Royal Mail staff walk out in 'bullying' claims

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-23181339" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

Almost 100 postal workers have walked out of a delivery office in Plymouth following claims staff were being "intolerably bullied and harassed" by management, a union has said.

The Communication Workers Union said all workers had taken part in the unofficial walk out at the North Central Delivery Office on Thursday.

It added staff would be balloted for official industrial action.

Royal Mail said it was "fully committed" to try and resolve concerns.

In June, about 100 workers at West Park Delivery Office walked out over "similar concerns", a spokesman from the union said.

'Wake-up call'
Chris Webb, divisional rep for the union, said: "Postal workers want to be able to come into work, be treated fairly and do their job.

"The tensions spreading across the city should be a wake-up call to local management that they need to change their approach."

Mr Webb said the walk out lasted about 40 minutes on Thursday morning. However, Royal Mail said it lasted about 20 minutes.

Royal Mail's Val Bodden said: "Staff have now returned to work and we will be delivering all mail today.

"Royal Mail is fully committed to the process of trying to resolve concerns of postal workers based in Plymouth by continuing to follow the national jointly agreed framework with the Communication Workers Union."

[clashcityrocker]

Mr Webb said the walk out lasted about 40 minutes on Thursday morning. However, Royal Mail said it lasted about 20 minutes.

Were RM using Georoute to calculate the length of the stoppage?
If they can't even agree on that, what are they going to agree on?

[UnhappyGremlin]

Can't believe RM management are being accused of bullying.....
Hardly a shock to us that staff are unhappy with their treatment.
I the fact they stood up to bosses and walked out, albeit briefly. It's not the first time it's happened, it wasn't stopped before, so it'll be interesting to see what happens now. See if RM takes the feelings and views of the staff seriously.

[maisymoo04]

There will be trouble ahead de de de de

[pants123]

only one thing for it.... NATIONAL WALK OUT..... posties are being treated like slaves from the 12 century... while mora greene, who i completely have no respect for. collects her massive bonus.... what a disgrace...

[pants123]

Joan of Arc comes to mind....

[Lincox]

Bullying in Plymouth, Bullying in Coventry & Warwickshire. This was all supposed to have been stopped by Uncle Bob and Big Dave back last Christmas time. Why is our union not taking this matter seriously, and what happened to all those cases that were submitted previously. Unless these two get a grip on this matter very very quickly there will be no support for them when it comes to backing the anti privatisation campaign, which is all they appear concerned about at the moment.

[cyrus]

Bullying in Plymouth, Bullying in Coventry & Warwickshire. This was all supposed to have been stopped by Uncle Bob and Big Dave back last Christmas time. Why is our union not taking this matter seriously, and what happened to all those cases that were submitted previously. Unless these two get a grip on this matter very very quickly there will be no support for them when it comes to backing the anti privatisation campaign, which is all they appear concerned about at the moment.

Well I contacted Uncle Bob about the bully boy tactics .Long story short- those chaps from Price Water Coopers are in our office and, they ain't leaving until everything is sorted out.The pressure is way easier now.Feels like I'm doing a different job from when this park and loop mess was brought in a while back.I stuck to my guns and done the job proper(went through hell with the constant harassment and regular visits to the office), no breaking health and safety rules for me, just to get finished on time.A few of us have had the "PWC" guy out on delivery with us and, we didn't hold back with our criticism .Looks like we might be getting a few streets taken of our route.

[parcelboy]

Lead by example some things will never change.What a company.This shyte goverment is the biggest bully of all.Part time contracts are every where.Targets must be met.What pension rights.I feel a summer of discontent round the corner

[phil676]

exactly the same thing happening in Maghull office. No walkout yet...

[POSTMAN]

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Postal- ... z2YAHWJJ3c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

POSTAL workers across Plymouth will be balloted on whether to take strike action following a second walkout.

Workers formed a picket line outside the North Central delivery office in Plymstock amid allegations of staff being "intolerably bullied and harassed" by Royal Mail management.


Staff claim they are being asked to take on the postal rounds of those who are sick or on holiday, in addition to their own.

Yesterday's 9am walkout at the huge Breakwater Road site came just two weeks after strike action at the West Park office over fears it could be closed.


The demands on Plymstock-based workers are putting "unbelievable levels of pressure" on staff, says the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

Chris Webb, divisional representative for the union, said inspectors had come to assess the situation.

The workplace coaches, working on behalf of Royal Mail and the CWU, agreed that workloads were an issue and not staff performance, said Mr Webb.

The CWU said the unofficial walkout lasted an hour before the action was called off.

The union said it had decided to take the matter beyond individual offices.

It will be holding a ballot across the city to determine whether to order a strike.

The union said the West Park, and North Central and Plymouth City delivery offices in Plymstock would be balloted, along with Tavistock, St Austell and Fowey.

"Members are being pressurised," Mr Webb said. "We had people on the walkout who have done 40 years of service. They can't take it.

"A lot of the time, the additional mail they are given is not delivered and that is impacting on the service provision."

CWU's Plymouth and East Cornwall branch secretary, Ralph Ferrett, added: "It is disappointing that hot on the heels of West Park our members in the Plymouth area are still being treated this badly.

"They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect at work and our customers deserve delivery routes that mean they get their mail delivered every day."

The Royal Mail challenged the CWU's account of events, saying the walkout lasted only 20 minutes.

Spokeswoman Val Bodden said: "We can confirm that colleagues walked out for 20 minutes [yesterday] morning at the North Central delivery office. Staff returned to work and we delivered all of today's mail.

"Royal Mail is fully committed to the process of trying to resolve concerns of postal workers based in Plymouth by continuing to follow the national jointly agreed framework with the Communication Workers Union."