POST OFFICE: CHRISTMAS EVE TRADE DISPUTE – NATIONAL AGREEMENT ENDORSED BY THE POSTAL EXECUTIVE

POST OFFICE: CHRISTMAS EVE TRADE DISPUTE – NATIONAL AGREEMENT ENDORSED BY THE POSTAL EXECUTIVE

Further to LTB 688/18 dated 10th December. Two key developments are being reported via this LTB. 

Firstly Branches will be aware that the result of the industrial action ballot of Crown Office members in regards to Christmas Eve opening hours was a 95.6% Yes vote. Branches will also be aware that a National Agreement had been reached with the Post Office via Acas to resolve this dispute (refer to LTB 687/18) and this will now be subject to a membership consultative ballot, the details of which are below.

National Agreement – Recommended to Members

At a Special PE meeting held this afternoon, the Postal Executive unanimously endorsed the negotiators’ agreement, noting that it was the best possible agreement achievable via negotiation. The Postal Executive is now recommending ratification of the agreement via a consultative ballot of Crown Office members.

Ballot papers will be despatched to our Crown members tomorrow by first class post and the ballot closes on Friday 21st December. These dates have been dictated by the prevailing timescales. 

Industrial Action – Notice Served in Parallel with Consultative Ballot

As a consequence of the ballot result, the Postal Executive has also endorsed notice being served to the Post Office for industrial action on Christmas Eve in Crown Offices between the hours of 12:30 and 16:00. We have therefore served the 14 days legal notice on the Post Office for strike action. We will however be running in parallel the consultative ballot of our members and recommending the National Agreement.

The Postal Executive believes the National Agreement to resolve this trade dispute is worthy of membership support and in the event that the members ratify the Agreement via the consultative ballot, the formal notice for strike action on Christmas Eve will be withdrawn. Obviously this won’t happen until Friday 21st December when the consultative ballot closes. 

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

18LTB689 Post Office – Christmas Eve Trade Dispute – National Agreement Endorsed by the Postal Executive