Bullying Royal Mail boss gets the boot after walkouts in Accrington

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/43884 ... Accrington" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Striking postal workers in Accrington, Lancashire, forced Royal Mail bosses onto the back foot in the run-up to Christmas.

Members of the CWU union at the Accrington delivery office struck against bosses’ refusal to remove a bullying manager.

A change of manager had been recommended in August, but nothing had been done.

Martin Berry, branch secretary of the CWU’s East Lancs Amal branch told Socialist Worker, “There’s a manager who’s been bullying the staff for some time. Now they’ve had enough.

“The manager was using foul and abusive language, and there’s also instances of non-payment of overtime.”

The workers struck twice in December and planned to strike again. But they called off their action after management said they would “resolve” the issue this year.

Berry said, “Royal Mail has agreed to remove the manager from office”.

[daveyeff]

he's probably been moved to another office with little or no union presence. that's what they do.

[bigal383]

yeh hes a promotion why don't u just tell everyone this union makes it out like they've got him yet hes now been promoted

[tommyrep]

yeh hes a promotion why don't u just tell everyone this union makes it out like they've got him yet hes now been promoted

That does not surprise me. He has been rewarded and never ever seen as a bully by RM senior managers. This piece of s..t was only following orders, as all other managers do. They have no management skills, are left to their own devices and are unchallenged by our week spineless union that allows its members to be bullied constantly and on a daily basis. These threads well document the relentless bullying within RM throughout the UK, especially in delivery. Where is the support and backing from the CWU top brass. Bob Gibson ?, he should hang his head in shame. He is supposed to be our delivery leader, yet his silence on bullying matters is a disgrace. Bullying by management goes mainly unchallenged by our union, there is NO threat of punishment or accountability on these bully's, so it continues unabated. It sickens me, months then years go by bullying managers remain unchallenged, we are treated as-fools by management, our union are worse for allowing it. They are both taking the p..s. We need strong Union leadership not more RM lap dogs unwilling to supporter members and give us protection, support and backing against bullying managers.

[Lincox]

Wasn,t it a few years ago that Bob Gibson asked for members to write in to Union HQ describing the bullying that they had suffered and he was going to challenge the company. Outcome, Royal Mail refused to believe that bullying by managers was embedded in their processes and structures.

[UnhappyGremlin]

No manager bullies anyone in my unit.
I WILL NOT ALLOW IT.

I have previously been suspended for my point blank refusal to accept ANY behaviour from ANY manager even remotely close to bullying.

There is another side to this, however.
More times than I care to remember, colleagues have complained about it, but refused to act themselves.
There is only so far a Rep can go without support from their local members. Even less option when the complainant will not take a stand.

The members are the union, not local or Area Reps, nor HQ. The members need to take action, without them, nothing will happen.
The likelihood is that the manager at Accrington has got away with it, and has merely been moved sideways at worst.
But at least those in Accrington don't have to deal with them. And this should be repeated wherever this manager ends up.

There is an unfortunate under current in RM, that most front line employees want someone else, usually the Rep, to sort out everything for them.
But they then refuse to support or help at all.
They then moan about 'the toothless union doing nothing'.

[Lincox]

Spot on Gremlin.
When I was being bullied back in 2010/11, Royal Mail sent in a manager from elsewhere to interview the people in my unit (small 10 man Sub Office). Most of them had witnessed what had happened over a twelve month period. Only one stuck his head above the parapet and supported me. It,s the same old scenario. If it isn,t happening to them then they don't want to get involved.

[WOBBLY]

I stood up to my manager a few years back who tried to bully me. With a small amount of advice from my rep/area rep and armed with facts I banged in a first stage grievance showing I wasn't going to take it! (It was such a satisfying feeling handing it to the DOM :D) This was enough for the bullying to be stopped in its tracks.

So no mention of what has happened to the manager of Accrington? Surely someone must know whats happened to them! Good on the office for sticking together

[Lincox]

Sounds like the attacks weren't just aimed at one or two individuals. This guy was put in to do a job by senior management. Beware of the incoming manager. He will probably be a lot more subtle about it. Royal Mail will not let this go lightly. Great news for Accrington in ousting one sh.te house, but this will not be the end, be aware of what might be coming your way.

[tommyrep]

Unhappy Gremlin.
So you won't tolerate bullying in your unit ! Just a pity you cannot spread yourself around dozens of units where there is not the support you enjoy. You have the experience of having been suspended and that in itself only proves how far RM will go in fullfiling it's bullying tactic to depress and intimidate staff. Not all units have that support, most people suffer in silence rather than complain about bullying. You are obviously a strong individual and I admire your stance, but you will not be subject to the horrible experience that goes on where staff are bullied at small units, where opgs are carefully and systematically intimidated by RM managers. My point is it happens and it is rife throughout. Small pockets of strong Union presence are not pursued by RM tyrants anything like others. Union strength is not available to all, so does that let our union chiefs of the hook ? Not in my view ! The weak need protection MORE so in my opinion. The bully's are out there, they are known, their tactics are copy book strategy, they operate without fear of any accountability to/from RM senior managers for ONE simple reason. They bully staff into submission to allow "minimum" costs, refuse over time payments, con staff into their own version of agreements - like banking hours for example - enforced lapsing, encourage early starts and non use of agreed methods. These all go unchallenged at many units, the bullies win, our union hierarchy turn a blind eye ! and so the bullying continues until there is no way back. Cutting costs only to enforce even MORE jobs lost to part time youngsters terrified and bullied from the first day of working in delivery. So I still think our leaders need to lead ! Yes, it is much more palatable with members support but when a bully gets reward for his bullying- promotion- I think is plainly obvious where the RM management strategy is focused, bully the small fish and we will go after the big fish - like you - when morale is too low to fight back.

[fishtank]

The whole "macho" mind set which is prevalent in both the business and sadly also the union is pretty disgusting. The strong should protect the weak, it makes us all stronger as a whole but instead they are shunned and union reps waste their time telling apocryphal war stories from historical battles which in most cases didn't even happen.

In the words of someone else....it's a shite state of affairs Tommy and all the fresh air in the world won't make any difference.

[tommyrep]

The whole "macho" mind set which is prevalent in both the business and sadly also the union is pretty disgusting. The strong should protect the weak, it makes us all stronger as a whole but instead they are shunned and union reps waste their time telling apocryphal war stories from historical battles which in most cases didn't even happen.

In the words of someone else....it's a shite state of affairs Tommy and all the fresh air in the world won't make any difference.

Fish tank
Yeh it is a shite state of affairs. Made worse when you read that on the face of things our colleagues strike efforts to stand against a bully is construed as a moral victory against bullying. It appears the true facts are that the bullying manager has been removed but the problem will still exist, all be it by a side step move or worse promotion. Fresh air won't make a difference ? For all our sake a different approach is long overdue in dealing with RMs management strategy. We seem to have accepted that it is all because we need to compete in a very competitive business. I do not accept a union can take that stance when members are suffering at the hands of tyrants. The wedge has been firmly placed among our colleagues, the Union should react. I see a glimmer of hope with a projected fight on the recent pension debacle and RM executive actions, but we are kidding ourselves to have believed it would be any different on the way forward. That wedge is going to be firmly hammered in and the members are beginning to realise only the fit survive. Strong leadership is required now, before we are all doomed. Bravado and chest beating is all good and well, the quiet often seen as weak members will suffer with less FT jobs and young men/women forced to eck out a living on soon to be zero hour contracts if RM continue with current behaviour and policy.

[postslippete]

"Instances of non-payment of overtime"

Sounds like our DOM, he always has a tight rein on the office purse strings. Shave an hour of here and there, hoping it goes unnoticed.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Just so you know tommyrep, I do not have complete support.

Approx a quarter of staff are indifferent, and another quarter of staff don't support me at all. Which is the point I'm making.
And guess which of the staff do most of the moaning? Those that refuse to stick up for themselves or their colleagues, and are the first to moan, but then refuse to take any action.
They then blame me for failing to deal with their issue.
As I'm sure you know, a Rep can only deal with things with the help and support of the members.

During a revision, I actually had a couple of staff members complaining about me, because I wouldn't allow the manager (just in case you can't guess - they're the boss's mates) do what he wanted.
If I hadn't fought as I did, one of these staff members would have had their hours cut (which the manager denied suggesting). They still think I was wrong, and have even suggested 'having me removed'.

If people, as you say, choose to suffer in silence, which I don't doubt, then they have no right of complaint.
It won't miraculously sort itself out. Action needs to be taken. If more people just stuck together, our working lives would improve immeasurably.
Whilst bullying is a major issue, I think there is a much bigger one in RM, it's peoples refusal to do anything about it.
If people continue to accept this behaviour, it only ensures that the vicious circle will carry on.

If people are unwilling to protect themselves, and by default their colleagues, then in my opinion it is unrealistic to blame union hierarchy for their failings.
They can only take action if and/or when those on the frontline take action. Which by your own admission, they're not willing to do.
When people are failing to help themselves, how can Reps both local and Area, and the top union brass be blamed for not doing enough?

[Lincox]

The whole problem with CWU as a union is at grass roots level where there are no regular local meetings. These meetings are absolutely essential if there is to be any form of UNITY. They are a local platform for members to debate local issues and to arrive at a consensus by way of hands up voting. They can form their own local committee to take up any issues with local management. This way it makes it less likely that any one single person is going to be singled out by management for what they might regard as trouble making. In a previous business that I worked in this was how our union worked and we were given rebates from subs to cover agreed expenditure. We met once a month away from the business, time for a pint and a bite to eat if that was your forte, and everyone had the opportunity to discuss any problems they were having or likely to have. That is true Unionism and not the nonsense that occurs within Royal Mail where one local rep is expected to challenge a very aggressive management system on his/her own, which can in many cases be corrupted by favours offered, and in the cases where reps are doing a very good job they do not have the full staff backing.