Postal Conference 2018 Day one report by Lee Walsh

Terry Pullinger opened conference by obviously thanking all the members for backing their Reps and giving them the mandate to take on the business who let’s make if very clear were only intent on worsening all our terms and conditions and destroying our union. there is no doubt we stood together as one and won the fight and we should rightly be proud of ourselves in telling everyone were part of the CWU.

There was a debate about people getting older in deliveries and having to do more and more walking. The average age of a person in deliveries is 48 and a speaker from the rostrum commented on how many people were hobbling up to the rostrum to speak. debate about whether an ageing workforce should be given less delivery work or would this break the law on ageism. 

1024 delivery staff were Ill health retired last year but Ray Ellis said paragraph 19.3.1 of the new national agreement covers this off and will ensure the business is fair and considerate in resource meetings and subsequent workload

A one day resourcing course is to be rolled out to all reps by the education department as this agreement is all about getting the resourcing right and making sure employees are working without undue pressure.

Wessex South central moved a motion instructing conference to agree policy with the business around the streaming of mail to hit targets and yet still ensure absorption/lapsing is done on a daily basis. Mark Boulch outdoor secretary said royal mail’s aborhant attitude to the failing of mail and the uso will change with this agreement. paragraph 7 section 9 instructs the business to delivery all mail on hand every day and mark said the CWU are intent on making the business follow this agreement. 

Ernie Area processing rep from our branch got up to move motion 29 regarding the business abusing the attendence procedure by dishing out “line in the sand” letters to members who are covered under the equality act telling them any further absences will not be discounted. Ernie spoke about managers not making decisions on their own merits but instead taking advice from “faceless ” advisors from royal mail HR only interested in removing our members from off the pay roll.

Following on from that motion Carl maden PEC member CWU HQ  advised all reps whose members were being given stage reviews but were covered under the equality act, to put in an employment tribunal against the business. 

cheers lee