Walkout update in peterborough

[maboo]

Update from Orton Southgate Delivery Office. We are asking all Royal Mail workers to support us please.
On Tuesday 14th August, Royal Mail and the CWU has agreed to conduct an internal/external review of the Orton Southgate Delivery Office amidst claims of alleged bullying, harassment, victimisation, sexual harassment, disability prejudice and unlawful pay deductions.
In addition a request was accepted for outstanding grievances/complaints to be re-submitted so thorough investigations on these, made by workers in the past 18 months, can be investigated.

This agreement was accepted by the staff who walked out, on the condition Royal Mail accepted there were management issues in the unit. A statement was drawn up before staff agreed to return to work as they felt written confirmation was required safeguarding them from retribution.

The statement reflects the events that occurred on Friday August 9th at 6.45am when 84 postmen and women walked out in support of colleague Paul Dixon and all the other employees who had been intimidated on a daily basis if they tried to raise a complaint about the management’s team behaviour.

Workers cited a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the management team due to the following reason:

In June 2014, Royal Mail conducted an IPSOS/MORI survey. This survey was given to each employee to fill out in their own time and return in the SAE envelope provided. Instead, the management team asked for the surveys to be filled out in work time learning. As workers came out of the meeting room, deputy managers stood in the doorway and took the surveys. This was flagged with the union rep who requested these questionnaires be handed to him directly so they could be posted independently.

The IPSOS survey included questions about bullying and harassment and relationships with the unit’s management team.
The results revealed eighty-four per cent of employees at Orton Southgate’s Delivery Office said they were being bullied and harassed and felt Royal Mail was not doing enough to tackle it. Eight-three per cent said they had no faith in their managers as they lacked credibility.
This was flagged up by head office as it was three times the national level and had increased by a third since the last survey conducted 12 months before. Chief executive Moya Greene was notified and kept in the picture by frustrated postmen and women sending emails to her ‘just say it’ address.
Head Office instigated an action plan, to be implemented by the delivery office manager, which would be set in motion on July 21st 2014. This was to advise all employees they could form an action group, with volunteers from each postcode sector, and it was to include the union and the delivery office manager. The employees had till July 28th to volunteer and the action group formed on August 4th with the first meeting on August 11th.
These deadlines were not met! When enquiries were made, the delivery office manager informed us there had been a national investigator visit the office and he had concluded that ‘bullying did not exist’.

This matter was raised during the strike and it was decided by the posties who walked out that before we would return to work, Royal Mails senior management team review the IPSOS/Mori survey and a statement be drawn up guaranteeing the following:

Royal Mail accept there are internal/external relation issues within the unit exist
An independent review be conducted involving senior personnel from Royal Mail and the CWU
All findings to be reported back within four weeks
The review to start immediately (Tuesday August 12th 2014) with employees sharing their concerns face to face or by handing in a letter
To safeguard any employee in the unit who lodges a complaint so they do not suffer retribution or unfavourable treatment in doing so
No employee will suffer any formal action against them for taking part in the walkout
This statement was agreed to by Royal Mail and the CWU and a copy given to each employee as written proof (we all felt verbal agreement could not be trusted).

[Phantom]

We had exactly the same issue at my office in South Yorkshire. We had meetings with union reps, had a visit from CWU HQ Bob Gibson and other senior management, but nothing was happening until the entire office had a union meeting with our local and area reps, who where superb by the way. We agreed we wanted an official ballot to strike and when the management got wind of this they quickly shifted the DUM. Get this in the press!

[Chelseablue]

We had the same in our wtl session,,,you must fill out the have you're say sheets at the wtl . No chance I took mines home n did it .

[char1ie]

This is a step in the right direction. But do wonder if CWU is able to take the workforces concerns seriously. Orton Southgate is rife with management bullying, me being a victim as well. The management think themselves untouchable & I feel the union rep is out of his depth. Is RM really going to admit that bullying from management is happening & that nothing was done to combat it. I fear a downplay & wishy washy investigation

[worktotime]

that's why they wont have an independent persons on all the b&h cases , so they can look after each other and sweep it under the carpet. ive put a b&h case in against our dom , I then received a letter stating it had been dropped to a grievance now ,that's a surprise , its such a corrupt company , well done to all the posties who stuck together and walked out

[worktotime]

We had the same in our wtl session,,,you must fill out the have you're say sheets at the wtl . No chance I took mines home n did it .

I just handed it back to him and told him im not filling it in and walked out. waste of time.

[taxi4leighton]

its frightening the way RM recruits managers
especially the last ten years
i see "managers" who are badly educated.have no leadership qualities,no experience etc etc
mostly chosen by managers who want them to do their dirty work for them
and know they wont make decisions of their own
so we end up with a load of thuggish bullies

[edwardo]

its frightening the way RM recruits managers
especially the last ten years
i see "managers" who are badly educated.have no leadership qualities,no experience etc etc
mostly chosen by managers who want them to do their dirty work for them
and know they wont make decisions of their own
so we end up with a load of thuggish bullies

Correct same in our office

[TheBushBaby]

Very masonic and very difficult to tackle.

[newtimes]

Very masonic and very difficult to tackle.

7 words to sum up the problem, spot on.

[char1ie]

The managers were so desperate to save their own arses that they offered a minor line manager as a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter. The line manager wasn't even there at the time.

[lollollol]

We had the same in our wtl session,,,you must fill out the have you're say sheets at the wtl . No chance I took mines home n did it .

I just handed it back to him and told him im not filling it in and walked out. waste of time.

Handing it back gives the DIM to opportunity to fill it in himself...
Rip it up and stick it in the bin so it can't be 'tampered' with...

It is criminal how many of these DIM's get and maintain their positions... tomorrow there's a big meeting in our area which all DIMs have been told to attend... our DIM was overheard saying that he wouldn't be able to stay long as he has to be home by 2pm... he's always in before us, normally doing some prep and long gone by the time we return from our deliveries...

[dvbuk55]

It is criminal how many of these DIM's get and maintain their positions... tomorrow there's a big meeting in our area which all DIMs have been told to attend... our DIM was overheard saying that he wouldn't be able to stay long as he has to be home by 2pm... he's always in before us, normally doing some prep and long gone by the time we return from our deliveries...

Maybe he has "Family Friendly" issues

[lollollol]

It is criminal how many of these DIM's get and maintain their positions... tomorrow there's a big meeting in our area which all DIMs have been told to attend... our DIM was overheard saying that he wouldn't be able to stay long as he has to be home by 2pm... he's always in before us, normally doing some prep and long gone by the time we return from our deliveries...

Maybe he has "Family Friendly" issues

He has another job... he's been asked to attend various meetings in the past eg joint revision stuff... always declines because of his other job... strictly Mon-Fri like most of his counterparts but happy to put OPGs down to work their day off without even asking... always does the bare minimum... been done for B&H... as a shareholder I have concerns about this individual...

[shoelessjoe]

about time this gang of mis- managers were taken to task and stop trying to rule by fear.get billy hayes involved personally