number of hours each day sorting and preparing by hand their letters and packets….before they go out on delivery”

So when we “modernize” with the introduction of the new walk sequencing machines we will simply turn up for work fill our bags up with presorted mail and off we go….

Errrr what about the mail that the sequencing machines can’t handle?
“Ah that will have to be sorted by hand then”
And the packets that don’t go through any machine?
“Oh that will have to be sorted by hand”
And the items that turn up too late to be handled 3 times by the sequencing machines?
“Well you will need to sort that by hand"
And the filling of our mail delivery puches?
"Done by hand"
And, heaven forbid, the machines break down?
"You will have to revert to a very old fashion system of doing it all by hand.......but essentially 'modernization’ will mean the old methods of working will be consigned to the dustbin of history, and with the exception of the manual handling of mail, in the morning (or it could be early afternoon before the sequencing machines have it ready for handling, sorry I mean further processing) you will be able to get out onto to the streets much more modernly than before….though we are still left with the small problem of having to delivery the mail by foot and bloody hand…

Our next step on the road to ‘Modernization’ will have to be to do away with the manual side of delivering the mail completely .

[cedric]

organised strikes will never happen again in my office. The latest round were the final straw, money was lost for absolutely nothing. The local branch could not even be bothered to attend a meeting and explain the situation to the cwu members in our office. So I am afraid next time nobody will be asking them to go on strike nor will there be any picket lines to stop people attending for work.

[barbario]

If or when we lose this dispute,i just hope and pray the price we pay for surrender is'nt too high.,but you just know it will be.

[relichunter]

imagree strikes will not solve this problem
why shud memberes lose money when in 30 years ive never had a penny back from the union
ive given 4,000 £s and never had a penny back
lets see the union give something back in our wages instead of taking it
i jhad 3 kids years ago and not a penny did i get to help me i struggled really hard years ago
im sorry but the union aint as strong as they use to be and im withdrawing my fees from next month
thats 12£ a month if everyone did that ud have nuffing cus u aint doing nuffing now
i hate to say it but ive have lost all faith in this union
sorry but im leaving it

[relichunter]

i hate to keep writing but u blokes who have it hard make me sick
i got a good round most blokes have u make an hour
why bleat over working your hours u been getting off with it long enough
i bet most posties make at least an hour ]
u try a factory job wen u clock in and clok out
get realk and accept wats going on u got to work work i typed the whole 8 hours blimey i know its hard get use to it
u lot moaning make me sick and i been here 30 years the good times are gone get a life and get real u cant go to the pub at 11 every morning try 12

[swoosta]

i hate to keep writing but u blokes who have it hard make me sick
i got a good round most blokes have u make an hour
why bleat over working your hours u been getting off with it long enough
i bet most posties make at least an hour ]
u try a factory job wen u clock in and clok out
get realk and accept wats going on u got to work work i typed the whole 8 hours blimey i know its hard get use to it
u lot moaning make me sick and i been here 30 years the good times are gone get a life and get real u cant go to the pub at 11 every morning try 12

And you got a job you can't even spell !!!!!!

[ruins3696]

i hate to keep writing but u blokes who have it hard make me sick
i got a good round most blokes have u make an hour
why bleat over working your hours u been getting off with it long enough
i bet most posties make at least an hour ]
u try a factory job wen u clock in and clok out
get realk and accept wats going on u got to work work i typed the whole 8 hours blimey i know its hard get use to it
u lot moaning make me sick and i been here 30 years the good times are gone get a life and get real u cant go to the pub at 11 every morning try 12

most posties make at least an hour you dont know what you are talking about mate

[dvbuk55]

i hate to keep writing but u blokes who have it hard make me sick
i got a good round most blokes have u make an hour
why bleat over working your hours u been getting off with it long enough
i bet most posties make at least an hour ]
u try a factory job wen u clock in and clok out
get realk and accept wats going on u got to work work i typed the whole 8 hours blimey i know its hard get use to it
u lot moaning make me sick and i been here 30 years the good times are gone get a life and get real u cant go to the pub at 11 every morning try 12

Oh relichunter - you are a wag I'll just bet you sailed through the 11 plus - mind that wouldn't have been too difficult at 46 would it?

[borders]

i hate to keep writing but u blokes who have it hard make me sick
i got a good round most blokes have u make an hour
why bleat over working your hours u been getting off with it long enough
i bet most posties make at least an hour ]
u try a factory job wen u clock in and clok out
get realk and accept wats going on u got to work work i typed the whole 8 hours blimey i know its hard get use to it
u lot moaning make me sick and i been here 30 years the good times are gone get a life and get real u cant go to the pub at 11 every morning try 12

what about all the posties that work in the mail centres, they dont make any time you muppet..