LTB 410/17 - Pillars of Security and Pay Negotiations

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 410/17 - Pillars of Security and Pay Negotiations


No. 410/2017

19th July 2017

TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS





Dear Colleague,

Pillars of Security and Pay Negotiations

Further to LTB 403/17 regarding Royal Mail’s position on pensions, the Postal Executive at its meeting on 18th July 2017 discussed management’s current communication and actions and how it relates to Emergency Motion E5 which was unanimously carried at this year’s Annual Conference (copy attached for ease of reference).

Clearly the Motion represents the determined position of the CWU to resist management’s current approach and secure the best possible agreement for our members. However, we are fast approaching the deadline for those negotiations and yesterday the Postal Executive took the decision to assess progress at the next PE meeting scheduled for 15th August, and if sufficient progress has not been made it will then agree a timetable for a national industrial action ballot.

In respect of pensions, you will also note that Emergency Motion E5 also carried the policy that if Royal Mail choose to introduce any of their policies by executive action then an immediate ballot for industrial action should commence. On Friday 14th July 2017 Royal Mail Group issued an alert in a Commercial Organisation press release which strongly suggested that talks with the CWU on a new pension solution had ceased and that they would, by executive action, be offering our members a choice between their latest proposal of a mutant DC cash out at the point of retirement saving scheme, or the current Defined Contribution scheme.

The timing of this announcement also coincided with the news that Unite (who represent the managerial grades) will be holding a consultative ballot on Royal Mail’s latest proposal. Whilst it should be noted that Unite are not recommending the managerial offer they have said that the offer represents the best position achievable and are positive in regard to its Defined Benefit nature.

To be clear, we (the CWU) have totally rejected the offer as being anything like an acceptable solution to replace the pension promise and deferred wages in retirement offered by our current DB scheme and which both parties agreed was a key element of the reward package for our members in the Growth and Stability/legally binding agreement.

Whilst Royal Mail’s released update and their published communications with Unite would imply that the talks have concluded, they are also taking actions which suggest that the talks will continue. For example, on 18th July they released their latest trading update in which they state that the managerial union (Unite/CMA) believe that Royal Mail’s latest offer is the best position available but they are continuing to discuss future pension arrangements with the CWU. Equally, on Monday 17th July, Jon Millidge, (RM Group HR Director) contacted the DGSP Department seeking further meetings on the pension issue and I can report that a meeting has been arranged between Royal Mail, the CWU and our advisors, First Actuarial, for Tuesday 25th July.

This activity would suggest that they have not ceased negotiations on an acceptable pension solution but we will be seeking a straight answer before the meeting on 25th July to clarify if the company has ceased negotiations or are genuinely prepared to continue talks to find an agreed settlement.

In a final effort to try and reach an agreement on all aspects of the Four Pillars of Security and pay, the Postal Executive have also decided to write to the business offering a meeting between their lead negotiators and the CWU Officers, in an attempt to reframe the negotiations and understand if there is any meaningful desire to move all the issues forward and reach an agreement.

It is imperative that everyone understands that we are now at a very serious stage of these negotiations and that unless there is a substantial breakthrough prior to the PE Meeting on 15th August, the Postal Executive will have no option or hesitation to carry out the terms of Emergency Motion E5 and set a timetable for a ballot of our membership on industrial action.

Yours sincerely



Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

[hans solo]

i wouldnt wait until aug

[k979aaa]

End of July is enough it's going to take a month for a ballot another two weeks for notification of a strike they royal mail have had time a plenty since and before April to sort this out I say let's get on with it NOW!

[deadbox]

ACAS is the first stop, then the CWU need to be careful & accurate in the ballot process as Royal Mail will use any & all means to challenge the ballot in the courts. branches should NOW be collating accurate members lists + details to avoid delays by legal means. Rolling function strikes need to be carefully managed to achieve maximium effect but avoid being declared nul & void buy Royal Mails legal team at the High Court

Check if its legal, then check again. Royal mail will hate the fact that the CWU have used the law against them.

Let the games begin

[Alatar]

So if we go on strike later this year will there be job losses as we'll lose business to our rivals? Now we're a private company what's there to protect us from city vultures looking to make a quick profit

[Aquarius]

So if we go on strike later this year will there be job losses as we'll lose business to our rivals? Now we're a private company what's there to protect us from city vultures looking to make a quick profit

The CWU

The simple fact is if we agreed to every single thing that RM wanted - they would still look to screw us over - blood from a stone etc.

We either stand or fall - simple as that.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

So if we go on strike later this year will there be job losses as we'll lose business to our rivals? Now we're a private company what's there to protect us from city vultures looking to make a quick profit

There are going to be job losses anyway. Without standing up to RM plans the losses will be more severe, the duties bigger, the performance standards required increased to breaking point, and all of this with a worse pension for all, less pay (legacy and election payments) and greater "efficiency".

Despite others wishing this was a case of Union Bosses and their lackeys just looking for a fight, for me, it's an attempt to mitigate the damage to me and my family that Royal Mails plans are going to wreak on us.

[terry2972]

So if we go on strike later this year will there be job losses as we'll lose business to our rivals? Now we're a private company what's there to protect us from city vultures looking to make a quick profit

There are going to be job losses anyway. Without standing up to RM plans the losses will be more severe, the duties bigger, the performance standards required increased to breaking point, and all of this with a worse pension for all, less pay (legacy and election payments) and greater "efficiency".

Despite others wishing this was a case of Union Bosses and their lackeys just looking for a fight, for me, it's an attempt to mitigate the damage to me and my family that Royal Mails plans are going to wreak on us.

to true we have to try to get the best deal we can