Royal Mail managers will vote on industrial action
25 October 2010
Royal Mail managers will be balloted on industrial action for
the first time since 1979 over Royal Mail Group's intentions to
impose compulsory redundancies.
Unite, which represents managers at Royal Mail Group, is
preparing to ballot 8,535 members working across Royal Mail,
Parcelforce and Post Office Limited for industrial action. Royal
Mail has advised Unite about plans to make redundancies across the
group in the region of 1500 jobs. The Group has said that if there
are not sufficient volunteers then it will dismiss individuals on
the grounds of compulsory redundancy.
The cuts are likely to affect managers working in support
functions at Royal Mail Group's head offices in London including
Old Street, Rathbone Place and Victoria Embankment.
Paul Reuter, national officer for Unite, said, “Managers are so
concerned about their futures, that for the first time in over 30
years they will vote on industrial action. Unite will not allow
managers to be forced out because of the poor decisions made at the
very top of Royal Mail Group.
"If Royal Mail are allowed to push ahead with forced
redundancies it will keep coming back for more, so Unite intends to
stop Royal Mail in its tracks.
Unite has an excellent track record of working with Royal Mail
Group, no matter how frustrating, to address the challenges that it
faces. There have already been 5000 job cuts over the last five
years without any compulsory redundancies. Such a drastic step is
not necessary now and Unite will oppose it.”
Brian Scott, assistant national secretary for Unite said:
“We have met with Royal Mail and Post Office Limited on a number
of occasions in an effort to address the issues that they are
facing but we refuse to accept that compulsory redundancies are
necessary. Unite members working across Royal Mail Group,
including the Post Office, deserve better.
"The decision of the meeting of full time representatives to
launch this campaign was not taken without careful consideration of
the severity of the issue. However they were unanimous in
their view that enough is enough and that the employer has gone too
far this time."
The ballot is due to start at the beginning of November.
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo 07768 931 315
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