Royal Mail in fresh row with workers over Easter day off

[postareale]

Royal Mail in fresh row with workers over Easter day off
Tens of thousands of postal workers are off work sick or self-isolating
Unions claim around a fifth of workers - roughly 26,000 people - are currently off work

By Oliver Gill
10 April 2020 • 4:03pm

Union claims.png

Royal Mail is facing a burgeoning industrial crisis after the postal monopoly angered staff by snubbing a request to have a day off over Easter.

Tensions between the former FTSE 100 company and more than 140,000 staff have gone from bad to worse as the coronavirus pandemic has gripped the nation.

Unions claim around a fifth of workers - roughly 26,000 people - are currently off work or self-isolating, with the company accused of putting “profits before safety”.

Staff have complained of a shortage of personal protection equipment such as hand sanitiser, gloves and masks.

“The business is failing to convince their employees that they have any empathy with the mental stress and anxiety involved in being a key worker on the frontline,” Communication Workers’ Union boss Terry Pullinger wrote in a letter to Royal Mail executives.

“The whole of the country owes postal workers a huge debt of honour for their continued efforts… getting mail through at such a difficult time.

“Other organisations are rewarding their key worker employees during this national crisis… it would be a massive thank you from Royal Mail if Easter Saturday was made a non-service day.”

Turning down the request, Royal Mail HR boss Sally Ashford thanked staff but said the granting of a day off was “not consistent with our objectives”.

The CWU was on the verge of launching the first postal strike for more than a decade before Covid-19 hit Britain.

Having averted industrial action in 2017, boss Rico Back has angered unions by changing working practices and investing in greater automation so that Royal Mail can make up ground lost to higher-tech rivals such as Amazon.

As the crisis hit, postal workers have been angered by Royal Mail initially forcing them to continue delivering junk mail during the crisis - a move that they claimed left them at greater risk of catching the virus so the company could maintain advertising revenue.

Royal Mail changed its policy two weeks ago so that junk mail is only delivered to addresses that posties are already visiting to deliver standard letters.

But with social distancing in many sorting offices difficult, concerns remain at the speed at which PPE has been introduced with claims that workers are “forced to choose between their jobs and their health”.

Royal Mail managing director Shane O’Riordain explained that the request for a day off on Easter Saturday was not feasible because “more than ever, people are relying on us”.

A new social distancing policy had been introduced alongside enhanced sick pay, he said.

“Throughout this crisis, every decision we make puts the health of our people first. We have already committed around £15m on buying equipment such as hand sanitiser, gloves and other additional protective measures designed to keep our people safe,” he added.

[postareale]

Interesting to look at the Royal Mail PLC share price graphic. RMG shares are down -71.5% since Rico Back took over as CEO - what a train wreck!

[hero22]

how has he not been sacked ?

[postareale]

how has he not been sacked ?

....it really does beggar belief how he is staying on as CEO....so, just how does RIco commute between London Royal Mail HQ and his Zurich residence?....particularly with the current restrictions on "non-essential travel"....he is supposed to be paying for his own commercial flights.....but the "word-on-the-street" is that he's flying back on forth on private GLS Jet Aircraft.....maybe someone like RMG CHRO Sally Ashford could confirm or deny this for the press, or for the CWU?

[roadrunner bill]

There putting money before the health and safety of its employees.. what a disgrace..

[rambo1]

Interesting to look at the Royal Mail PLC share price graphic. RMG shares are down -71.5% since Rico Back took over as CEO - what a train wreck!

To be (a bit) fair, most ftse 250 shares are down a good 40-50% since then.

[rambo1]

Royal Mail in fresh row with workers over Easter day off
Tens of thousands of postal workers are off work sick or self-isolating
Unions claim around a fifth of workers - roughly 26,000 people - are currently off work

By Oliver Gill
10 April 2020 • 4:03pm

Union claims.png

Royal Mail is facing a burgeoning industrial crisis after the postal monopoly angered staff by snubbing a request to have a day off over Easter.

Tensions between the former FTSE 100 company and more than 140,000 staff have gone from bad to worse as the coronavirus pandemic has gripped the nation.

Unions claim around a fifth of workers - roughly 26,000 people - are currently off work or self-isolating, with the company accused of putting “profits before safety”.

Staff have complained of a shortage of personal protection equipment such as hand sanitiser, gloves and masks.

“The business is failing to convince their employees that they have any empathy with the mental stress and anxiety involved in being a key worker on the frontline,” Communication Workers’ Union boss Terry Pullinger wrote in a letter to Royal Mail executives.

“The whole of the country owes postal workers a huge debt of honour for their continued efforts… getting mail through at such a difficult time.

“Other organisations are rewarding their key worker employees during this national crisis… it would be a massive thank you from Royal Mail if Easter Saturday was made a non-service day.”

Turning down the request, Royal Mail HR boss Sally Ashford thanked staff but said the granting of a day off was “not consistent with our objectives”.

The CWU was on the verge of launching the first postal strike for more than a decade before Covid-19 hit Britain.

Having averted industrial action in 2017, boss Rico Back has angered unions by changing working practices and investing in greater automation so that Royal Mail can make up ground lost to higher-tech rivals such as Amazon.

As the crisis hit, postal workers have been angered by Royal Mail initially forcing them to continue delivering junk mail during the crisis - a move that they claimed left them at greater risk of catching the virus so the company could maintain advertising revenue.

Royal Mail changed its policy two weeks ago so that junk mail is only delivered to addresses that posties are already visiting to deliver standard letters.

But with social distancing in many sorting offices difficult, concerns remain at the speed at which PPE has been introduced with claims that workers are “forced to choose between their jobs and their health”.

Royal Mail managing director Shane O’Riordain explained that the request for a day off on Easter Saturday was not feasible because “more than ever, people are relying on us”.

A new social distancing policy had been introduced alongside enhanced sick pay, he said.

“Throughout this crisis, every decision we make puts the health of our people first. We have already committed around £15m on buying equipment such as hand sanitiser, gloves and other additional protective measures designed to keep our people safe,” he added.

Looking at the amount we had today, if we'd had today off, Tuesday would have been a bloodbath!

[5plusbonusball]

Tuesday and every day from now will be another bloodbath mate!