TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS
Dear Colleague
ROYAL MAil DISPUTE

27th JUNE 2007

 

A message from Dave Ward DGSP (Postal)

Dear Colleagues,

We met Royal Mail late yesterday afternoon in talks facilitated by ACAS. There was a frank exchange of views and we discussed all the issues involved in the dispute.

CWU told Royal Mail we were prepared to explore every avenue to reach an agreement but Royal Mail continues to refuse to negotiate. Royal Mail simply reiterated their view of the colleagues facing the business.

An invitation has now been received from Adam Crozier for a meeting tomorrow afternoon.

Below are a number of key points that we wish to make you aware of.

Sticking together is the only way we will force Royal Mail to listen

1. Royal Mail's behaviour is the reason why this strike is taking place

* In the last few weeks CWU have patiently and repeatedly tried to engage Royal Mail but the company continue to refuse to talk seriously and are ignoring the workforce.

* Royal Mail have told the Union they will not step back from imposing major change and damaging cuts in every office ahead of automation.

* For those affected by the pay aspect of this dispute Royal Mail's offer remains 2.5% - this is conditional on staff accepting all of Royal Mail's previous strings. Many of these strings will reduce people's earning and services.

* Royal Mail want to drive forward their plans with every office isolated and no national agreement covering pay and the future.

2. Change/modernisation

* Royal Mail talk about change but have not yet tabled a single proposal to the Union on the introduction of new automation.

* Royal Mail don't want to pay for change, don't want an agreement and are continuing to ignore the workforce.

3. Why is Royal Mail losing contracts?

The company tell you strike action loses contracts yet Royal Mail have been regularly losing contracts over the last 18 months.

The real reasons are as follows:

* Royal Mail freely negotiated an access agreement with their competitors that allows for them to be consistently undercut on price whilst still having to deliver the final mile.

* Royal Mail deliberately delayed modernisation and government investment for over 18 months in a failed attempt to force privatisation.

* The business leaders publicly welcomed and encouraged the early introduction of competition despite knowing the impact this would have on the business.

* Their Business Plan is more of the same. It will not stem the tide of lost contracts and will simply drive Royal Mail into a spiral of decline.

* Despite their public bravado Royal Mail have gone along with every Postcomm initiative. They could have forced a judicial review - they declined. They could have supported the Union's call for a government review on competition - they declined.

4. Support the Strike on Friday

* There has been a democratic secret ballot with an overwhelming 'yes' vote.

* Everybody knows a strike will cost money - but the fundamental truth is giving into Royal Mail will cost a whole lot more.

* There was no knee-jerk reaction but Royal Mail's behaviour has forced us to the position where strike action is necessary.

* Whatever Royal Mail claim a national postal strike will place them under huge pressure.

* There is a simple solution. Royal Mail should return to the approach they agreed in 2006. They can afford to pay you for change. Government money has been secured - Colleagueshare can be repackaged into basic pay - more money will be generated by the introduction of automation.

* All members who have been balloted will be affected by Royal Mail's plans for the future irrespective of the pay aspect of this dispute.

Sticking together is the only way we will force Royal Mail to listen.

Further information will follow in due course.

Kevin Slocombe
Head of Communications