Have the Royal Mail Group got the CWU Legally

[Dogs of War]

As the title says have the Royal Mail got the CWU Legally.
My feeling is the CWU was forced to go to Acas by Royal Mail. Come the 15th November if still no deal, Royal Mail can fire and rehire employees Legally the CWU can’t do anything about it, because the CWU had a no strike deal in all past agreements, that gives Royal Mail the power to walk away from these agreements.
What’s people’s thoughts?

[Murdoch]

I too have considered they might use this tactic, especially given the legal protection for striking workers runs out after 12 weeks.

Also, I've never worked for a company that treats their frontline staff with such contempt it may well be their plan.

Edit: that said, if they try that, I for one will not be signing a new contract, I'd be taking them to a tribunal, and given Royal Mail's incompetence, I'd expect to get a big payout

[jbo5066]

From gov.uk

In November 2021, Acas – the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service - published guidance for employers considering making changes to employment contracts, making clear that fire and rehire should be an option of last resort and that employers should first have made all reasonable attempts to reach agreement through full consultation.

The government is now going further, by developing a new Statutory Code of Practice, which will clarify and give some legal force to government expectations that employers should behave fairly and reasonably when seeking to change employees’ terms and conditions.

The code will act as a deterrent, particularly to those employers seeking to use the threat of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic.

The government has always stood firm against businesses seeking to use fire and rehire practices, which should only ever be considered as an absolute last resort if changes to employment contracts are critical and voluntary agreement is not possible.

Employers must recognise that this approach creates a high risk of legal claims, reputational damage and an adverse effect on employee relations.

Can Simon and RM argue that they have done everything to resolve this dispute, considering he couldn't be bothered to turn up to negotiations half the time ...

[Seymour Buts]

Unless they're going to sack over 100,000 staff I wouldn't worry about getting sacked.

[DirtyHarry]

Can you imagine for one moment, the fallout that will ensue, if Thompson and the shitshow that is Royal Mail, decide to fire and re-hire 100,000 postal workers?

It would spark wildcat strikes from which there would be no going back into work until that moron Thompson climbed down off his high horse.

It would be the end of him once and for all.

Bring it on, I say.

[Murdoch]

Can Simon and RM argue that they have done everything to resolve this dispute, considering he couldn't be bothered to turn up to negotiations half the time ...

The cynic in me says that the reason Royal Mail want to go to ACAS, is to try to prove that they made an effort to resolve the dispute with the union, and when those talks ultimately fail. They'll say they had no option but to go down the route of "'fire and rehire". It would be a total shitshow, but I wouldn't put it past them.

I mean, unless they have entered into those talks in good faith.

[ThatsNotPlumb]

Something tells me the Royal Mail actually wanted strikes. I recall reading on one of the handouts regarding the agreements they'd served notice on & it said they only had the legal ability to do that because the CWU took industrial action.

Not to mention they're allegedly losing £1m a day, so if you've the entire workforce striking for 1 day a week I'm sure the company is saving, at least, £6m in wages nationally on that day so we're probably indirectly helping them to an extent.