Gibraltar -Posties Walk Out

[TrueBlueTerrier]

WORKERS WALK OUT

http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=20286" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A section of postal delivery workers at the Gibraltar Post Office staged an impromptu strike yesterday morning after refusing to comply with a management request for sacks of mail to be weighed before being taken out on 'walks' by the postmen.

But Chief Executive Officer Chris Riddell refused to buckle under pressure and ordered that the men be put off pay and for supply workers to be brought in to do the work.

Mr Riddell declared that a key issue was at stake here - that is the ability by management to give reasonable instructions to employees and for these to be carried out accordingly.



The practice of weighing mail bags was introduced last week as part of a statistical data collection exercise which among other things, will confirm what supervisors are already aware of, and that is, the very low workloads on some of the postmen walks.

The data collected will then be analysed and used as part of a management drive to improve customer services in the post office.

Speaking to the Chronicle Mr Riddell said: "Delivery staff yesterday refused to allow their line managers to gather statistics on the workloads, in particular, the number of kilos each postman took out in their respective walks."

The post office chief insists that management is fully entitled to collect such statistical data for the proper management of the RGPO, and that it was not the prerogative of staff to decide what statistical data is and what statistical data is not collected by management.

He continued: "The collection of data is a basic responsibility that the management of any organisation carries out to improve its service to customers based on facts. This data is also important to be able to comply with EU requirements and will help many UPU (Universal Postal Union) inquiries on statistics.

"The data in question, however, highlights the very low workloads on some of the 'walks' when compared to other 'walks' in Gibraltar and more so with walks in the Royal Mail.

"It highlights this in no uncertain terms and consequently the collection of such data was objected by the staff representative.

"Although there are some employees who claim that those walks are a fair day's work, management does not accept this. Indeed with the downturn in mail volumes one of these walks takes only two and a half hours from start to finish and we do not accept this as the yard stick for a fair day's work."

"Our position is clear. We will collect all the necessary data for the proper and 21st century management of the Royal Gibraltar Post Office."

It is understood there were ugly scenes and threats made at the sorting office which required police presence.

WALK-OUT

Meanwhile, 15 out of a complement of 41 employees walked out in what management believe was an act designed to cause maximum disruption since it coincided with employee training courses on customer services planned for the early afternoon at the general post office in Main Street.

By mid-day only two of the 13 'walks' had gone out.

UNITE VIEW

Meanwhile Unite the Union have a radically different perspective on the events that led up to the industrial dispute. Speaking to the Chronicle yesterday, the Union's legal adviser attributed to problem to "a lack of communication by management," and laid the blame squarely on the shoulders of a front-line manager at the sorting office in North Mole.

He also stated that there had been some confusion as to what had sparked off the dispute.

Mr Capurro said: "We are unhappy with the approach to management taken by this particular individual and the way in which he treats workers as if they were in the army."

The Union spokesman said they had given an instruction to staff - practically the entire complement belongs to Unite - not to accept or follow any orders from this manager.

"We have told workers to go back to their places of work tomorrow as normal, but not to accept any order from this person."

A statement issued by Unite later, referred to a disagreement between Unite members of the Postal Workers and Management of the Post Office.

The Union said: "Yesterday at a meeting of Postal Workers with Unite Regional, Branch and liaison Officer for the legal services, decided as follows:- Unite the Union has given instructions to its members not to recognize the Operational Manager, Ms. Frank Bado.

"We have been given no alternative but to adopt this line of action, as a consequence of the Operational Manager "style" of management which is not accepted by the union and its members.

"Unite members have for a long time raised complaints against the Operational Manager for his attitude and treatment of Postal Workers.

"The situation has developed into such a difficult stage between the union members and the operational manager that remedial action needs to be taken by Senior Manager in order to avoid more serious consequences that might erupt.

"Our members find the current situation intolerable, creating low morale and unnecessary friction.

"Union members have not staged any strike action, management have locked them out, and intimidated them with the police presence.

"Unite the Union as always is willing to sit down with Senior Management to fully discuss this issue for a solution."

[TrueBlueTerrier]

BACKLOG CLEARED, TENSION DEFUSED http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=20296" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Industrial relations at the Gibraltar Post Office are slowly inching back to normal while much of the mail backlog from the stoppage of the previous day was being cleared between yesterday and this morning. Postal staff in the sorting office yesterday resumed

normal activities including the weighing of mail bags prior to delivery.

Speaking to the Chronicle Chief Executive Officer Chris Riddell said some minor parts of some districts remained 'backlogged' today, but this would be cleared in the course of the morning.



"All the 'walks' that left yesterday morning did so after the mail bags had been weighed," he declared.

Mr Riddell said he would remain firm so that there was "no derailing of our procedures" but in reply to questions, conceded that he could give no cast iron guarantees that all the difficulties had been overcome.

Meanwhile Unite District Officer Charlie Sisarello said that although employees had gone back to work, the instruction not to obey orders from the operational manager remained in place. Additionally Mr Sisarello expressed the Union's objections to the weighing of mail and described it as a "surreptitious form of market testing."

[Brainache]

Can I get a transfer to Gibralter ? I could take a tent and sleep on the beach.

[NWpostie]

Gibraltar is very packed, only the southern tip is relatively free of development except for a big white mosque, why its there I don't know, it is oversized for the locality, you can move your motorhome there if you can speak Llanito well you will fit in
Its like a well guarded enclave, low crime rate, easy to get around, British rule, sunny, teh Spics do cause problems every now and then, cos they like to do some willy waving, just to show who is boss.

Me no trabajo en el Post office con les amicas del union de Gibraltar, parle linguo Llanito example, Gibraltar have problemo con los espanioles,