Talks to end postal staff strike make 'real progress'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1637572007

RAYMOND HAINEY

HOPES of an end to the bitter postal workers' dispute rose last night after progress was made during lengthy talks.

Leaders of the Communication Workers' Union had discussions throughout the day with Adam Crozier, Royal Mail's chief executive, to try to break the deadlock over pay, jobs and pensions.

The talks continued even though Royal Mail obtained a court injunction preventing the union going ahead with a planned national strike on Monday and Tuesday.

Sources close to the talks said that "real progress had been made" and it was possible that a joint statement would be released on behalf of the two sides.

The unions' executive is expected to meet on Monday to discuss the dispute and consider whether enough progress has been made to call off industrial action.

Earlier in the day, lawyers for Royal Mail argued that an irregularity in the way the strike notice was issued for the action by up to 130,000 CWU members makes the action illegal.

Mr Justice King ruled the union had failed to fully comply with requirements to accurately state the number of employees likely to be affected by the action.

Although the ruling was in an English court, industrial law applies across the UK.

Yesterday about 100 postal workers in depots in Edinburgh and Grangemouth staged wildcat walkouts over the way pay was cut from their wages after two 48-hour strikes.

And in Liverpool, unofficial protests at all 21 delivery depots - which began on Wednesday - were prompted by changes to shift patterns. Postal workers in London rejoined the picket lines.

Royal Mail admitted the action would hit attempts to deal with a mail backlog.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7038899.stm

An agreement has been reached that could lead to an end to strike action by postal workers.

The breakthrough came late on Friday after marathon talks between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers' Union at the TUC in London.

Details are yet to be announced, but it is hoped the deal will end the dispute, which centres on pay, pensions and flexible working.

The terms reached will be considered by the union's executive on Monday.

The deal was ratified by Royal Mail boss Adam Crozier, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber, Billy Hayes, Communication Workers' Union (CWU) general secretary and Dave Ward, deputy general secretary CWU.

If it is supported by the executive, it is likely to be put to the vote by the CWU's 130,000 members.

It is hoped the resolution will bring to an end the long-running row over Royal Mail's modernisation plans, which union officials had feared would see 40,000 jobs lost.

Injunction

Earlier on Friday, the Royal Mail was granted an injunction to stop Communication Workers' Union members at sorting centres and delivery offices from striking next week.

The company argued that the union had not given accurate figures for the number of staff affected by the strike - a legal requirement.

The union insisted the strike was legitimate.

The CWU had announced rolling 24-hour strikes to start on Monday and end on Friday, designed to cause maximum disruption to mail services with minimal financial loss for its members.

The injunction did not apply to all parts of the Royal Mail, and in the wake of Friday's agreement it is not clear if some groups, such as drivers, will take part in walkouts next week.

Breakthrough

The resolution to the bitter dispute between union officials and the Royal Mail came late on Friday evening.

It will bring relief to hundreds of thousands of Royal Mail customers across Britain who have suffered from severe delays to vital mail since the beginning of the summer as postal workers walked out on the job in official protests that began in June.

Royal Mail has insisted it needs to modernise to survive as a business in the highly competitive mail industry, while union leaders have argued that its plans have no regard for its employees.

With the question of pay seemingly resolved, the negotiations have latterly been focusing on two issues, pensions and flexible working.

The CWU has wanted talks on the closure of the Royal Mail's final salary pension scheme to be separated out from any deal to end the strike, while Royal Mail insists they must be part of any settlement.

But as the weekend approached, it was not clear whether the final deal included agreements on reform of the Royal Mail's pension scheme, which it says is currently eating up all its profits and is unsustainable.

Negotiations on ending the practice of workers going home early if they have finished their work had also been a key sticking point.

Royal Mail says staff should be available to help with other jobs if their work is done - so-called flexible working.

But the union has argued that will lead to staff working rigidly to the rules, which will lead to less work getting done.

Wildcat walkouts

Unofficial protests began on Wednesday over what the union calls "management's imposition of unagreed changes" to working hours.

Workers at all 21 delivery depots across Liverpool walked out over changes to shift patterns, with CWU branch representative Mark Walsh saying staff felt they were being "being bullied into having their contract changed".

But Royal Mail condemned staff in Liverpool for the mass walkouts, saying they were "wholly unacceptable" and not supported by the CWU nationally.

"The issue of later start times is one we have been talking to our people about for months and has been accepted in 95% of our offices up and down the country," a spokesman added.

Postal workers in east, south-west and south-east London also went back to the picket lines over the dispute.

Meanwhile, staff in Edinburgh and Grangemouth walked out over pay deductions following recent official action.

Staff complained that cuts for strikes this week and last came out of one weekly wage. Royal Mail said the payroll calendar meant all deductions had to be taken at once.

However, despite calls from MPs to intervene in the dispute, the government has said it will not take action.

[wraeth]

it is likely to be put to the vote by the CWU's 130,000 members.

Realistically (given timescales for ballotting etc and Christmas coming up) - how 'likely' do you think this is?

[lovejoy]

it is likely to be put to the vote by the CWU's 130,000 members.

Realistically (given timescales for ballotting etc and Christmas coming up) - how 'likely' do you think this is?

they will put it to ballot!!

[wraeth]

it is likely to be put to the vote by the CWU's 130,000 members.

Realistically (given timescales for ballotting etc and Christmas coming up) - how 'likely' do you think this is?

they will put it to ballot!!

I hope so.

[Carnoustie]

it is likely to be put to the vote by the CWU's 130,000 members.

Realistically (given timescales for ballotting etc and Christmas coming up) - how 'likely' do you think this is?

We will be ballotted, I think.

But the problem with running a postal ballot is them feckin posties keep going on strike