FAO RICHARD BARKER AND PAULA VENNELLS

[PO1]

I started work for the Post Office as it was then in the early eighties. Do you know why? Well, I’ll tell you why; because you’re only new to the business. I was offered a job working for the TSB bank; as it was then. With my education and qualifications they were more than happy to offer me a position. At the same time I was offered a position with the Post Office. I chose the Post Office. Why? The simple fact was the salary at the bank was £2,600pa whilst the salary with the Post Office was £3,500pa and due to rise to £4,400pa in 12 months’ time. No brainer. It’s the reason why you attracted me and hundreds more like me to the business.

Fast forward nearly thirty years and what do I get for all these years of loyal service? A letter telling me and my colleagues from probably the two highest paid employees in Post Office Ltd that “the biggest cost in the Crown network is employee pay”. Nice of you to admit it. But oh no, it’s not you who’s overpaid, or the other fat cats, the RMs, the CAMs, the SEMs, our own managers or for that matter ANYONE ELSE in the Royal Mail Group. No, it turns out to be us plebs off the counter are the only ones who is overpaid this year. At this point can I point out that my wages have gone up £60 per month (less tax and national insurance) in FOUR years!

Now, allow me to ask how have you come to this conclusion? Yes, let’s get back to the Bank versus the Post Office dilemma. Apparently according to you Paula (well I know it’s what you’re getting told to say) it’s now at a ratio of £15k pa to £19,150 pa. Thanks for enlightening us with that Paula, because it does just go to show how much our wages have already been eroded over the years. Let’s do the maths because believe it or not that’s what people on the counter are good at. £4,400 is 1.6923076 times £2,600. £19,150 is 1.276 recurring times £15,000. So as you can see Paula, you’ve already done a pretty good job of closing that gap!

Now I don’t know about you, Paula, but I can think of a few things that the counterperson in my local Lloyds TSB doesn’t do. Off the top off my head:
Gas keys, Quantum cards, MVLs (and the arguments that always go with them), Passport Check And Send (more arguments), Driving License ( yet more arguments), Green Giros (goes without saying), ID Verification (maybe we should have a sign that says Arguments R Us), Stationary, Fishing Licenses, Bus Tickets (and believe it or not there’s a multitude of them, with arguments too), shall we mention the different mail services Inland, Overseas, Signed For, Special Delivery, Letter, Large Letter, Packet, Airmail, Surface, Small Packet, Parcel, Express 48,24, Global Express, Global Priority, Global value etc. etc. etc. What! There are different rules for different countries as well!! Let’s not forget the whole Travel scenario. Do you know there’s a man works at my local Asda and all he does is sit in a booth waiting for currency transactions getting paid £6 ph to mainly listen to his ipod!(have a word with your opposite in Asda Paula)

Now let’s see in a bank you take in cheques, pay out money, knock back people with bills and send people with damaged notes to the Post Office.

I’ll speak now for most people I know. If this is the attitude we’re getting from above, do us all a favour, offer us VR and give the people who want to go the opportunity to go with what they deserve for years and years of loyal service. It’ll cost a few bob but compared to the unrest you’re creating it’ll be worth it, don’t you think? I’d be surprised if there was anyone left at the end.

[kathleen1]

PO1 you are absolutely wasted in this business, i hope you get your VR along
with many other loyal staff in this PRODUCTIVITY cost cutting exercise.

[bc29]

Stop all sales conversations right now! What can they do to all of us if we stick together on this? M U P me you muppets!!!!!!! Bring it on!

[Lounge Lizard]

"Do you know there’s a man works at my local Asda and all he does is sit in a booth waiting for currency transactions getting paid £6 ph to mainly listen to his ipod!(have a word with your opposite in Asda Paula)"


http://www.asda.jobs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mr Love Pants]

[quote="bc29"]Stop all sales conversations right now!


I am with you on this one - lets stop all the sales -No need to stop all converstaions just have the conversation in such a way that you are telling the customer not to buy the product. For example you don't want that there tomorrow do you and nothing of value in it is there are two that I use and another is I take it that you have sorted out your travel insurance and don't want a quote from us this time.

[The BFO]

Nice piece PO1 – very well put. Unfortunately, it is predicated on a false premise: that they will listen. All the evidence from recent years is that they will not. Sorry to say that our ‘leaders’ are convinced they know best, and that those of us who actually do the job are a group of lazy malingerers bent on disruption.

It is a very great shame that they will only listen when forced to do so.

[onlyanother30years]

I’ll speak now for most people I know. If this is the attitude we’re getting from above, do us all a favour, offer us VR and give the people who want to go the opportunity to go with what they deserve for years and years of loyal service. It’ll cost a few bob but compared to the unrest you’re creating it’ll be worth it, don’t you think? I’d be surprised if there was anyone left at the end.

When the PO franchised over 70 offices to Smiths how many people decided to stay with the PO, in my area I think about 2 from over 100 staff, the rest took VR.

The high management know that if offered VR to all they would be left with no experienced staff , this they do not want as though in their minds we are overpaid we
actually do a good job, we have changed our working pratices without much fuss, and most important are reliable and trustworthy.

With the intake of new recruits over the last 2 years though not many, they have all seemed to be the opposite, unrealiable, lazy ,unknowledgable and in some cases untrustworthy,
and they generally last about 6 months then leave or sacked.

[bc29]

Stop all sales conversations right now!


I am with you on this one - lets stop all the sales -No need to stop all converstaions just have the conversation in such a way that you are telling the customer not to buy the product. For example you don't want that there tomorrow do you and nothing of value in it is there are two that I use and another is I take it that you have sorted out your travel insurance and don't want a quote from us this time.

True we can all target the" right" customers for our conversations. NOT!

[Mad Max]

[Mad Max]

.

[gle001]

Sincere, truthful and honest. Simply excellent PO1. Thank you for a great post mate. Needed to be said. Thank you for speaking for me as well !!

[gle001]

I still suffer with a hope that somehow our Senior management will see reason. Maybe i am deluding myself with a belief that Messrs Vennells and Barker possess some degree of understanding when it comes to employee relations.
How can you fail to comprehend the tremendous contribution made by your Crown colleagues nationwide on a daily basis.I am not talking simply about sales, the Balance sheet and P/L.
Are you so blinkered that you can not fathom that your Crown Employees and generations before, through their loyalty,dedication and exceptional customer service have managed to capture and hold the public's esteem like no other institution in the land.
The banks fear very little from the Post Office as a rival institution, but ask them if there is one thing that they covet from the Post Office and the answer will be resounding: the abiding trust and esteem of the public.
This Messrs Vennells and Barker is what distinguishes the Post Office from its competitors. It is a distinction that has taken generations to fashion and create. It is at immiment risk of being destroyed by your ridding this institution of its experienced and dedicated staff.
What I ask is the institution you are intent on creating when the lifeblood of the Post Office has departed?

[PO1]

What I ask is the institution you are intent on creating when the lifeblood of the Post Office has departed?

I honestly don't think they're bothered because they'll just move on to another big payday somewhere else like good old Adam (The Hatchet) Crozier.

Couldn't agree more with your post by the way. Let's hope everyone on the counter wakes up to the fact that they're being shafted, big time.

[takethat!]

Counter staff are probably the lowest paid within the RM group, we have lost everything in the last few year.

We are now fighting for a pay rise which for some reason Messrs Barker and Vennells believe we don't deserve - I would pay good money to see these people do our jobs for a month, serve - make eye contact, say hello, make conversation and explain how to insert a Post Office Card into a slot!! then not to have any shame in convincing people who are on benefits (and live week to week) they need life insurance, etc.

I have no shame in saying I and my colleagues earn our pay and deserve more - i would actually ask the question who sets there pay and bonus structure? - think that should be our job and they would get what they deserve.

Every counter clerk must strike = we deserve better and we want better.

[sussub]

As a subpostmaster, I would personally like to be on anywhere near the £19k counter staff earn.