WHITSTABLE POSTIES INCONVENIENCED/LETTER TO MOYA GREENE & CO

[juliew]

Dear Moya,
I forgot to send you a copy of the Press Release I sent out earlier this week - together with a photograph and sticker.
It was only when I saw that the story had been published in the newspapers today, complete with the photo and sticker, that I remembered my omission.
I note from today's newspaper coverage that a Royal Mail 'spokesman' is quoted as saying in response:-
"Postal workers will be out on their rounds for the same amount of time as previously. It is inappropriate for us to comment on the provision of toilet facilities."
Could it be that it was deemed 'inappropriate' for the spokesman to comment because Royal Mail does not have an answer to this question of toilet facilities?
And are you absolutely sure about the first part of that statement? How can postal workers possibly be out on rounds 'for the same amount of time' when this move will mean they will be driving back and forth from Whitstable to Canterbury for an hour (at least) per day - not to mention the time they will have to spend parking 21 vans in Whitstable '8-10 times per round' - statistics confirmed to our Parliamentary Spokesman Cllr James Flanagan by e-mail recently.
If you're not aware of how difficult it is to park in Whitstable please do note Cllr Flanagan's comment:-
"Finding 10 parking spaces for each van, 6 days a week, would certainly be a challenge to staff and exacerbate local parking problems especially in the town centre, as well as taking up valuable time that is currently, and I would suggest properly, spent delivering mail."
If indeed postal workers' rounds were to remain the 'same amount of time' as they are currently, how on earth would staff possibly get any deliveries made with the driving and parking time required - not to mention time spent trying to find a public toilet since no delivery office would be available for toilet facilities in Whitstable. Perhaps it might be 'appropriate' for you to comment on the fact that public toilets in Whitstable do not have parking facilities for postal vans or any other vehicles. I suggest it is certainly highly 'appropriate' to our postal staff.
I look forward to your response - especially since I don't seem to have been receiving any responses from you lately.
Kind regards,
Julie (Wassmer)

PRESS RELEASE

INCONVENIENCED!

Whitstable campaigners fighting Royal Mail's decision to move the local delivery office to Canterbury claim the company is not giving consideration to the most basic requirements of the transfer - toilet facilities for postal staff.

Campaigner Julie Wassmer says: "I understand that councillors James Flanagan and Phil Cartwright met with Royal Mail personnel in London on February 5th to voice their concerns but were effectively told by Royal Mail manager Ray Tompsett that the move would take place first and any problems arising from it would be sorted out later. I now understand that no proper account has been made even of toilet facilities required by the staff and that it was suggested to one postman that he might ask to use the toilets at a local primary school."

Ms Wassmer claims that staff having to deliver to more rural areas such as Chestfield will find particular problems due to the lack of public toilets. "At the moment, having a local office means there isn't a problem. Staff are currently out delivering for 3 - 3 and a half hours, but if the move goes ahead, there would be at least an hour added to that for the 16 mile return journey from Canterbury to Whitstable. It's also expected that postal rounds would be longer, so staff may well be out of the Canterbury office for up to 5 hours without a chance to relieve themselves. Is this going to be yet another problem to iron out after the move is made? And what would our posties be expected to do in the meantime - knock on the doors of their customers or relieve themselves in public?'

Cllr James Flanagan, who has had three meetings with Royal Mail, says he will be taking more concerns to the company this week. "I have yet to hear anything from Royal Mail to allay my fears that the move will result in a worse service for the community. It was recently confirmed to me that each of the 21 postal vans employed will be required to park up to 8-10 times during a round. Finding 10 parking spaces for each van, 6 days a week, would certainly be a challenge to staff and exacerbate local parking problems especially in the town centre, as well as taking up valuable time that is currently, and I would suggest properly, spent delivering mail.'

After several recent events, including two protest convoys to Canterbury, Ms Wassmer insists the local community remains opposed to the move and that further protests will take place even if the move were to go ahead. A letter was recently sent to the Direct Marketing Association explaining that a mass opt out of junk mail would be undertaken if Royal Mail continued with plans for the move. Now Ms Wassmer claims that many local people have suggested they are also willing to boycott one of Royal Mail's best customers, Amazon. 'I will be writing to the company shortly to warn them of this and we will continue to highlight the absurdity of this move. Royal Mail claims it has strict guidelines to prevent its employees bringing the company into disrepute but I would suggest the company is doing that well enough itself by not giving proper consideration to the effects of this proposed move on both customers and staff.'

NB - Photograph attached shows an actor with a water bottle.

ADDITION: Resident Tom Sutherland has customised an opt-out sticker in protest at Royal Mail's suggestion that if the move goes ahead, residents could rely on neighbours to take in their post rather than travelling the 16 mile round trip to Canterbury to pick up the undelivered item/s. The artwork for the sticker is attached.

Julie Wassmer

[DirtyHarry]

We have inhumane people at the top in Royal Mail.
No postal worker should be expected to work outdoors, in every extreme weather condition, for 5 hours or more.

[parcelboy]

Well done people of Whistable as a x postie who was dismissed for raising a "Grievance"this Company ignores its own people.Even Moya Greene really does not no whats going on at the front line .The so called Managers have been brain washed by this overpaid CEO who will send one of these overpaid yes men or women who have never been a Postperson for a day let alone 20+ years they will rail road there plans through at what ever cost.So i would suggest u take your fight to downing st because they are passing on the instructions to cut costs and reduce full time postpersons replace with part time.Similar to whats going on in NHS and ARMY.I would be delighted for you if u did get a result but believe me Moya and her Cretins only one concern is there big bonuses for reducing costs.Whats more financially viable 12000 cycles at aprox £350.00 each or 12000 new vans at aprox £6000.00 plus running costs.Having worked it out do i think RM Management will adress your concerns after the way they reward thereselves no just like the Bankers.This Goverment are the guilty party for the demise of the Royal Mail a once great company being ripped apart for Privatisation .

[POSTMAN]

"Postal workers will be out on their rounds for the same amount of time as previously. It is inappropriate for us to comment on the provision of toilet facilities."

Has you know who popped over from Brighton?

[juliew]

Well done people of Whistable as a x postie who was dismissed for raising a "Grievance"this Company ignores its own people.Even Moya Greene really does not no whats going on at the front line .The so called Managers have been brain washed by this overpaid CEO who will send one of these overpaid yes men or women who have never been a Postperson for a day let alone 20+ years they will rail road there plans through at what ever cost.So i would suggest u take your fight to downing st because they are passing on the instructions to cut costs and reduce full time postpersons replace with part time.Similar to whats going on in NHS and ARMY.I would be delighted for you if u did get a result but believe me Moya and her Cretins only one concern is there big bonuses for reducing costs.Whats more financially viable 12000 cycles at aprox £350.00 each or 12000 new vans at aprox £6000.00 plus running costs.Having worked it out do i think RM Management will adress your concerns after the way they reward thereselves no just like the Bankers.This Goverment are the guilty party for the demise of the Royal Mail a once great company being ripped apart for Privatisation .

Thanks Parcel Boy, and I have to agree with everthing you say. In the words of the old protest song - 'we shall not be moved!' Not without shaming Moya the Destroya & Co. So watch this space.....next stop - a picket of Royal Mail's London offices. Julie Wassmer.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Whitstable Times http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/relief-post ... z2MHE1x7i7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[music4essex]

Well done Julie for taking up this battle been reading with interest what you have been doing ,

Maybe if you gatecrash Chelmsford mail centre I think monday week at 2pm Moya is visiting

Disgruntled postie

Essex mum

[juliew]

HI Essex Mum,

Are you saying that my mate Moya will be in Chelmsford on Monday 11th March? Julie Wassmer

[juliew]

Dear Essex Mum/Disgruntled Postie,

I usually send Moya a little message each Friday wishing her a good weekend....Here's this week's offering:-

From: wassmer
To: moya.greene@royalmail.com; ray.tompsett@royalmail.com; james.mitchell@royalmail.com; steve.nelson@royalmail.com
Subject: Whitstable - Toilets and Parking
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2013 14:49:40 +0000

Dear Moya,

Two letters are attached, as published by the press this week, concerning the issue of toilet facilities and parking for your staff.

That was surely some mistake from one of your spokespeople, (Lesley Dickason, was it?) when she wrote that each of the 21 vans to be employed following the proposed move of Whitstable's delivery office to Canterbury would be required to park 8-10 times?

Is no-one at Royal Mail aware that it is highly unlikely any postal van will find a single parking space in Whitstable's centre, let alone 10 (!?)

I'll be honest, there's no point in any of your managers trying to obtain use of the public car park here as there is a market on each week. Besides, that would take your 50 odd Whitstable staff way off their rounds to begin with.

If your staff are to miss the rush hour driving back to Canterbury by a given time, I wonder how much mail they will actually have delivered on their rounds? Not much, I'm guessing. So I suppose you will simply have to spend lots and lots of money on casual staff to deliver the mail that the Whitstable staff will be unable to deliver while they seek parking spaces and toilets. I wonder how intelligent that will look on a business plan to any potential investors before privatisation?

Moya, don't you think this should have been thought out much better before you started banging on about £70 million modernisations? I can't help thinking that Royal Mail is making itself look very stupid by all these ill conceived plans. Especially in the press.

I haven't even touched on toilet facilities but you can read about those, or the lack of them, in the other letter.

Could do better, Moya!

But have a good weekend,

Julie (Wassmer)

[mark_e]

[UnhappyGremlin]

I really, really like Julie.

Her activities cheer me up no end. Keep it up.

[juliew]

Happy Weekend everyone - all disgruntled posties everywhere!

Julie (Wassmer) x