UNION MEETING LIVERPOOL

[takethat!]

If anyone is in Liverpool - or would like to meet Mr Barker and discuss our lack of pay from POL feel free it's being held in a pub called the crown which is in the city centre by Lime Street station.


Bring your banners and shout to the rafters - what a quality conversation we could have.

Maybe he'll buy you a drink.. or maybe we get him drunk, make him sign up to giving us Saturday premium back (and back dated), plus an above the rate of inflation pay deal and no more selling, (and that's just for starters...)

[POSTMAN]

Has this been confirmed,i was under the impression it wasn't wanted by certain quarters in the CWU,or is this 'another and different' meeting?

[PO1]

Hi POSTMAN,
Yes, Mr Barker is expected to be in attendance at the meeting in Liverpool at the invitation of the Merseyside Amal members along with Andy Furey. We hope to have a frank and open debate about the issues surrounding the Crown Office network at the moment.

[POSTMAN]

Nice one,don't forget to report back.

[POSTMAN]

Word is MR B turned up.

[PO1]

Yes he sure did.

I'll post a report tomorrow of the important bits as I'm knackered (unless anyone beats me to it as I passed out a lot of cards with this website on ).

[POSTMAN]

Cheers and (Cheers )

[billyhayes]

I passed out a lot of cards with this website on.

Good work.

[treacy1965]

Mr Barker did turn up and then proceeded to tell us that we are NOT overpaid but there is no money for a payrise,however as Branch Managers do deserve a rise there is cash for them !!!! He didn't have an answer to why the very few people at the the top of POL (who are failing miserably at their roles) have millions to share between them in bonus payments.Thanks for turning up and giving the arguments from the other side Richard but I have to say you weren't making much sense,wonder how many people you dissuaded from taking industrial action ? Possibly a big fat zero !!

[Super]

I wasn't at the meeting-as I don't work in that area of the country-but fair play to Mr B for at least turning up. It will be interesting to here more on what was said.

[PO1]

Yes indeed Richard Barker general manager of the commercial network at the Post Office did attend the CWU meeting in Liverpool last night at my invitation. Respect to him for doing so and changing his schedule so he could make it.

It was a good job he did because as events turned out Andy Furey was late for the meeting, so as he said Richard “was the warm up act for him”. As already said by a previous poster nothing was said by Richard that would dissuade anyone from taking industrial action if and when the time comes, which let’s face it, was to be expected.

So until Andy arrived we had a question and answer session with Richard. He stated that managers got a rise this year because they looked at the comparable jobs in the market place and they didn’t receive a rise last year. He did not think we were overpaid it’s just that there’s no money left in the pot for us because the squeeze is on about this £55m loss and to get into profitability by 2017. It was pointed out to him that we are on the bottom scale in the business and the public face of the Crown network, it’s most valuable asset but apparently least valued by the business.

Questions were raised on the whole structure of the Crown network with regards to the managerial structure now in place with a lot of offices now having two managers in place, most being new to the business and not having a clue about how a Post Office works. They spend a lot of time reading emails, drawing up flipcharts, going on pointless conference calls, stamping leaflets or gazing out the window with their hands in their pockets. Surely you need to address these issues before you attack the wages of your front line staff was the question. Richard seemed surprised that this is the norm in a lot of offices as when he sees them when he visits offices he thinks they’re doing a good job. He reiterated that they can’t afford to offer a pay increase but they do value the frontline staff.
At this point in the meeting, like a knight in shining armour, Andy Furey entered the room intent on slaying the dragon (it looked good for the CWU cameras that were filming the meeting). After a few pleasantries we got down to business in earnest.

Andy’s opening statement was that this dispute is not just about a wage rise it’s about job security. He’s seeking to extend the guarantee for the Crown network that expires on 31st march 2011 as well as obtain a rise for the last section within the business that have received nothing this year, and don’t forget our pay date was April 2010! Quoting from the letter he sent to Paula Vennells (managing director of the Post Office) he stated that she flatly refuses to extend the guarantee and that Debbie Moore (head of HR in POL) claims that we are overpaid by a third compared to the marketplace. He stated that it is so wrong that the sharp end get nothing and the impression is given that they’re looking to drive down wages so that when the time comes they could transfer staff under TUPE to whoever wants them. He also knows that if the time comes “a massive vote in favour of action” will be delivered.

The question was put to him, why has it taken so long to call us out? He explained it was the convergence of the guarantee that expires on 31st March 2011 and the next pay review date. January and February are traditionally quiet so we needed to take action when it mattered. We’re in it for the long haul if required with tactical strikes if needed. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a long weekend over Easter and the Royal wedding?” he said (thanks for picking up on my idea Andy).

Another question raised the idea of “not selling” to hit them this way as well as striking. The response from Andy was that this was not to be condoned on legal grounds as apparently it can open up an avenue for the Post Office that could lead to suspensions without pay for those involved (we all know that the selling code of practice tells us to target appropriate customers ).

I think the meeting went well and Richard was left in no doubt of the feelings of the counter staff not just on Merseyside but around the country. I approached him at the end of the meeting directly to raise the point on Colleague shares and the issue we never got in 2009 pointing out that everyone in the business has had a payoff for that issue. He told me that it had turned into a very complex matter, but that at some point we will receive a payment like everyone else has, as well as the chance to sell half of the 711 “shares” we currently hold back later this year with the remainder in 2012. I also asked him about the winter leave period this year and the blocking off of the week leading up to Christmas day that goes against COSA “just in case we’re still employed by POL then” He smiled and said we’ll still be here but admitted he knew nothing about what I was saying but promised me to look into it. I believed him on that point but do still have some doubts as to if we’ll still be here later this year and beyond.

An important development though was that some movement is being made. The head of HR of the whole RMG has now got involved in discussions and who knows what may happen. My take on all of this: I think a massive yes vote will be returned and we will have some industrial action. Then a deal will be struck covering both years, with a payoff of about £450 for the fictitious shares from 2009 as well as an extension of the guarantee for the Crown network to 31st March 2012. Then, from that date, there will be a gradual mutualisation/conversion/franchise (call it what you want) over a 4-5 year period of about 200-300 Crowns ending up with about 100 left by 2017. What do you think?

[POSTMAN]

Thanks for the update PO1,much appreciated.
And a thanks to MR B for at least not hiding.

[The BFO]

Dear PO1, thanks for this report, and the time you have taken, – comprehensive and clear.

[The BFO]

Questions were raised on the whole structure of the Crown network with regards to the managerial structure now in place with a lot of offices now having two managers in place, most being new to the business and not having a clue about how a Post Office works. They spend a lot of time reading emails, drawing up flipcharts, going on pointless conference calls, stamping leaflets or gazing out the window with their hands in their pockets. Surely you need to address these issues before you attack the wages of your front line staff was the question. Richard seemed surprised that this is the norm in a lot of offices as when he sees them when he visits offices he thinks they’re doing a good job.

Interesting – it is certainly this subject which causes a lot of angst in this part of the world, and not just in the office where I work, which is a long way from Merseyside – a place I am sorry to say I have never been.

[takethat!]

I attended the meeting in Liverpool and have to say I throughly enjoyed the debate, Mr B did turn up and we did have our say.

Some members didn't like the idea of the CWU camera's but enough people made good contributions and they all refelected how they felt regarding this insult form the business.

Reference was made to how we at the counter suffer all the time - managers lapse duties and we are told to 'get on with it', (overtime has been banned in Liverpool for months), for years now POL has never made money but the buck lies with the counter for the savings, people leave and they are not replaced etc (you know the score) so why does Mr B not go to his own level and get rid of the incompetent people who are getting above average wages and a bonus for fu*king up?!!?

Our message to Mr Furey was that we are up for the long haul and full days of industrial action and not 2 hour strikes hope Mr B remembers this as this company think they can tie our hands and gag us.

Stand up and be counted back the union in the fight - vote YES for INDUSTRIAL ACTION - YOU DESERVE IT.