St Helens postal workers stage fresh walkout as dispute with management intensifies

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/1568 ... tensifies/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



POSTAL workers have walked out for second time in a fortnight.

Around 100 post officers are currently stood outside the Royal Mail sorting office on Liverpool Road after staging an unofficial walkout over workload and a dispute with management.

There has been no official ballot for the action.

One of the workers, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “All we want to do is do our jobs, but we have an unbelievable workload – some of us are delivering until 8pm.

“We are not treated fairly because there is no heating in the office and the ladies don’t even have working toilets.


“There’s around 120 of us left after people have been suspended.”

In response to the action, Royal Mail spokesperson Sally Hopkins, said: "Royal Mail is disappointed that unballoted industrial action is taking place today (Monday, November 27) at St Helens delivery office. This covers the WA9, WA10 and WA11 postcode areas.

“We sincerely apologise to customers in these areas for any disruption to their mail services. We are doing all we can to minimise this disruption by bringing in extra resources from the neighbouring area. The customer service point is open as usual for customers to collect items for which we have left a ’Something for You’ card.

“Mail collections from postboxes in the area may also be affected this afternoon so customers are advised to post mail outside of the area, drop mail off at any main Post Office branch or at the delivery office (St Helens Delivery Office, 23 Liverpool Road, St Helens, WA10 1AA).

“Royal Mail is fully committed to the process to resolve concerns of postal workers based in the St Helens office by following the national jointly agreed framework with the Communication Workers Union (CWU)."

[hellpop]

Do you think if we gave Sally Hopkins a pint of carlsberg she might actually see the true picture?

[Dorset Plodder]

Obviously not everyone's waiting for the results of mediation then? It says a lot about how bad things are in some offices when the staff feel strongly enough to take un-official action. As for the "Royal Mail is disappointed etc ......", speech they might as well put that on an automated answering machine, because it's the same one they always reel off. They sound about as convincing as a Politician that's been asked an awkward question!

[tommyrep]

RMs well recorded and known approach to dealing disputes carries on unabated.! The simple question needs asked, WHY ?
Is it to drive home it’s position of superiority over staff and on a now powerless union ? Or to provoke industrial action ?
All these local disputes are answered by a RM spokespersons response of “ we apologise to our customers for this latest un-balloted ( therefore illegal) industrial action, bla bla, ! They continue in parts of the country where staff have the balls to challenge them and all they really receive is messages of solidarity from other members. I only wish others would take their example and remove the blinkers to see what their REAL purpose is, and that is to humiliate us And rub our noses firmly in the s..t. It’s pathetic. They are taking the piss big time and the bullying culture that is RMs ONLY management style continues unchallenged in any active/positive way by our Union.
We are truly beaten before any real fight starts and RM know that, WHY is it tolerated ? It’s so blatantly unfair that we continue to be treated like slaves to our masters, shocking! Truly shocking.

[Lincox]

Is SALLY HOPKINS a pseudonym for MOYA GREENE.

[NWpostie]

It seems to me that after making initial promises to resolve issues in order to get them back to work, they must be thinking that once they're back, the steam has gone out of the dispute and then they can kick in the long grass pushing it further down the road past Christmas fobbing them off.
I'm glad St Helens have called their bluff and walked out.

They're quite a bolshy lot in the North because of the strong industrial heritage round there, they won't take any bullshit, they've seen it before in past industrial disputes.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Is SALLY HOPKINS a pseudonym for MOYA GREENE.

Maybe but it IS an anagram of "a phony skills"

[Phantom]

I don't condone violence but some of these managers need a slap and it's only going to take one person to blow and then it will be too late.

[hans solo]

i think a slap is a bit of an understatement

[General Mannerheim]

I know the DOM there as he started as a wet behind the ears lino at our shithole. He progressed to N0.2 arsewipe here and was taught everything he knows by the bully at ours ,he now applies the same principles wherever he goes.
Well done St. Helens at least your office has some balls unlike my own.