Broken Promises @ Martin Walsh

[rmchat112]

@Martin Walsh ;

So the agreement has been voted in. But could you please elaborate on a few points?

whether we or i agree with you or not have to let you know that at the very least you being on this forum and commenting and posting is important and i appreciated .

just a few points to mention - I don't have dates or time scales but but certain things had been promised in years gone by that were supposed to have been resolved but for some reason not mentions or updates from the CWU about these promises:

1. the sick pay issue - I thought it was to be looked at whereby sick pay on previous terms would be being reinstated at some point, ie not putting us on ssp where applicable for first few days of absence or whatever it is that the case may be, i thought we was fighting for reinstatement of full sick pay as per previous procedure ?

2. overtime rates for legacy staff - again was supposed to be being resolved to make improvements to the rate??? - not a dick bird about this either on any cwu updates ???

3. Also the long promised for many years the the so called elusive 35 hour working week - we were supposed to be getting a reduction in working hours from 37 to the promised 35 at some point.

Any thoughts or comments please @Martin Walsh ???

[toonshola]

Best of luck getting any sort of response out of Martin now. Himself and the union only post on these kind of platforms when they need a vote across the line, now that’s all done and dusted we will be blanked and ignored as usual.

[clashcityrocker]

Best of luck getting any sort of response out of Martin now. Himself and the union only post on these kind of platforms when they need a vote across the line, now that’s all done and dusted we will be blanked and ignored as usual.

Given that he has been on this site since 2007, your statement is just plain wrong.

[toonshola]

Best of luck getting any sort of response out of Martin now. Himself and the union only post on these kind of platforms when they need a vote across the line, now that’s all done and dusted we will be blanked and ignored as usual.

Given that he has been on this site since 2007, your statement is just plain wrong.

Being a member on this site and posting/engaging are entirely different things. Keep an eye out how much he posts now the vote is done. I’ll bet we will be lucky to have 3 posts before Christmas from his account.

[postmanplod2026]

the fact delivery is impossible now and posties burnout they should be going back to clear a stage in 6 months not a year its not realistic for reserves in particular to only have 4 sick days a year with double ,treble, quadraple mail and not feel boggered

[Sean06]

Best of luck getting any sort of response out of Martin now. Himself and the union only post on these kind of platforms when they need a vote across the line, now that’s all done and dusted we will be blanked and ignored as usual.

Given that he has been on this site since 2007, your statement is just plain wrong.

Being a member on this site and posting/engaging are entirely different things. Keep an eye out how much he posts now the vote is done. I’ll bet we will be lucky to have 3 posts before Christmas from his account.

As ive said before don't why he posts on here for the abuse he receives

[Mr Rush]

Best of luck getting any sort of response out of Martin now. Himself and the union only post on these kind of platforms when they need a vote across the line, now that’s all done and dusted we will be blanked and ignored as usual.

Given that he has been on this site since 2007, your statement is just plain wrong.

As someone who frequently quotes Martin's old posts enough to remember he was the pseudonymous union source soft leaking a lot of behind the scenes negotiations, I can attest his account often hibernates (also he would consistently misspell 'majority' as 'majoirity' - go on, use the search function). His most recent barrages of text are but one example of breaking a prolonged silence.

As ive said before don't why he posts on here for the abuse he receives

Because he knows the union can't ignore the forum, despite their dismissals of irrelevance.

[Sean06]

Best of luck getting any sort of response out of Martin now. Himself and the union only post on these kind of platforms when they need a vote across the line, now that’s all done and dusted we will be blanked and ignored as usual.

Given that he has been on this site since 2007, your statement is just plain wrong.

As someone who frequently quotes Martin's old posts enough to remember he was the pseudonymous union source soft leaking a lot of behind the scenes negotiations, I can attest his account often hibernates (also he would consistently misspell 'majority' as 'majoirity' - go on, use the search function). His most recent barrages of text are but one example of breaking a prolonged silence.

As ive said before don't why he posts on here for the abuse he receives

Because he knows the union can't ignore the forum, despite their dismissals of irrelevance.

Why can the union not ignore the forum every poll is usually miles out.most members back the cwu (well at least those who care to vote).an those who don't vote can't complain.so nobody on here is allowed to misspell pathetic.

[Mr Rush]

Why can the union not ignore the forum every poll is usually miles out.

I don't know. Is it the same reason you can't? Maybe if Martin goes off in a huff forever more his silence will say more than words ever can.

so nobody on here is allowed to misspell pathetic.

I never made a value judgement about his spelling. I was making an extreme illustration of my familiarity with his posts.

[roadrunner bill]

the fact delivery is impossible now and posties burnout they should be going back to clear a stage in 6 months not a year its not realistic for reserves in particular to only have 4 sick days a year with double ,treble, quadraple mail and not feel boggered

Very true.. absolutely burnt out..

[chickenwittle]

@Martin Walsh ;

So the agreement has been voted in. But could you please elaborate on a few points?

whether we or i agree with you or not have to let you know that at the very least you being on this forum and commenting and posting is important and i appreciated .

just a few points to mention - I don't have dates or time scales but but certain things had been promised in years gone by that were supposed to have been resolved but for some reason not mentions or updates from the CWU about these promises:

1. the sick pay issue - I thought it was to be looked at whereby sick pay on previous terms would be being reinstated at some point, ie not putting us on ssp where applicable for first few days of absence or whatever it is that the case may be, i thought we was fighting for reinstatement of full sick pay as per previous procedure ?

2. overtime rates for legacy staff - again was supposed to be being resolved to make improvements to the rate??? - not a dick bird about this either on any cwu updates ???

3. Also the long promised for many years the the so called elusive 35 hour working week - we were supposed to be getting a reduction in working hours from 37 to the promised 35 at some point.

Any thoughts or comments please @Martin Walsh ???

The 35 hour week is an aspiration that will never happen, Royal Mail put a stop to that years ago.The sick issue is saving Royal Mail to much money to ever be fully overturned but of course the union will never tell you any of this , as for the overtime rates , I never do any so have no interest in it.

[postslippete]

The former sick pay arrangements were only to be reinstated if sick absence averaged below 5.5% over 6 months, but unfortunately in the first 2 periods, it was 7%. Now it's been forgotten about?

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-336-24-roya ... -sick-pay/


The CWU said in July 2025 that attendance and overtime rates would be reviewed and concluded by December 2025. Earlier this year, the CWU talked about reducing agency work with improving o/t rates, but again work in progress

https://cwuse5.org.uk/wp-content/upload ... Part-2.pdf


And the 35 hour week was heavily promoted at the time. I recall the CWU's drive to 35

https://www.cwu.org/news/royal-mail-his ... e-balance/

But it was an aspiration with a 'shared vision' in 2018 agreements rather than any guaranteed contractual commitment. I think we had another hour taken off with no loss in pay in 2019 before RM then suggesting that any further reductions would be unaffordable. We did have the seasonal variations which gave us 35 hour weeks in summer but also meant working 39 hours in winter, and RM as ever, kicked things off by making us work the 39 hours first! Does anyone remember how seasonal variations were sold in that you would get more time off in the summer? Is there a parallel with what is being promised now with staff having more Saturdays off with this new model? Interesting.

Anyways, the union's focus has increasingly shifted towards equalisation when RM decided to recruit new entrants on inferior terms. And those inferior contract numbers seem to be ever increasing to become more like the norm at our depot. Perhaps the biggest savings are not through USO reform or parcels at all, but from gradually replacing the workforce with a cheaper and more flexible one. I wish I could tell those in charge that they are looking through the telescope from the wrong end. They're so focussed on cutting labour costs they completely overlook the value of an experienced workforce and the reasons why so many new entrants struggle to stay in the job.

[Hyrrokkin]

The former sick pay arrangements were only to be reinstated if sick absence averaged below 5.5% over 6 months, but unfortunately in the first 2 periods, it was 7%. Now it's been forgotten about?

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-336-24-roya ... -sick-pay/


The CWU said in July 2025 that attendance and overtime rates would be reviewed and concluded by December 2025. Earlier this year, the CWU talked about reducing agency work with improving o/t rates, but again work in progress

https://cwuse5.org.uk/wp-content/upload ... Part-2.pdf


And the 35 hour week was heavily promoted at the time. I recall the CWU's drive to 35

https://www.cwu.org/news/royal-mail-his ... e-balance/

But it was an aspiration with a 'shared vision' in 2018 agreements rather than any guaranteed contractual commitment. I think we had another hour taken off with no loss in pay in 2019 before RM then suggesting that any further reductions would be unaffordable. We did have the seasonal variations which gave us 35 hour weeks in summer but also meant working 39 hours in winter, and RM as ever, kicked things off by making us work the 39 hours first! Does anyone remember how seasonal variations were sold in that you would get more time off in the summer? Is there a parallel with what is being promised now with staff having more Saturdays off with this new model? Interesting.

Anyways, the union's focus has increasingly shifted towards equalisation when RM decided to recruit new entrants on inferior terms. And those inferior contract numbers seem to be ever increasing to become more like the norm at our depot. Perhaps the biggest savings are not through USO reform or parcels at all, but from gradually replacing the workforce with a cheaper and more flexible one. I wish I could tell those in charge that they are looking through the telescope from the wrong end. They're so focussed on cutting labour costs they completely overlook the value of an experienced workforce and the reasons why so many new entrants struggle to stay in the job.

Another good post postslippete

I think we all know that is their end game - been obvious for a long time even before the new owner...he will just accelerate the process.

[Mr Rush]

what is being promised now with staff having more Saturdays off with this new model?

I'll believe it when I see it. It's the carrot they've been dangling for twenty years. Never got 1-in-4 out of P&L but our finish time is three hours later all the same. You could do more on a Saturday when it was a six day job, FFS.

[world class male]

i do wonder who is on our side for a better life as i see it, our union can only offer us a like it or lump option
below inflation pay rise after securing a 3yr inflation at worst pay rise?
bust RMG work plan of 4into3 plan with a 3.99999/3.00001 plan,
offered most new entrant p't staff the carrot of an upgrade in hours, that may happen if they move d/o but the legacy p't still have 1st dibs on moving up hours either way

these shysters are either truely despicable folk with only thoughts for themselves or thick as pig doodar
i can guarantee that new contract staff will still be miles off the old end in 1 or 2 even 3 years and still left with no incentive to stay in the job nevermind pay to join a union