Post Office dispute - 'agreement taking shape'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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

A solution to the long-running pay and job security dispute between the Post Office and CWU is moving closer, according to a joint statement released today.

An agreement, which will provide solutions on pay for counter staff, admin and supply chain grades, while also defending rights at work and protecting a viable Crown Post Office network going forward is "starting to take shape," both sides report.

From March until the end of November last year, Crown Office CWU members took 13 days of strike action in pursuit of a fair pay deal and in protest at the company's policy, while Supply Chain and Admin members joined them in action in November over pay.

After several months of refusing to negotiate, Post Office bosses asked for talks in December and, in an act of good faith, the union halted its planned pre-Christmas action to allow discussions to take place.

Andy Furey, the union's national officer for Post Office employees, said: "We've been in negotiations with the company's senior national team all through January and good progress has been made on all fronts.

"There is now a recognition from the Post Office that consolidated pay increases are necessary going forward and for our part, we have recognised the need for the Crown Transformation programme and the objective of getting the Crown network to break even by 31st March 2015.

"As the joint statement says, 'we have made good progress' and we're "moving closer towards reaching a fair and reasonable agreement."

"Further information will be sent out to members as soon as possible and I'd like to thank all of our Post Office members for their patience at this time - and also once again thank members for the extraordinary determination they've shown throughout this dispute.

"It's been their unity and strength of purpose that has forced POL to the negotiating table."

CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward added: "The whole union has been solidly behind our POL members right through this dispute and we remain united behind the aim of securing the best possible agreement on pay, job security and the future of the network."
For more information read the CWU/POL joint statement in full.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cwu.org/assets/_files/docume ... tement.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

6 February 2014

Joint Statement on CWU - Post Office Talks

We are pleased to report continued progress in our talks to find a way forward for Crowns, Admin and Supply Chain. We are building a positive working relationship which will be valuable for the future and are continuing our talks during February, demonstrating our joint commitment to finding a resolution.

Working together has increased our confidence that the Crown Transformation Programme can be delivered and we can secure the future of the Crown network. This has enabled us to explore how pay rises could be afforded. Agreeing staff savings from automation and wider efficiencies has been valuable as it delivers the voluntary redundancies which are an integral part of the transformation. This has helped identify further opportunities for income growth and
additional savings that are required to fund these consolidated and pensionable pay rises.

We have made good progress and are starting to shape an agreement. The challenge we have is to identify legitimate savings to assist in funding a pay increase that meets the CWU’s aspiration and is consistent with the objectives of the Crown Transformation Programme.

We are working intensively through complex issues and leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to agree a way forward. We both want a resolution as quickly as possible. However, there is still some way to go before an agreement can be reached. It is also essential that what we agree is deliverable and complements the plans to secure break even for the Crown network by March 2015.

We thank you for your continued patience and will provide a further update as soon as possible.


Kevin Gilliland
Network and Sales Director
Post Office

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
Communication Workers Union

[LinChong]

This dispute has been handled appallingly. 15 days of strikes and nothing to show for it. The only pressure came when Supply Chain were brought in but all the strikes got called off except for the one that had to take place because the managers' union called a strike on the same day.

Furey loyalists argue that counter members deserve poor treatment because they are likely to vote yes to any pay deal that is put in front of them but counters members took action when they were asked to. What more are they expected to do? They have had their Section Secretaries replaced by Area Reps and they haven't had a pay rise since 2012. The leadership is a disgrace to the Trade Union movement and an insult to humanity. They are allowing members who are closely managed in small units to be taken advantage of by management bullies and their favourites.

CWU reps in POL need to be reminded that a Trade Union is a bottom up democratic organisation. Reps are elected to serve the membership not the National Officers. Too many POL reps behave like rubbish local councillors defending highly paid council officials who take the piss.

Furey and his "advisers" should walk.

[aliofashy]

Time now to take action.
The union and the Post office are obviously working together for joint benefits with little regard for the workers.
If the Union had balls any agreement would not have taken five months behind closed doors to give members absolutely no information at all.
Surely now all staff should be looking at taking strike action against the lack of a pay rise and lack of any constructive information being passed on to us nearly Five months since the last strike day.
We should be looking at making a stance and "ALL OUT ON 6th MAY TO SHOW OUR ANNOYANCE"