Why we might have to work to rule in the longer term

[postslippete]

I know its difficult for some members who only rely on one income. With staff sickness through the roof and walks failing daily in our LAT office there are tons of overtime going in Royal Mail right now.

Managers are doing their usual, allowing walks to part-fail on a daily basis meaning that maybe a few loops are taken on that walk and making sure that all the Tracked items are being delivered. This is consistent with Simon's Parcels strategy.


The RM managers were originally due to strike over jobs and pay in July. To start with they were planning to work to rule and this meant:

- Taking their breaks and starting and finishing on time
- Not volunteering to work on the weekends
- Not working any unpaid hours

It also said that some key services, namely Next day delivery and Tracked items, would be delayed. With the prospect of posties also going on strike Royal Mail desperately needed a temporary cease to managers going on strike as well. They need the managers in the short term to mobilise the strike breakers and agency workers to work if and when we do strike.


And to ensure that the Next day delivery and Tracked items will be delivered for when we aren't on strike for the other 99% of the time



This is where a work to rule over the longer term when we come into Autumn and Xmas pressure will really hit Royal Mail hard. The strike is our short term contingency plan but a work to rule really should be our longer term plan.

[yellowbelly]

I know its difficult for some members who only rely on one income. With staff sickness through the roof and walks failing daily in our LAT office there are tons of overtime going in Royal Mail right now.

Managers are doing their usual, allowing walks to part-fail on a daily basis meaning that maybe a few loops are taken on that walk and making sure that all the Tracked items are being delivered. This is consistent with Simon's Parcels strategy.


The RM managers were originally due to strike over jobs and pay in July. To start with they were planning to work to rule and this meant:

- Taking their breaks and starting and finishing on time
- Not volunteering to work on the weekends
- Not working any unpaid hours

It also said that some key services, namely Next day delivery and Tracked items, would be delayed. With the prospect of posties also going on strike Royal Mail desperately needed a temporary cease to managers going on strike as well. They need the managers in the short term to mobilise the strike breakers and agency workers to work if and when we do strike.


And to ensure that the Next day delivery and Tracked items will be delivered for when we aren't on strike for the other 99% of the time



This is where a work to rule over the longer term when we come into Autumn and Xmas pressure will really hit Royal Mail hard. The strike is our short term contingency plan but a work to rule really should be our longer term plan.

Wouldn't there have to be another vote with the wording 'take IA short of strike action' otherwise RM could take CWU to court?
Didn't the managers have that wording on their strike ballot?

[jessicarabbit]

Do the job properly campaign could be relaunched.

[Frankie15]

I would have thought our CWU reps would have been informing or advising us to work the rule to force the best possible impact to Royal Mail.

[postslippete]

Yes, you don't need to take strike action to be taking your breaks and/or starting and finishing on time. Most posties don't seem to be volunteering to work on Sundays, so its just as well that RM recruited a load of them on Sunday contracts.


But working unpaid hours?

[matthew68]

I definitely agree with this as it will cause mayhem but like you say so many rely on overtime, we have 2 guys at our place currently doing 2 walks a day even in this heat! If only people would work to rule at our place they might actually make them up to full time but with almost half the office on 25 hours can’t see it happening

[jackthecube]

If we all worked to rule, royal mail would collapse in a week.

[postslippete]

I definitely agree with this as it will cause mayhem but like you say so many rely on overtime, we have 2 guys at our place currently doing 2 walks a day even in this heat! If only people would work to rule at our place they might actually make them up to full time but with almost half the office on 25 hours can’t see it happening

So thats 2 posties in an office of how many? We have over 100 walks in our place.

We did have a postie who was doing 2 duties a day but is now on long term sick, but thats another story....

Personally, its not sustainable to be doing docket like this in this company right here and now in the long term. And considering the fact that Royal Mail want to have later starts and annualised hours meaning later finishes, will they still be delivering mail at 9pm

Or will they have burnt out by then?

[qwerty2]

Try telling the pr**s in my office to start on time
Part timers coming in 1 or 2 hours early saving RM loads of money
why make people full time when their doing it for free - thickos

[matthew68]

I definitely agree with this as it will cause mayhem but like you say so many rely on overtime, we have 2 guys at our place currently doing 2 walks a day even in this heat! If only people would work to rule at our place they might actually make them up to full time but with almost half the office on 25 hours can’t see it happening

So thats 2 posties in an office of how many? We have over 100 walks in our place.

We did have a postie who was doing 2 duties a day but is now on long term sick, but thats another story....

Personally, its not sustainable to be doing docket like this in this company right here and now in the long term. And considering the fact that Royal Mail want to have later starts and annualised hours meaning later finishes, will they still be delivering mail at 9pm

Or will they have burnt out by then?

I’d say probably burnt out by then and if they’re knees or feet are knackered they won’t get long term sickness but some people you just can’t tell and will not go on strike and just keep coming in early and doing overtime

[postieblueshirt]

i agree lets face it the cost of living as it is there strategy will be to starve us out and they will win in the end,theres no attempt whatsoever to stop this strike.rm it seems couldnt care less.

[Mickeybrowneyes]

Should be working to rule anyway. Wouldn't be absorbing every day if people took their breaks and came in on their start times.
Same argument over and over

[toonshola]

Work to rule would be great but I would settle for the selfish c***s who come in 1 hour early unpaid to start on their time. Will never happen but we can dream.

[k979aaa]

Working to rule will require a ballot never say this to a manager you could be sacked for it just saying it say instead" I will perform to the standards and regulations of the terms I am employed by in my contract."

[postslippete]

i agree lets face it the cost of living as it is there strategy will be to starve us out and they will win in the end,theres no attempt whatsoever to stop this strike.rm it seems couldnt care less.

Simon has a very good pokerface and Royal Mail are bluffing right now so that they can get the best possible deal. As a veteran of previous strikes, this is exactly what Royal Mail do. They propose all sorts of demands that they know won't get accepted in the vain hope that they can make a few stick and offer us a measly pay increase in return. So its really a case of the lesser of the two evils - either they need to reduce or get rid of some of their proposals or offer more money to postal workers.

There is a lot of FUD right now. Royal Mail can introduce agency workers, they can say that they have a plan to deal with the strikes, that letters will suddenly be delivered 3 days a week because Royal Mail only paid £400 million to shareholders and recorded a £311 million profit last year. But now all of a sudden the company is losing £1 million a day and will go bankrupt and we will all lose our jobs etc etc etc. Royal Mail is awash with cash - don't let anybody tell you any different!! Unlike many other companies that really suffered during the pandemic, Royal Mail didn't and it has always had a very healthy balance sheet.

It is in Royal Mail's interests to reach an AGREEMENT. Because while they try and 'starve us out' as you call it, the company will lose business, the shareholders lose confidence and unfortunately when that happens it usually ends with the resignation or sacking of Simon Thompson. Perhaps he knows this and thats why he's already pocketed his bonus while he's had the chance. Maybe he will also scoop up thousands of pounds worth of cheap shares if they get any lower like Rico Back did!