Cumbernauld delivery office: How the CWU is enforcing Royal Mail’s USO reform pilots

[stage3]

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/ ... -m18.html



Cumbernauld delivery office:

Workers at Cumbernauld say they have been included in the USO reform pilots without their consent. They are angered at CWU local and regional officials who have brow-beaten and threatened workers to accept the pilots and Royal Mail…

I have to correct you on the notion that workers ‘did not consent’ to the Pilot. All workers agreed to trial different delivery methods when they voted by a majority to accept the agreement with RM which ended the strikes.

Trialing delivery methods is mentioned specifically in the agreement.

So no separate agreement or consent was required for the Pilots.

If trialing delivery methods as per the USO pilots is "specifically mentioned in the agreement" why not cite the relevant section in the 35 page BRT&G agreement?

For now let me quote a very relevant section

"2.5. Improving Quality of Service and USO Compliance
RMG and CWU are committed to urgently improve and achieve Quality of Service for all
products across all functions and USO compliance in all offices. To facilitate this both parties
commit to implement an agreed set of measures to address current issues, restore
performance where necessary, and will jointly develop a process involving RODs/General
Managers/Divisional Reps. Future revision activity will involve the restoration of joint working
in all functions in line with current national agreements including the IR
Framework. Revisions will be based on efficient, fair, and achievable workload. RMG and
CWU recognise that this is an essential step in fostering improved relationships in the
workplace and delivering the aims and objectives of this agreement."

It is hardly necessary for me to go into detail on how "improving quality of service", "USO compliance" and "revisions based on efficient, fair and achievable workloads " has panned out in reality. This was a bad faith agreement drawn up by Dave Ward and the Postal Executive with Royal Mail management to foist on the membership a sellout agreement based on a de facto pay cut the tearing up of terms and conditions, sick pay and to introduce a two-tier workforce.

A far larger majority (96 percent) voted to renew strike action to defeat this onslaught but this was vetoed by the CWU Postal Executive to cook up the sellout agreement at ACAS and secure their partnership with management which is being taken to a new level with the wrecking operation against the mail service and their embrace of the Kretinsky take-over. This is why workplace meetings held independently of management such as at Cumbernauld to address workers concerns not pro-company messaging by the CWU are sabotaged by union officials and underscores the need for organising the rank and file.

[Barnacle]

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/ ... -m18.html



Cumbernauld delivery office:

Workers at Cumbernauld say they have been included in the USO reform pilots without their consent. They are angered at CWU local and regional officials who have brow-beaten and threatened workers to accept the pilots and Royal Mail…

I have to correct you on the notion that workers ‘did not consent’ to the Pilot. All workers agreed to trial different delivery methods when they voted by a majority to accept the agreement with RM which ended the strikes.

Trialing delivery methods is mentioned specifically in the agreement.

So no separate agreement or consent was required for the Pilots.

If trialing delivery methods as per the USO pilots is "specifically mentioned in the agreement" why not cite the relevant section in the 35 page BRT&G agreement?

For now let me quote a very relevant section

"2.5. Improving Quality of Service and USO Compliance
RMG and CWU are committed to urgently improve and achieve Quality of Service for all
products across all functions and USO compliance in all offices. To facilitate this both parties
commit to implement an agreed set of measures to address current issues, restore
performance where necessary, and will jointly develop a process involving RODs/General
Managers/Divisional Reps. Future revision activity will involve the restoration of joint working
in all functions in line with current national agreements including the IR
Framework. Revisions will be based on efficient, fair, and achievable workload. RMG and
CWU recognise that this is an essential step in fostering improved relationships in the
workplace and delivering the aims and objectives of this agreement."

It is hardly necessary for me to go into detail on how "improving quality of service", "USO compliance" and "revisions based on efficient, fair and achievable workloads " has panned out in reality. This was a bad faith agreement drawn up by Dave Ward and the Postal Executive with Royal Mail management to foist on the membership a sellout agreement based on a de facto pay cut the tearing up of terms and conditions, sick pay and to introduce a two-tier workforce.

A far larger majority (96 percent) voted to renew strike action to defeat this onslaught but this was vetoed by the CWU Postal Executive to cook up the sellout agreement at ACAS and secure their partnership with management which is being taken to a new level with the wrecking operation against the mail service and their embrace of the Kretinsky take-over. This is why workplace meetings held independently of management such as at Cumbernauld to address workers concerns not pro-company messaging by the CWU are sabotaged by union officials and underscores the need for organising the rank and file.

You are going to get people sacked.

[stage3]

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/ ... -m18.html



Cumbernauld delivery office:

Workers at Cumbernauld say they have been included in the USO reform pilots without their consent. They are angered at CWU local and regional officials who have brow-beaten and threatened workers to accept the pilots and Royal Mail…

I have to correct you on the notion that workers ‘did not consent’ to the Pilot. All workers agreed to trial different delivery methods when they voted by a majority to accept the agreement with RM which ended the strikes.

Trialing delivery methods is mentioned specifically in the agreement.

So no separate agreement or consent was required for the Pilots.

If trialing delivery methods as per the USO pilots is "specifically mentioned in the agreement" why not cite the relevant section in the 35 page BRT&G agreement?

For now let me quote a very relevant section

"2.5. Improving Quality of Service and USO Compliance
RMG and CWU are committed to urgently improve and achieve Quality of Service for all
products across all functions and USO compliance in all offices. To facilitate this both parties
commit to implement an agreed set of measures to address current issues, restore
performance where necessary, and will jointly develop a process involving RODs/General
Managers/Divisional Reps. Future revision activity will involve the restoration of joint working
in all functions in line with current national agreements including the IR
Framework. Revisions will be based on efficient, fair, and achievable workload. RMG and
CWU recognise that this is an essential step in fostering improved relationships in the
workplace and delivering the aims and objectives of this agreement."

It is hardly necessary for me to go into detail on how "improving quality of service", "USO compliance" and "revisions based on efficient, fair and achievable workloads " has panned out in reality. This was a bad faith agreement drawn up by Dave Ward and the Postal Executive with Royal Mail management to foist on the membership a sellout agreement based on a de facto pay cut the tearing up of terms and conditions, sick pay and to introduce a two-tier workforce.

A far larger majority (96 percent) voted to renew strike action to defeat this onslaught but this was vetoed by the CWU Postal Executive to cook up the sellout agreement at ACAS and secure their partnership with management which is being taken to a new level with the wrecking operation against the mail service and their embrace of the Kretinsky take-over. This is why workplace meetings held independently of management such as at Cumbernauld to address workers concerns not pro-company messaging by the CWU are sabotaged by union officials and underscores the need for organising the rank and file.

You are going to get people sacked.

So its fair to say you can't back up your argument that members have consented to the USO pilots through the BRT&G agreement. All you offer is a one liner the scare mongering tactic routinely employed by CWU officials which the article reports.

The chief enabler of getting people sacked or forced to quit in their thousands since the dispute has been CWU officials and the rotten agreement they co-authored with management both with the stitch-up of the victimised reps and members via the Falconer Review and the introduction of the two-tier workforce. This incentivised management to replace senior posties with new entrants on inferior pay and terms. This hostile workplace environment against 130,000 posties would not last a minute without the collusion of the CWU leaders who are embedded in management.

[Barnacle]

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/ ... -m18.html



Cumbernauld delivery office:

Workers at Cumbernauld say they have been included in the USO reform pilots without their consent. They are angered at CWU local and regional officials who have brow-beaten and threatened workers to accept the pilots and Royal Mail…

I have to correct you on the notion that workers ‘did not consent’ to the Pilot. All workers agreed to trial different delivery methods when they voted by a majority to accept the agreement with RM which ended the strikes.

Trialing delivery methods is mentioned specifically in the agreement.

So no separate agreement or consent was required for the Pilots.

If trialing delivery methods as per the USO pilots is "specifically mentioned in the agreement" why not cite the relevant section in the 35 page BRT&G agreement?

For now let me quote a very relevant section

"2.5. Improving Quality of Service and USO Compliance
RMG and CWU are committed to urgently improve and achieve Quality of Service for all
products across all functions and USO compliance in all offices. To facilitate this both parties
commit to implement an agreed set of measures to address current issues, restore
performance where necessary, and will jointly develop a process involving RODs/General
Managers/Divisional Reps. Future revision activity will involve the restoration of joint working
in all functions in line with current national agreements including the IR
Framework. Revisions will be based on efficient, fair, and achievable workload. RMG and
CWU recognise that this is an essential step in fostering improved relationships in the
workplace and delivering the aims and objectives of this agreement."

It is hardly necessary for me to go into detail on how "improving quality of service", "USO compliance" and "revisions based on efficient, fair and achievable workloads " has panned out in reality. This was a bad faith agreement drawn up by Dave Ward and the Postal Executive with Royal Mail management to foist on the membership a sellout agreement based on a de facto pay cut the tearing up of terms and conditions, sick pay and to introduce a two-tier workforce.

A far larger majority (96 percent) voted to renew strike action to defeat this onslaught but this was vetoed by the CWU Postal Executive to cook up the sellout agreement at ACAS and secure their partnership with management which is being taken to a new level with the wrecking operation against the mail service and their embrace of the Kretinsky take-over. This is why workplace meetings held independently of management such as at Cumbernauld to address workers concerns not pro-company messaging by the CWU are sabotaged by union officials and underscores the need for organising the rank and file.

You are going to get people sacked.

So its fair to say you can't back up your argument that members have consented to the USO pilots through the BRT&G agreement. All you offer is a one liner the scare mongering tactic routinely employed by CWU officials which the article reports.

The chief enabler of getting people sacked or forced to quit in their thousands since the dispute has been CWU officials and the rotten agreement they co-authored with management both with the stitch-up of the victimised reps and members via the Falconer Review and the introduction of the two-tier workforce. This incentivised management to replace senior posties with new entrants on inferior pay and terms. This hostile workplace environment against 130,000 posties would not last a minute without the collusion of the CWU leaders who are embedded in management.

I am at work.

[moon71]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

[tramssirhc]

Holes in every story, welcome to the WSWS.

Full of untruths, deciet and conveniant forgetfulness of facts in the pursuit of influencing the reader.

And you want the PWRFC to represent us? Please God forbid, you'll get us all sacked just like Des Beech, and replaced with new contracts.

Unless that's your ulterior motive.

Moon71 tell us the truth. Give us the exact deceit, forgotten facts, untruths. The WSWS/SEP or RFPWC do not want to 'represent' us. That's the job of that tinpot Union to do that. One which it is incapable of doing.

Postal workers are already being replaced by workers on inferior contracts, something the CWU allowed to happen.

Trialling delivery methods. Was agreed and voted in, and now portraying workers as not having a vote on uso trials.

We already voted.

There's not been a vote on ODM as it never existed when postal workers voted to accept trials. That's simply not true.

[tramssirhc]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

It's not hate for the 'CWU'. It's a challenge to the leadership who have no concept of collectivism and rank and file activism. If they did postal workers wouldn't calling for them to be booted out.

[stage3]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

What have I written which constitutes "hate speech" ? So you can't criticise an agreement as a sellout, union officials as working for the company and management not the workers they are meant to represent even when they embrace cost cutting to the tune of £300 million to make thousands of job losses and increase workloads.

You consider any idea that the workers have to right to stand up and collectively organise to resist and fight for their interests as unpardonable, what was it you said "don't bite the hand that feeds you". Anyone reading your comments can see who is the real offender when it comes to rants and wild accusations with nothing to back it up.

[moon71]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

It's not hate for the 'CWU'. It's a challenge to the leadership who have no concept of collectivism and rank and file activism. If they did postal workers wouldn't calling for them to be booted out.

Who's calling for them to be booted out?

My office, our sister office and something like 20 satellite offices appear to be happy with the CWU.

Hence my surprise for your hate campaign.

[Barnacle]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

What have I written which constitutes "hate speech" ? So you can't criticise an agreement as a sellout, union officials as working for the company and management not the workers they are meant to represent even when they embrace cost cutting to the tune of £300 million to make thousands of job losses and increase workloads.

You consider any idea that the workers have to right to stand up and collectively organise to resist and fight for their interests as unpardonable, what was it you said "don't bite the hand that feeds you". Anyone reading your comments can see who is the real offender when it comes to rants and wild accusations with nothing to back it up.

If it is the CWU leadership that you take issue with, why are you so venomous to any person who dare reply to your incredibly long posts on this site?

You give the impression that you despise the CWU, its leadership, members, RM, postal workers who don’t agree with you.

It doesn’t win people over. Postal workers are a benign bunch, so all the fiery rhetoric is a bit much.

[Sean06]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

It's not hate for the 'CWU'. It's a challenge to the leadership who have no concept of collectivism and rank and file activism. If they did postal workers wouldn't calling for them to be booted out.

Who's calling for them to be booted out?

My office, our sister office and something like 20 satellite offices appear to be happy with the CWU.

Hence my surprise for your hate campaign.

Exactly obviously all the branches who recently voted the leadership back in are not calling for them to be (booted) out.

[tramssirhc]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

It's not hate for the 'CWU'. It's a challenge to the leadership who have no concept of collectivism and rank and file activism. If they did postal workers wouldn't calling for them to be booted out.

Who's calling for them to be booted out?

My office, our sister office and something like 20 satellite offices appear to be happy with the CWU.

Hence my surprise for your hate campaign.

Appearances are deceptive. Thousands of CWU members are fed up with the current leadership. Dave Ward has no popular mandate to lead the CWU. He was just reinstalled unopposed.

[tramssirhc]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

It's not hate for the 'CWU'. It's a challenge to the leadership who have no concept of collectivism and rank and file activism. If they did postal workers wouldn't calling for them to be booted out.

Who's calling for them to be booted out?

My office, our sister office and something like 20 satellite offices appear to be happy with the CWU.

Hence my surprise for your hate campaign.

Exactly obviously all the branches who recently voted the leadership back in are not calling for them to be (booted) out.

That being the branches who never meet, never hold mass meetings and have no idea what the rank and file want. Dave Ward's reelection was unopposed.

[Barnacle]

The hate for the CWU is oozing in some people.

Sad they have an agenda to sell.

It's not hate for the 'CWU'. It's a challenge to the leadership who have no concept of collectivism and rank and file activism. If they did postal workers wouldn't calling for them to be booted out.

Who's calling for them to be booted out?

My office, our sister office and something like 20 satellite offices appear to be happy with the CWU.

Hence my surprise for your hate campaign.

Exactly obviously all the branches who recently voted the leadership back in are not calling for them to be (booted) out.

That being the branches who never meet, never hold mass meetings and have no idea what the rank and file want. Dave Ward's reelection was unopposed.

It was unopposed, because no one stood against him.

[Barnacle]

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/ ... -m18.html



Cumbernauld delivery office:

Workers at Cumbernauld say they have been included in the USO reform pilots without their consent. They are angered at CWU local and regional officials who have brow-beaten and threatened workers to accept the pilots and Royal Mail…

I have to correct you on the notion that workers ‘did not consent’ to the Pilot. All workers agreed to trial different delivery methods when they voted by a majority to accept the agreement with RM which ended the strikes.

Trialing delivery methods is mentioned specifically in the agreement.

So no separate agreement or consent was required for the Pilots.

If trialing delivery methods as per the USO pilots is "specifically mentioned in the agreement" why not cite the relevant section in the 35 page BRT&G agreement?

For now let me quote a very relevant section

"2.5. Improving Quality of Service and USO Compliance
RMG and CWU are committed to urgently improve and achieve Quality of Service for all
products across all functions and USO compliance in all offices. To facilitate this both parties
commit to implement an agreed set of measures to address current issues, restore
performance where necessary, and will jointly develop a process involving RODs/General
Managers/Divisional Reps. Future revision activity will involve the restoration of joint working
in all functions in line with current national agreements including the IR
Framework. Revisions will be based on efficient, fair, and achievable workload. RMG and
CWU recognise that this is an essential step in fostering improved relationships in the
workplace and delivering the aims and objectives of this agreement."

It is hardly necessary for me to go into detail on how "improving quality of service", "USO compliance" and "revisions based on efficient, fair and achievable workloads " has panned out in reality. This was a bad faith agreement drawn up by Dave Ward and the Postal Executive with Royal Mail management to foist on the membership a sellout agreement based on a de facto pay cut the tearing up of terms and conditions, sick pay and to introduce a two-tier workforce.

A far larger majority (96 percent) voted to renew strike action to defeat this onslaught but this was vetoed by the CWU Postal Executive to cook up the sellout agreement at ACAS and secure their partnership with management which is being taken to a new level with the wrecking operation against the mail service and their embrace of the Kretinsky take-over. This is why workplace meetings held independently of management such as at Cumbernauld to address workers concerns not pro-company messaging by the CWU are sabotaged by union officials and underscores the need for organising the rank and file.

You are going to get people sacked.

So its fair to say you can't back up your argument that members have consented to the USO pilots through the BRT&G agreement. All you offer is a one liner the scare mongering tactic routinely employed by CWU officials which the article reports.

The chief enabler of getting people sacked or forced to quit in their thousands since the dispute has been CWU officials and the rotten agreement they co-authored with management both with the stitch-up of the victimised reps and members via the Falconer Review and the introduction of the two-tier workforce. This incentivised management to replace senior posties with new entrants on inferior pay and terms. This hostile workplace environment against 130,000 posties would not last a minute without the collusion of the CWU leaders who are embedded in management.

Here is the relevant section of the agreement.