Postal union warns of pre-Christmas strikes

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 936023.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Christmas deliveries may be in jeopardy after the postal union threatened to resume their strike action.

The Communication Workers Union has told postal workers to prepare for further strikes in December after reaching a deadlock with Royal Mail.

Industrial action was halted earlier this month after the two parties negotiated an interim agreement over the future of the service.

However, CWU general secretary Billy Hayes has now written to members saying that more strikes could be called within weeks because Royal Mail was refusing to offer enough concessions.

A series of walkouts by postal workers in October left an estimated backlog of 60 million letters and parcels.

Union organisation TUC was brought in to mediate talks and an interim agreement was reached on November 6, halting planned further action by the CWU.

Announcing the agreement, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said there would now be a “period of calm, free of industrial action”.

He added: “Royal Mail services will be free of any disruption up to and through the Christmas period.”

The strikes are the result of a bitter row between Royal Mail management and postal workers over the future of the service and proposals to cut jobs and modernise delivery methods in the face of falling demand for traditional post.

A Royal Mail spokesman said today that the company remained “absolutely committed” to the talks.

A spokesman for the CWU said: "We cannot rule out strike action because the ballot is still live, but our focus is on renegotiating an agreement."

[Stormproof]

“Royal Mail services will be free of any disruption up to and through the Christmas period.”

Barber should never of made that statement. After his input at the 2007 IA he should'nt of been approached this time

[POSTMAN]

Something tells me that we aint gonna strike anyway.

[DGP1]

Royal Mail was refusing to offer enough concessions.

I think the the exact phrase should be 'Royal Mail was refusing to offer ANY concessions'

[dvbuk55]

A spokesman for the CWU said: "We cannot rule out strike action because the ballot is still live, but our focus is on renegotiating an agreement."

These are the sort of errors which do point to the fact the CWU are trying to renogiate the 2007 agreement, if not wholly, then in part to suit some ares of the country. I do think that the CWU have agreed not to strike before christmas, that they are hoping for some movement from RM, so that they can justify putting an
agreement before the membership which will include the wording "negotiations and disputes will be conducted without interruption to the service".

Having said that we will have the final vote - I suggest we get an independant employment lawyer to take a look at it before we agree.

[fishtank]

Something tells me that we aint gonna strike anyway.

I think i would trust that "Something", he knows what he is talking about.

[S6 Stroller]

...I suggest we get an independant employment lawyer to take a look at it before we agree.

I suggest if we could get an indepedent employment lawyer to take a very close look at many aspects of what goes on at Royal Mail they'd be like a kid let loose in a sweet shop.

[dvbuk55]

...I suggest we get an independant employment lawyer to take a look at it before we agree.

I suggest if we could get an indepedent employment lawyer to take a very close look at many aspects of what goes on at Royal Mail they'd be like a kid let loose in a sweet shop.

Of course they would - my comment was a bit tongue in cheek.