Post Office Christmas strike warning

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/post-of ... rning.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A national pre-Christmas strike affecting essential Post Office cash supplies loomed closer today after workers voted by over 90 per cent to reject a "derisory" pay offer from the company.

Frustrations among some 2,000 staff employed in Post Office Admin and Supply Chain grades are "close to breaking point," warns CWU national officer Andy Furey, due to the company's stubborn refusal to settle their 2014 pay claim, which is now six months overdue.

Andy Furey Employees in these grades are indispensable to the company's operational network, providing critical administrative support and essential supplies of cash to post offices in every corner of the land.

Last autumn, these grades went on strike against the company's expressed intention not to increase basic pay at all this year - but after just one day of action, red-faced bosses backed down and promised serious pay negotiations for 2014.

"We've been in discussions with the business over 2014 pay for these grades since the early part of this year," explained Andy, who has led the union's negotiating team. We have told the business that they have got three weeks to resolve this matter or we will be balloting for industrial action.

"After the company had spent the first few months refusing to make an offer at all, they finally tabled a derisory offer late summer that was well below inflation - and as if that wasn't insulting enough, they then compounded the offence by offering some administration grades even less."

In contrast to what Andy describes as the company's "unreasonable stance," the CWU's negotiating position has remained consistent throughout, which is, he points out: "To reach a fair and equitable pay agreement."

The union's case is that the company made record profits for 2013/14 of £107 million, with revenues increasing from new contracts coming into the operation and that, therefore, there should be no affordability issues around these pay talks.

Post Office "Our Admin and Supply Chain members, through their dedicated hard work, have played their part in these recent successes of the company and they deserve to share in the reward for that success," Andy argues.

"As our members are delivering financial benefits to the Post Office, so they, in turn, should receive real improvements to pay."

Following the members' formal rejection of the offer, the union has offered the company another opportunity for further talks aimed at reaching a settlement and avoiding a dispute.

But Andy warns that "the clock is ticking.

"We have told the business that they have got three weeks to resolve this matter or we will be balloting for industrial action."

[Lounge Lizard]

"in every corner of the land" - well, that's serious then.
Especially as Andy warns that "the clock is ticking".

[The_Wax_Man]

.....But Andy warns that "the clock is ticking.

"We have told the business that they have got three weeks to resolve this matter or we will be balloting for industrial action."...



Dejavu

[Red Robbo]

Let's not forget Post Office Supplies supported POL in their industrial action