Strike vote over pay insult

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/strike- ... nsult.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cleaners and engineers who work on contracts at Royal Mail have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over a Scrooge-like pay offer.

The Communication Workers Union members are employed by facilities management company Romec.

They have been offered a below inflation 1.5 per cent pay rise - while their bosses have trousered 15 per cent bonuses.

CWU national co-negotiators Bob Gibson and Ray Ellis say the workers are furious with the company.

Ray added that Romec had paid out "generous bonuses" to managers on the grounds that the company had met all of its targets and asked: "How can it be fair that they refuse to also reward our hard-working members who've actually done the work and created this success?

"This is quite unbelievable hypocrisy and our Romec members are rightly furious."

Bob said that the 1.5 per cent rise on offer "is some considerable way below current inflation and goes nowhere near meeting the needs of our members, who have been waiting since January for their annual wage rise."

The union members - who clean, maintain and repair Royal Mail premises and equipment - have voted 91 per cent in favour of strike action.

CWU is considering its next move, while inviting the company to improve its pay offer to avoid a strike.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 926/12 - Romec Pay Dispute: Ballot Result

No. 926/2012
Ref: PTC/RE/dj/301
Date: 14 December 2012




TO ALL BRANCHES WITH ALL ROMEC MEMBERS




Dear Colleague


RE: Romec Pay Dispute: Ballot Result



The industrial action ballot for all Romec members has concluded with the following result:


Are you prepared to take part in industrial action consisting of a strike?


Number of votes cast: 962
Number voting yes: 878 (91.4%)
Number voting no: 83 (8.6%)
Spoilt voting papers: 1


The overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action reflects the legitimate anger of all Romec members in response to the derisory pay offer Romec have offered our members. Romec have been advised of the result.


We would like to thank members for their strong support in the ballot. Branches should ensure that all Romec members are advised of the result as a matter of urgency.


Any enquiries should be addressed to Ray Ellis’s department, quoting reference PTC/RE/dj/301.
Email address: rellis@cwu.org



Any enquiries should be addressed to Bob Gibson’s department, quoting reference 120.12
Email address: hnutley@cuw.org

Yours sincerely





Ray Ellis, Bob Gibson,

Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary

[Geezer]

14 December 2012

LTB 928/12 - Romec Pay Dispute: Industrial Action

No. 928/2012
Ref: PTC/RE/dj/301
Date: 14 December 2012


TO ALL BRANCHES WITH ALL ROMEC MEMBERS


Dear Colleague


RE: Romec Pay Dispute: Industrial Action


All Romec employees will be taking official industrial action in the form of a one day strike commencing from the beginning of attendances commencing after 05.00 on Friday, 21st December 2012 concluding from commencement of attendance after 0.500 on Saturday, 22nd December 2012.

In addition, for engineering grades a ban on contractual and rota’d callout commencing after 05.00 on Friday, 21st December 2012 concluding at commencement of callout after 14.00 on Monday, 24th December 2012.


The industrial action is in response to Romec’s failure to offer a fair pay increase which was due to our members in January 2012. Bearing in mind inflation is currently at 3.2% (at the settlement date it was 4.8%) Romec’s offer represents a cut in our members’ real wages. Romec’s offer of 1.5% is worth even less because the company intended to implement it 3 months after the settlement date. Romec achieved all its business targets and managers have been rewarded with a bonus worth between 9 and 15% of their salary. The offer is substantially less than the average level of increase in outside industry. Romec have not changed their stance during any of our pay talks and the board deliberately budgeted for a pay cut in real terms and Romec’s negotiators have simply repeated their derisory offer.


Whilst understanding the complexities and anxieties of the situation our official advice to all Branches is that any picket line should stand aside and invite Royal Mail and Quadrant staff to go to work. It is important for all of us to remain organised and disciplined throughout this dispute and for our members to respect the position of their colleagues and understand that it will be very difficult circumstances for all of them.


We have informed all Romec members of the action to be taken in the form of an individual letter sent to their home addresses. However, Branches are required as a matter of urgency to give this LTB the widest possible circulation within their Branch, in particular units that may be involved in the dispute.


We also attach CWU Guidelines for picketing and I would appreciate the widest possible circulation within the Branch.


Any enquiries should be addressed to Ray Ellis’s department, quoting reference PTC/RE/dj/301.
Email address: rellis@cwu.org


Any enquiries should be addressed to Bob Gibson’s department, quoting reference 120.12
Email address: hnutley@cuw.org

Yours sincerely


Ray Ellis, Assistant Secretary

Bob Gibson, Assistant Secretary

To access attachment please click on link above



More info +

[Red Robbo]

Give the picket line's support by providing tea, coffee, food and maybe a bit of the hard stuff.

[Geezer]

From Mike Rideout, Romec Representative

Hi Gent's / any Ladies

I cannot say how glad i am that the ballot result was an overwhelming 92% yes vote in favour of strike action for us within the romec cleaning membership, hoped we would but, not as high, brill.

I have had allot of members on the phone asking of the results and they are very happy that we are standing together on this issue, sadly it has taken over 10 months but, never the less, lets see what happens next.

The time table for first day's strike maybe next Friday i am led to believe, so, can we all try and give a push and seek for one of our colleague reps in the mail Centres - DO's to give a little help, assistance to the cleaners in the picket area and how not, to get into trouble with obstruction and so on, i know you will try your best on coordination's of our cleaning members.

PS. hopefully, with the ballot results - Bob, Des, Steve, and Pete keenslyside Can sway romec, John fisher HR Director, see that we are willing to take the action, i have through the grapevine heard also that, Royal Mail personnel have uttered that they will not be crossing the line in favour of the cleaning members, if it comes to it, that's great stuff. hope they will help support us if needs be, we are all members of the CWU at the end of the day aren't we. Solidarity is the key guy's.

Thanks once again,, there will be updates throughout early next week.
Bye for now guy's.

[chooch]

Just popped over from the 'Blue Shirts' thread having read just the ONE news article (todays Mirror, in with the London Underground proposed action) by chance - really not sure how well the picketing action will influence the regular posties but surely H&S will be affected.. we really dont appreciate our cleaners and/or realise how we take them for granted..

Be Safe re. the rules

AND More Power to Ya!!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 938/12 - Romec Pay Dispute: Industrial Action

No. 938/2012
Ref: PTC/MA/dj/301
Date: 19 December 2012




TO ALL BRANCHES WITH ROMEC MEMBERS




Dear Colleague


RE: Romec Pay Dispute: Industrial Action


Romec have written to the union questioning the legality of the callout ban on the basis that engineers were not balloted on action short of strike.


Legal advice previously received indicated that where members are contracted to work callout, a callout ban would be covered by a ballot on strike action alone. We have taken further legal advice following the letter from Romec, and this indicates that in the light of subsequent court rulings it would be safer not to proceed with the callout ban and to re-ballot engineers for action short of strike.


Therefore the union has cancelled the callout ban which was due to finish at 14.00 on Monday, 24th December 2012.


The one day strike on Friday, 21st December is going ahead as planned and it is imperative that all members support this. Engineers will be balloted on action short of strike action to enable us to implement a callout ban if necessary.


We have written individually to Romec engineers informing them of this decision.


It is vital that Branches ensure that our Romec members give their full support and as many people as possible are involved in picketing and leafleting on Friday, 21st December 2012.


Any enquiries should be addressed to Ray Ellis’s department, quoting reference PTC/MA/dj/301.
Email address: rellis@cwu.org


Yours sincerely




Ray Ellis,

[Red Robbo]

oops, do the Union check with their legal team how to conduct a ballot in line with Case Law ???

[Darren Bent]

So this means we will have a dirty office in next few days as there wouldn't be any cleaning.

[chooch]

yes, we will have a dirty office - can't see us getting pulled off the floor because of unsafe working conditions though!

Don't excess bags of packets at the frames count as a safety hazard.. ?