RM withdraws redundancy deals for Coventry's Bishop st...

[POSTMAN]

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/c ... -26657295/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

POSTAL workers say their dreams of a fresh start after leaving Royal Mail are in tatters after redundancy offers worth tens of thousands of pounds were axed.

Dozens of workers had been offered farewell packages of up to £40,000 ahead of the closure of Coventry’s Bishop Street depot next month.

But those aged 55 and under have now been given the shock news that voluntary redundancy is unavailable and that they must transfer to a new regional hub 35 miles away in Northamptonshire.

Some part-timers and those over 55 are still eligible for a pay-off.

One worker, who asked not to be named, said: “People were quoted between £20,000 and £40,000 and once they knew what they would be getting their first choice was voluntary redundancy.

“But last week we were taken into offices and told that we are not getting VR, and that we will only get Northampton. They are discriminating against anyone under 55.

“People were saying what they had planned to do with the money: take a year out of work or set up a business, but it’s been ripped from them.”

He said other staff who wanted to relocate to postal centres in Baginton, Foleshill, Rugby or Crick have also been told that Northampton is now their only option.

“We are out of Bishop Street on July 17, but nobody wants to go to Northampton,” said the worker.

Mick Kavanagh, of the Coventry branch of the Communication Workers’ Union, held talks with Royal Mail on Monday in an effort to resolve the issue.

“Some people do feel let down and misled because they thought they were getting voluntary redundancy, but Royal Mail has run out of packages,” he said.

“It’s all up in the air. We are in negotiations with Royal Mail to try and improve what’s going on. They have a responsibility to look after their employees.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We have an excellent track record of managing staff through change and it is great news we have jobs for every one of our people.

“We have been able to offer the vast majority of staff their first preference and they have either been redeployed in the Coventry area, given voluntary redundancy or will move to the new South Midlands mail centre with an enhanced travel package.

The excess allowance has been agreed with the union and has increased from three years to five years, worth an additional £5,000 to each employee.’’

The Bishop Street site is being sold for £45 million after a new regional sorting centre was built next to the M1 in Northamptonshire.

[mark_e]

A part timer working 4 hours a day and travelling 35 miles there and back each day - yeah right

[andy2007]

Oh, if only they WERE kidding. This is the way that RM are going, when it comes to MCs/RDCs.

Obviously, you get travelling expenses for the first 3 years. But they're capped, so they won't completely cover such a long journey. But after that, if you haven't moved to the new area (and why should you have to!). You're on your own.

[stokes11eg]

I thinkk you'll find if you check up, if you are moved more than 23 miles from your present location, then different rules apply--cannot remember all the details, but anyone interested should check it out. Also seems dodgy that if a firm offer has been made and accepted, it has now been withdrawn--could be breach of contract here.

[andy2007]

Then it must have changed since I last needed to claim it. I had to travel an extra 25 miles each way, and mine was capped! Still that was a few years ago, so with any luck, you might be right.

[stokes11eg]

Andy, if you log on to the governments own site on relocation , you'll find some interesting facts on there. again. I cannot remember certain things, all I know is a few years ago, at least in Scotland, if you were asked to move more than 23 miles from your original workplace, different rules applied. But if you read the site you can see there are cases were certain reasons would allow you to turn down the offer I know that up here, in haggis land especially in recent years, with banks merging etc, lots of folks were able to claim redundancy.