Royal Mail: How to loose your job in 80-days!
For my Non-UK readers, our postal service is operated through a state owned company, Royal Mail. Now you have this simple understanding I’ll continue…
As many people are aware, the Communications Workers Union has successfully balloted a national strike action for Royal Mail workers. This means our post will be grinding to a halt for a few days… but what is this hoo-har really about?!
To be honest, I’m not sure, the governments not sure and I don’t think the actual workers are too clued up either. The official word is over pay and working conditions, however, the CWU has released the letter they sent to Mark Higson, Managing Director of Royal Mail, and reading it makes for light humour. The CWU offered the following “compromises”…
- That Royal Mail will reveal their business plan for the whole of the planned transformation programme. This will create an open environment that will allow Royal Mail and CWU to reach a 3 year agreement aimed at providing long term stability for the business, employees and our customers.
- That Royal Mail recommit to the key principle which underpinned the 2007 Pay and Modernisation Agreement i.e. that “change will be introduced by agreement”. This means Royal Mail will unequivocally agree planned 2010 change, including the rollout of new walk sequencing machines.
- That we agree, in principle, that improved Job Security arrangements and a new benefits package that rewards postal workers for delivering success for the business will form part of the final agreement.
- That Royal Mail agrees the principle that budgets should not drive staffing levels and that what constitutes a fair days workload will be based on transparent and agreed standards with the Union. We should jointly consider utilising independent experts in the field of work measurement to facilitate a resolution to all workload issues.
- That Royal Mail are prepared to step back from imposed change and resolve all current local disputes by agreement.
- That Royal Mail agrees to an independent enquiry into the bullying and harassment of postal workers and immediately ceases the use of unagreed HR procedures.
- That Royal Mail are prepared to jointly approach the Government on the urgent need to find a resolution to pensions and regulatory issues.
- That the national parties clear our diaries to allow for an intense period of negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues and conclude a comprehensive national agreement.
In this time of economic instability, the CWU have put their union members at risk – it’s career suicide. No company will reveal fully potential job losses, it’s just something that we have to live with. If you do a good job and you strive for excellence then you shouldn’t worry. I work in the Hotel industry, one of the most unstable job markets around at the moment. Staff turnover is high, pay is low and there’s always the chance your job will be axed if you don’t perform!
The postal market is saturated with other postal carriers; DHL, HDNL, CityLink, Fedex, POD – just to name a few, and to be perfectly honest, they are so much more efficient and better at deliveries than Royal Mail and their own courrier service, Parcel Force!
So my word to all the CWU representatives, I support your right to picket and strike but, enjoy while you can because I have a feeling you’ll be out on your arses soon enough!
Here is the letter from the CWU to Royal Mail’s big boss: http://is.gd/4uODD
