Warning over new postal strike ballot - Northampton

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... 3422070.jp

Union leaders have warned they may ballot postal workers about the possibility of further strike action.
The row, which comes on the back of weeks of strikes that have crippled the country's mail network, centres on a row over new transport systems which will see drivers at the firm's Crick depot having to alter their normal routes due to the introduction of 56mph 'speed limiters' on their vehicles.

Leaders of the Communication Workers Union based at the National Distribution Centre (NDC) at Crick said discussions were ongoing but staff were likely to be balloted this week if a solution to the row could not be agreed.

Frank Alderson, CWU representative at the Crick depot, said: "The dispute is being prolonged due to local management's continued refusal to honour the recent national agreement reached to end the strike action.

"A request to ballot all driving members at NDC remains live. We now have a situation whereby management have altered arrival and departure times without the staff in place to perform them.

"Despite continual union representations management appear hell-bent on prolonging the strike action at what is supposed to be Royal Mail's flagship office. We don't want to be going on strike, we want to work but it has to acceptable."

Royal Mail workers voted in favour of industrial action earlier this month, with a series of 48-hour strikes wreaking havoc
across the postal network.

The latest row could see staff down tools once again in the build-up to Christmas, traditionally the industry's busiest period.

Royal Mail spokesman Richard Hall said: "Due to the EU directives which come into force on January 1 and limit vehicles over a certain size to a speed limit of 56mph, we have had to re-engineer the entire Royal Mail network to take account of these lower speed limits.

"We will be discussing any issues the CWU have and doing everything possible to resolve these amicably.

"The introduction to the national agreement states that both parties recognise that a fresh start is needed and are committed to moving away from the adversarial relationships that persist in too many parts of the business. Royal Mail is committed to this approach and the threat of further disruption to service helps no one."

danile.owens@northantsnews.co.uk
Last Updated: 28 October 2007 9:20 AM

[meoldcocker]

I challenge anybody to average up to 56mph on our motorways which seem to be permenantly blocked
So new eu rules should not have any effect

[ade@cambs]

A large majority of the journeys are on A roads where the limit has always been below 56mph anyway

[andy2007]

I challenge anybody to average up to 56mph on our motorways which seem to be permenantly blocked
So new eu rules should not have any effect

First of all, you are spot on. The congestion on the Motorways will greatly reduce the effect of the limiters, and even if they are clear, it's only a drop of 14MPH. That won't make much difference considering that the long distance runs usually involve Artics anyway.

Secondly, did a CWU Rep actually criticise RM for not honouring an agreement that we don't even have yet?!?

We have a vote on that! It will hopefully be voted out. And without it, there is NO agreement to change duty times around AT ALL!

[pinstripe]

A large majority of the journeys are on A roads where the limit has always been below 56mph anyway

[img]http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/sp ... ety_504682
-4.gif[/img]

I've been asking about this for months now. It is a total crock of ****. There is no way that this new EU regulation could have much effect to the times. I'm sure that this was a smokescreen to bring in later starts and remove the early shift allowance. The 'grandfather rights' won't last much past Christmas. I'm waiting to be proved wrong.

[jafferpants]

A large majority of the journeys are on A roads where the limit has always been below 56mph anyway

[img]http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/sp ... ety_504682
-4.gif[/img]

I've been asking about this for months now. It is a total crock of ****. There is no way that this new EU regulation could have much effect to the times. I'm sure that this was a smokescreen to bring in later starts and remove the early shift allowance. The 'grandfather rights' won't last much past Christmas. I'm waiting to be proved wrong.

Already been said on many sites many times

[F0zziebear]

I have my own thoughts on this, but want someone on here to explain

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I have my own thoughts on this, but want someone on here to explain

Slang term that royal mail have picked up. It means in most cases that you keep the allowance even though you no longer quality for it. Royal Mail have offered it as a sweetener for making us start and finish later.

or if you like it with big words:

A grandfather clause is an exception that allows an old rule to continue to apply to some existing situations, when a new rule will apply to all future situations. It is often used as a verb: to "grandfather" means to grant such an exemption. For example, a "grandfathered power plant" might be exempt from newer and tougher pollution laws. Often, such a provision is used as a compromise, to effect new rules without upsetting a well-established logistical or political situation. This extends the idea of a rule not being "retroactively applied".

[Glenno]

Good question!!!!!!
in its current climate it means you retain u r early morn shift allow/ unless you change your duty to one that is NOT the same i.e RESIGN this has been little talked about since (THE DEAL ) HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED more thoughts on this would be greatly accepted