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The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) has received more write-ins over the past week from postal workers across the UK voicing opposition to the sell-out deal between the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Royal Mail. A month-long ballot of 115,000 postal workers over the agreement signed by CWU leaders Dave Ward and Andy Furey and endorsed by the Postal Executive is due to begin this Thursday.
In their latest on-the-spot reports, postal workers at delivery offices and mail centres explain how the CWU has allowed cost cutting revisions to proceed unopposed or through direct co-operation. They describe detrimental consequences, including physical and mental health issues, and huge safety risks including from delivery vehicles in disrepair. Management intimidation and bullying is ongoing with postal workers receiving no protection from the CWU.
The WSWS encourages postal workers to continue to write-in and expose the truth. Written submissions from Royal Mail workers are helping to cut through the propaganda and lies of Royal Mail and the CWU bureaucracy, showing the need for a rank-and-file fightback. All Royal Mail workers are welcome to attend the next online Zoom meeting of the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) this Sunday May 28 at 7pm. You can register here.
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Newcastle, Tyneside: The CWU have been given a bigger room at our workplace with a flat screen TV, fridge freezer and sofa. All mod cons, they are being bought!
KiImanock, Scotland: 27 years as a postie, never seen it as bad. Table-top revisions done by managers, no workforce input. Constant PDA monitoring, deliveries taking too long, told to focus on parcels. Change of start/finish times. The focus is on getting parcels out day after day, yet our CEO says they are not being prioritised and our local rep says no major change! Next, it’s sick leave and pensions. No sign off for this great deal we are being offered, or a ballot paper yet. Our reps are selling it as a result. It is time Dave Ward and his £143,000 went. It’s only the workforce who seem happy to vote with their feet and are leaving. We lost money since 1st strike day. Union seems not to be fussed about it.
Perth, Scotland: Try denying this. Perth depot approximately 2 months ago a manager decides one Friday afternoon to leave his office, get hire van keys, take a van from the yard out to where an employee’s car is legally parked on the street and park the hire van right on his front bumper totally blocking him in, then return to his office. An employee with a family returns after a 9-hour shift to see that his car has been deliberately blocked in and can’t get out. What happens to the manager? Nothing. An employee would have been suspended pending dismissal. All this is on CCTV. What does the union and senior management do? Nothing.
Bolton: It’s ridiculous that revisions have been put in place, but the CWU won’t fight the corner saying NO. Royal Mail will still employ agency staff so that’s double wages and spend twice as much on fuel too. CWU… NO COMMENT. I would not be surprised if Dave Ward is given the CEO position. I’m not a union member but can see it’s rotting to the core and has been for years… that’s why I left.
Glasgow, Scotland: All trust has gone… the deal is only for 2 years… then what?… agency workers…zero hours….
Nuneaton, Warwickshire: The place just became so toxic. NO respect and dignity. It’s disgusting how some OPG [Operational Postal Grade] became managers overnight and no experience. They are bringing in agency staff, friends or family and giving them easy jobs to do. If you challenge them, they will tell you “Stop complaining!” Where is justice here?
Nuneaton, Warwickshire: It’s been a joke for 2 years… no staff, not enough vans for deliveries and being told we have to take more work in less time, being constantly bullied and harassed by managers. How has this got to this? Where I dread going into work every day but must do to provide for my family.
West London: £1,500 now and backdated bonus from the £700 million made during Covid!
North London: I’ve been a postman since I was a 16-year-old cadet. I’m now 60 years old looking forward to retirement, but now that has been destroyed by the post office snatching away the voluntary redundancy package from payment of 24 months down to 9 months. Absolutely ridiculous. After years of loyal service. They kick us in the teeth with this insult of a package. They obviously don’t care about the workers but keep on giving to themselves big pay outs. How can one retire on nine months money? Did the union accept this? I’m devastated, the workforce is old. No new people have come into the job for years on a full-time basis, only part time, but yet they offer us nine months’ equivalent to £21,000. They want us to work until we drop or die on the job. We are at their mercy. Something’s gotta give. But it is still for me a no Deal, offering us £500 incentive. They must think we’re stupid to accept £500 when backdated pay is more. This could be the end. I’ll never say yes to this deal and all the postmen think the same. Mind I know you will probably not publish this because everyone is against the postmen, so I’ll be waiting to see.
Welwyn Garden City, Herfordshire: I have worked for Royal Mail for 27+ years. I knew 100% CWU would stab you in the back. I am no longer a member. Why pay your subscription to CWU for not bringing a good deal? It doesn’t matter what we all write on here, nobody in the CWU or Royal Mail will listen. We all need to move on and stand our ground to this rubbish deal.
Wolverhampton, West Midlands: I have worked at Royal Mail for the last 14 months. I work in a small yard with only 70 staff. Since January, ten staff have left going back as 40 years’ service each. The packets are a priority and the letters the managers don’t care less for. Sometimes the letters are 3 days before they go out. The manager lies and says all post are clear from mail 1st and 2nd and they are not. People now have the no care attitude. I wish I never worked at Royal Mail. Big mistake for me.
Wolverhampton: I am so tired of driving a van that is not roadworthy. It risks my licence and possibly my life. You have to push it before start of shift. Tyres bald. Doors hanging off. Click ignition barrels to start the vans. So bloody wrong. On all levels.
Sheffield, South Yorkshire: Being asked to complete tasks that are not doable. Wonder if management would be able to complete? Bullying tactics need to be stopped pronto. This new way of working is not the way forward.
Leeds, West Yorkshire: Leeds Mail Centre — the forced revisions, with NO input from the CWU, have forced people out the door. The bullying, harassment and contempt of the workforce has obliterated morale, and we all know these so-called managers will be picking up a tidy bonus for forcing these revisions through, even though they are already planning to revise these revisions!!! SCANDALOUS!!
We do not have enough staff on lates and nights, both shifts hammered with agency workers!! The “Our business to run” mantra is music to the ears of the megalomaniac managers at Leeds MC, and people are constantly getting messed around, the union are currently invisible in our office and I have no reason to see that change!! Massive failure from the CWU!!!!
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