Chairman’s Annual Report 2009

Dear Colleagues,

I opened my report last year expressing the thoughts of constantly looking over your shoulder, however the change of events in the previous term has been unprecedented from anything we have surely witnessed in our struggle with this employer.

For the second time in as many years we have entered into a national dispute over our terms and conditions, and at the time of writing our national negotiations have still to be concluded with the employer dragging its feet through the interim agreement which was meant to pave the way for a brighter future (yea right!) This is Royal Mail were dealing with here, or is it? It has become abundantly clear to anyone in the last twelve months that the Labour government has played a more forceful role in this business than anything previously, the shameful tactics to link arms with the employer during our national dispute was a deplorable act against the working classes of the country, not just our members, borne out of our fantastic campaign with the public, to keep our services in the public sector and from the clutches of the privatisation vultures.

Whilst we occasionally pat ourselves on the back when we achieve what’s right and just in our workplaces how hard will the pill be to swallow when 2010 will be the year when this city, our city loses its Mail centre.

I’ve made no apology previously nor will I in the future for being proud and privileged to be associated with the membership and representation structure of our branch but there are occasions in our struggle that sometimes we cant always win a fight that is nationally orchestrated.
Sadly for over 550 of our members there working days will be conducted outside of the L postcode area. What is also now becoming a serious issue is the decreasing numbers to our branch membership, at the time of writing the branch is engaged in serious dialogue with Headquarters and others, in retaining the membership of our colleagues who will be transferred, due to the closure of the Mail Centre in Merseyside.
The fact of the matter is that through various closures over the last five years the membership in Merseyside has been reduced by 1200 members.

But really what will the future be for any of us in the next five years,
The amalgamation of mail centres nationwide is only one of many strategies that this business is involved in, equally the same can be said of the merger of delivery offices and the constant threat of the removal of full time employment the same sort of slash and burn tactics experienced by our members in the Cash and Clerical functions in recent years.
It is a constant threat and long term tactic we must push on and win to secure full time employment in our respected functions.

It can also be said that 2010 will also be the year for a rollout of technology that we have not witnessed before, the introduction of
Walk Sequencing Machines are in operation already in one of our new
Mail Processing Unit (M.P.U) in the north of the city and with the new premises headlined in the south of the city later this year more of the same technology will be with us and the serious implications of technology into our employment whereby a push of a button, not eyes and hands into a primary fitting will be the order of the day.

Potentially 2010 could also be the year for a roll out of a new delivery vehicle, Car Derived Vehicles (C.D.Vs). Certainly some people may see these vehicles as a way forward removing the prospect of our own members using there cars which will always be favourable but personally I have seen nothing in regard to terms and reference that will improve our members conditions the decimation of driving sections and a huge loss of earnings to individuals will present serious problems equally so what potential problems will that have on duties and staffing levels if not addressed in a proper manner.

However it’s not the first time this branch or indeed the Union nationally has had to deal with such issues and we in this branch will continue to strive to uphold and improve your daily working lives.
As with every Annual Report can I place on record my sincere thanks to all our branch officials and area representatives for there tireless work and commitment in there respected roles, also to our comrades borne from this branch who work in Division and Headquarters who continue to defend our members terms and conditions.

Can I also place on record my thanks and farewells to all our members who have, or will be, leaving the business, for your support and commitment to this branch and union, thank you and all the very best for the future.

And to you all, and your families, a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Phil Callaghan,
Branch Chairperson.