Post strike threat over jobs 'U-turn' as RM centres shut

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... centres.do" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post staff accused Royal Mail bosses of doing a U-turn today over plans to shut two London mail centres.

They said closing sorting offices in Nine Elms and Bromley-by-Bow would lead to hundreds of compulsory redundancies, going back on a national agreement with managers that jobs would be found for workers who want to stay.

It is thought that shutting the two centres next year will save £30 million annually, but lead to the loss of 700 posts in London. Workers at South London Mail Centre, in Nine Elms, said the move could lead to a national strike later in the year. Today union representatives were in talks with members about what action to take.

Paul Cox, 49, a postman and Communication Workers' Union representative at south London, said: "I've worked for the Royal Mail for 221/2 years. I'm worried about my job. They won't hit the figures for voluntary redundancies. They've told us 530 voluntary redundancies between this office and east London, but in a voluntary redundancy exercise eight months ago we didn't even get 66."

He added: "We know there's yet another attack on our pensions coming. There's a lot of anger.

"We've made it clear from day one that we're not going to get in a dispute about the closure of the building. What we're looking for is that in line with the national agreement that people who don't want to leave get jobs within Royal Mail.

"As long as we can get in that position we'll avoid a dispute, but otherwise there'll be a national strike because it's in breach of the national agreement."

Some 1,000 managerial jobs will also go across Britain, and a further 1,700 back-office posts have been cut since the start of the year. Royal Mail justified the changes, saying the number of items posted in London had slumped. In 2006/07, 831 million items were posted. By 2013/14, that is forecast to fall to 353 million, Royal Mail said.

Mark Higson, managing director of operations and modernisation at the company, said the changes were "vital to ensuring a successful future for the letters and parcels business".

But Communications Workers' Union London said: "Closing two mail centres will have a devastating effect on quality of service."

West End delivery operations, currently based in Rathbone Place, will transfer to Mount Pleasant near King's Cross in 2013. About half of the 64 mail centres nationally could close by 2016 or sooner.

The Government has introduced legislation to privatise Royal Mail. it is currently in the House of Lords

[westlondonpostie]

Paul Cox, 49, a postman and Communication Workers' Union representative at south London, said: "I've worked for the Royal Mail for 221/2 years. I'm worried about my job. They won't hit the figures for voluntary redundancies. They've told us 530 voluntary redundancies between this office and east London, but in a voluntary redundancy exercise eight months ago we didn't even get 66."

[belle smith]

Paul Cox, 49, a postman and Communication Workers' Union representative at south London, said: "I've worked for the Royal Mail for 221/2 years. I'm worried about my job. They won't hit the figures for voluntary redundancies. They've told us 530 voluntary redundancies between this office and east London, but in a voluntary redundancy exercise eight months ago we didn't even get 66."

22 and a half years.

[Wessex]

Probably now feels like he has been there for over 200 years.

[not me]

only 66 from 530 staff for VR?
most of my office would take VR in a heartbeat

[POSTMAN]

only 66 from 530 staff for VR?
most of my office would take VR in a heartbeat

Yes but would they really if it came to the crunch?

[belle smith]

only 66 from 530 staff for VR?
most of my office would take VR in a heartbeat

Yes but would they really if it came to the crunch?

If there wasn't a recession?

[fishtank]

only 66 from 530 staff for VR?
most of my office would take VR in a heartbeat

Yes but would they really if it came to the crunch?

No.
Even i wouldn't and i've never felt this bad about the job and the future of the company.
I would give my mind a treat...that's all.

[dvbuk55]

Some tough talking from CWU London, fortunately they don't speak for us all - a National strike to save 700 jobs.......dream on.

[belle smith]

only 66 from 530 staff for VR?
most of my office would take VR in a heartbeat

Yes but would they really if it came to the crunch?

No.
Even i wouldn't and i've never felt this bad about the job and the future of the company.
I would give my mind a treat...that's all.

If there was another full time job to go to yes i would.
I've worked as a temp before plenty of times when you lose your job as a temp you get f**k all, 24 hours notice and thats it!
If your a permanent contract and get redundancy, then provided you are able to get another job it doesn't seem so bad to me.
Cash lump sum and a fresh start.
Albeit in a recession it's diffrent, lose your job and i assume your cash lump sum dwindels very quickly along with your self esteem.

[edwardo]

Some tough talking from CWU London, fortunately they don't speak for us all - a National strike to save 700 jobs.......dream on.

agree 100% i dont think they would get a yes vote anyway , and say we did get a yes vote and go out on strike ,then the C.W.U. reach an agreement and we all troop back work ( without the pay cut this time ) then 6 months down the line RM go belly up on the agreement again .back to square one again pretty much the norm the last 8 or 9 years no? the union has no muscle now and we might as well get used to it . The C.W.U.always seemto show interest when London is affected going by the bloggs on this website alone they disappeared ofthe face of the earth since park and loop arrived when offices were crying out for help i have been out on strike offical and unoffical but C.W.U will need to do a lot better to convince me this time