It's not us it's them Dave Ward

Woody Guthrie · Post by **Woody Guthrie** » 12 Sep 2020, 13:43

https://tribunemag.co.uk/2020/09/the-ba ... management" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Barrier to Change in Royal Mail Isn’t the Union – It’s the Management
By
Dave Ward

This week has seen calls in the media for Royal Mail to attack its union – but the real problem with the company isn't the workers, it's the lack of ambition shown by its management.

Following Royal Mail’s shareholder AGM on Tuesday, the media reported that its management board had to defeat its trade unions in order to deliver change.

While I agree with Royal Mail’s chairman that the company is at a crossroads, the biggest threat to its future is not a union that wants to hold onto the past – it’s a board who appear to have no vision of the future beyond becoming just another parcel courier.

This was laid bare at Tuesday’s shareholder meeting when the chairman and interim CEO regurgitated the same lines as the previous CEO, Rico Back, who they axed in May.

In a post-Covid environment, as we face the biggest jobs and economic crisis in our lifetime, society must demand more from its business leaders. As we are seeing in industry after industry, too many are incapable of bringing solutions to the table beyond cutting jobs, pay and services.

The CWU is determined to break this cycle. We are putting forward an alternative plan that builds on the company’s strengths rather than abandoning them.

Firstly, Royal Mail has an unrivalled network. It is the only company in the UK that can deliver to every address, every day.

Leveraging this network, rather than dismantling it, will be crucial to its future success. We accept that this means rebalancing operational resources away from declining letters to a growing parcels market – and, crucially, it means delivering more frequently, not less.

Secondly, Royal Mail has a magical ingredient that Amazon covets. Through its army of postal workers, who always go the extra mile, it owns trust on the doorstep. Expanding the role of the local postie – not diminishing it – must become the central plank of its future strategy.

With its presence in every local community and knowledge of every UK business, Royal Mail can provide an additional range of innovative local services:

Delivering prescriptions and medicines
Linking up with councils to check on vulnerable residents
Supporting the elderly to live independently for longer
Providing tailored logistics to small businesses
Offering new parcels services
Collecting data for local authorities

And that’s only the beginning. In the wake of the pandemic, with the increase of working from home, there has never been a better opportunity for Royal Mail to maximise its relevance to society.

Sourcing ideas from the workforce, using their relationship with customers and tapping into their local knowledge is the vehicle to drive change.

To support this approach, the CWU will launch a major engagement exercise with our members, politicians, businesses, community groups and the public to develop a strategy for a 21st century Royal Mail – one that combines the power of the workforce with the power of modern technology.

Today, we lay down the challenge to Royal Mail management to join us. For the past six months posties across the country have stepped up and delivered in extreme circumstances. It’s now time for the board of the company to match their efforts.

grchpo · Post by **grchpo** » 12 Sep 2020, 14:40

If we supply those 6 services we will have no time to deliver letters never mind parcels. One example, supporting the elderly to live independently for longer, that is a carers job not ours. Another, linking up with councils, no bloody chance. Get real.

Dougie postie · Post by **Dougie postie** » 12 Sep 2020, 14:55

Who in the union comes up with these bright ideas,what happened to our pay increase,what about our shorter working week,shambles.

Woody Guthrie · Post by **Woody Guthrie** » 12 Sep 2020, 15:00

Dougie postie wrote:Who in the union comes up with these bright ideas,what happened to our pay increase,what about our shorter working week,shambles.

To be fair Dave is the GS now and not involved in the day to day negotiations.

Having said that your point is still valid.

Post by **panzer4** » 12 Sep 2020, 15:33

I have a suggestion for our union negotiators DO A BLOODY POST ROUND FOR A WEEK!

worktotime · Post by **worktotime** » 12 Sep 2020, 15:52

panzer4 wrote:I have a suggestion for our union negotiators DO A BLOODY POST ROUND FOR A WEEK!

to right

, and another thing is i didnt vote yes to get a pay increase , i voted yes to get the 1 hour that is ours , a fair and manageable workload , and to sort the culture of management out .

Andy51 · Post by **Andy51** » 12 Sep 2020, 17:03

Union get real we got enough on our plate let alone be a social worker. Love to see Dave or Lionel be a postman for a week ,bet they don’t work Saturdays

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 12 Sep 2020, 17:38

Well with the abrogation of the last pay deal how can we trust them this will be mirrored in the trade talks with the EU going against agreements has repercussions of trust fulfilment of any said agreement in most probably leading to a shorter more upfront agreement as trust is lacking. If however if there is an impasse we could always impose the reduction of the working week by industrial action by working to a 35 hour working week what does not get done will go on overtime for whoever wants it. It is not that we have broke the last agreement but a failure of past and present management the agreement is still there it just was not implemented by some fat cat CEO who we cannot mention for his own ends. The last agreement was by all sides lauded at the time but It was never fully implemented a reduction of the working week will benefit us all we need this as automation with packet sorting machines will slash hours and new data capture will do the same in delivery, So if these talks come to nothing is I urge we implement the full 35 Hour working week for the same pay If you want a pay rise do an hours overtime or two after imposing the 35 hour working week!

Post by **afcdibby** » 12 Sep 2020, 18:20

Woody Guthrie wrote:
Dougie postie wrote:Who in the union comes up with these bright ideas,what happened to our pay increase,what about our shorter working week,shambles.

To be fair Dave is the GS now and not involved in the day to day negotiations.

Having said that your point is still valid.

What is a GS? And, what does it pay per annum?

Post by **stodgy88** » 12 Sep 2020, 18:29

General secretary ,wages ,more than you .

Post by **afcdibby** » 12 Sep 2020, 18:54

stodgy88 wrote:General secretary ,wages ,more than you .

Probably a lot more.

Post by **freespeech** » 12 Sep 2020, 18:56

afcdibby wrote:
Woody Guthrie wrote:
Dougie postie wrote:Who in the union comes up with these bright ideas,what happened to our pay increase,what about our shorter working week,shambles.

To be fair Dave is the GS now and not involved in the day to day negotiations.

Having said that your point is still valid.
What is a GS? And, what does it pay per annum?

General Secretary......it was paying £116k in 2017. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/t ... 1504861689" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **fb1969** » 12 Sep 2020, 19:06

With its presence in every local community and knowledge of every UK business, Royal Mail can provide an additional range of innovative local services:

Delivering prescriptions and medicines
Linking up with councils to check on vulnerable residents
Supporting the elderly to live independently for longer

Am I doing all these things as I walk out to my duty or when I walk back as RM won't provide extra vans?

Should I do them while I am collecting up to 25 items from customers as I am delivering mail?

Do I get a flashing blue light to stick on my head as the union see me as an emergency service?

Clueless and worryingly out of touch with everything to do with what the average postie does every day. Its bad enough that the managers don't have the slightest clue about what the job is actually like - now the union that is supposed to represent us is trying to throw even more at us. I'm surprised he has missed the suggestion of shoving a broom up my arse so I can sweep the streets as I go round!

Post by **afcdibby** » 12 Sep 2020, 19:20

freespeech wrote:
afcdibby wrote:
Woody Guthrie wrote:
Dougie postie wrote:Who in the union comes up with these bright ideas,what happened to our pay increase,what about our shorter working week,shambles.

To be fair Dave is the GS now and not involved in the day to day negotiations.

Having said that your point is still valid.
What is a GS? And, what does it pay per annum?
General Secretary......it was paying £116k in 2017. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/t ... 1504861689" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks. There's some eyewatering figures in that document.

scoobydo79 · Post by **scoobydo79** » 12 Sep 2020, 20:46

WTF?? They just don’t get it do they? Remember the 3rd emergency services thing? Royal Mails response was to s**t on their staff the night before appreciate your posty day.