Daily Dispute with a very special guest or two

https://www.facebook.com/981299138616232/posts/2460580894021375?sfns=mo

#WeRiseAgain

FACEBOOK LIVE WITH TERRY PULLINGER – TONIGHT 6PM

Colleagues, 

Tonight at 6pm we will be live on the CWU Facebook Page with Terry Pullinger, DGS(P).

We will hear from Terry on the latest in the dispute with Royal Mail Group and why it is so vital that CWU members vote YES. You will also have your chance to put your questions directly to him.

You do not need a Facebook account to view the session – simply log into www.facebook.com/thecommunicationsunion at 6pm tonight.

This is your union – join us tonight to help shape it.

 

#TheCWU #WeRiseAgain

 

Midlands Division

Defending The 4 Pillars Agreement – The Plan to Sell Off Parcelforce

 

One element of the dispute is the decision by the RMG Board to create a new company for Parcelforce, called Parcelforce Limited. The new company would be a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Mail Group Limited but would sit outside of the existing RMG Structure.

 

This planned change will require all existing Parcelforce employees to be legally transferred into the new company.

 

Why are Royal Mail Group doing this?

 

Parcelforce say they will have more say over their business decisions, to be able to innovate and grow and introduce new technologies and products. Parcelforce does not explain how creating a new company which is still fully owned by the company that is supposedly holding them back delivers this.

 

Of course, the truth is this change is completely un-necessary to give Parcelforce more flexibility and freedom to grow. The RMG Board can deliver all of Parcelforce’s commercial requirements from within the existing RMG Structures. 

 

This proposed change has everything to do with the RMG Board preparing to outsource and sell–off Parcelforce. 

 

Our current legal job security protections prevent RMG from selling off Parcelforce. The company has triggered a review of these protections and will be planning to get rid of this restriction.

 

If they succeed, then the sell–off of Parcelforce is only a matter of time.

 

Who would be next?

 

History reminds us of what happens we allow ourselves to be divided.

 

First they came for Parcelforce
And I did not speak out
Because I was not employed by Parcelforce

Then they came for the Admin Grades
And I did not speak out
Because I was not an Admin Grade

Then they came for Logistics and Distribution
And I did not speak out
Because I was not employed by Logistics and Distribution

Then they came for the Mail Centres
And I did not speak out
Because I did not work in a Mail Centre

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

 

(with apologies to Pastor Niemöller)

 

Stay United – Vote YES

Midlands Division

Defending The 4 Pillars Agreement – Reps Brief

 

What is the dispute About?

 

 

 

 

 

In a sentence, it’s about defending our National Agreements.

 

How has the dispute come about?

 

The previous Chief Executive, Moya Greene, retired and the RMG Board chose a new Chief Executive, Rico Back. He was the Managing Director of GLS the European Parcel arm of RMG.

 

 

 

 

 

The Board has now announced that they intend to create a new company for Parcelforce, which will be outside of the existing Royal Mail Group. There is no commercial reason for doing this, the only logical explanation is that this is in preparation for the sell off of Parcelforce.

 

If the company can do this to Parcelforce who’s next?

 

 

 

 

 

If we don’t stop the company now, we will all be looking over our shoulders in the future.

 

The company has also formally triggered a review of our legally binding job security protections.  They are not doing this because they want to keep them!

 

The company is also failing to honour the 4 Pillars Agreement; refusing to implement the next 1-hour reduction in the shorter working week and failing to tackle the culture of bullying are two examples.

 

What is the timetable for the ballot?

 

The ballot will be of the entire CWU membership in Royal Group.

 

Ballot Opens:24th September 2019

 

Ballot Closes: 8th October 2019

 

Ballot Result:8th October 2019

 

It is crucial all CWU members vote in this fully postal ballot.

 

What will the Union do with a ‘YES’ vote for industrial action?

 

A massive ‘YES’ vote can only strengthen the hands of our national negotiators in seeking a resolution to these issues.

 

A massive ‘YES’ sends the clearest possible message to Rico Back and the Board that:

 

 

 

 

 

 

What happens next?

 

The Union and Royal Mail will shortly be commencing National Mediation.

 

We want an agreement that resolves all of the issues in dispute.

 

But we have to prepare for the possibility that there will not be an agreement reached in the mediation.

 

The company needs to know how serious we and you are about these issues. That is why we need to ballot members for industrial action.

 

We will never abuse the trust you place in us.

 

When we balloted members for strike action in the dispute which resulted in the Agenda for Growth Agreement, which contains our legal protections, CWU members did not lose any pay, as we used the YES vote to negotiate the national agreement without members having to take industrial action.

 

When we balloted members for strike action in the dispute which resulted in the 4 Pillars Agreement which contains our pay, shorter working week and pensions solution, CWU members did not lose any pay, as we used the YES vote to negotiate the national agreement without members having to take industrial action.

 

We will use this YES vote in exactly the same way.

 

 

 Stay United – Vote YES

Midlands Division

Defending The 4 Pillars Agreement – Reps Brief

A Brief Explanation of TUPE

 

One element of the dispute is the decision by the RMG Board to create a new company for Parcelforce, called Parcelforce Limited. The new company would be a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Mail Group Limited but would sit outside of the existing RMG Structure.

 

This planned change will require all existing Parcelforce employees to be legally transferred into the new company.

 

The relevant law that facilitates the transfers is entitled the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006. This is commonly known as TUPE.

 

This reps brief is designed to provide a brief explanation of TUPE, and Royal Mail’s real intentions regarding Parcelforce.

 

TUPE emanated from a decision of the European Union Council. The UK Government incorporated TUPE into UK Law, and its primary purpose is to protect employee’semployment and current terms and conditions, when one company is sold to another.

 

Prior to TUPE, when a company (company A) and its assets were sold to another company (company B), the employees in company A were not protected and could all lose their jobs when the transfer took effect.

 

TUPE protects employees’ jobs in these circumstances. So, if company A and its assets are sold to company B, then employees in company A do not lose their jobs, they are transferred to company B.

 

If company B refused to transfer the employees in company A, then these employees would be automatically unfairly dismissed.

 

Furthermore, at the point of transfer the existing terms and conditions of those employees transferring are protected. 

 

If a substantial change to existing terms and conditions (e.g. pay rates, holiday entitlement etc) takes place as part of the transfer, then affected employees can terminate their contract of employment and will be regarded as unfairly dismissed.

 

By and large TUPE only protects existing terms and conditions at the point of transfer, and changes to terms and conditions can be proposed post the transfer.

 

 

 

What the Royal Mail Group are proposing regarding Parcelforce is extremely unusual, as this TUPE does not involve two companies. 

 

This TUPE only involves RMG, of which Parcelforce is a part of, establishing a company called Parcelforce Limited, which will be wholly owned by RMG, but crucially will sit outside of the existing Royal Mail Group structure.

 

Why are Royal Mail Group doing this?

 

The letter from Parcelforce to its employees lists a number ofreasons:

 

They say they will have more say over their business decisions. If Royal Mail Group wants to give Parcelforce more say over their business decisions, then the RMG Boardcan easily do this within the existing structures.

 

They say the change will enable them to innovate faster and grow. If Royal Mail Group wants to give Parcelforce more freedom to innovate and grow, then the Board can do this within the existing structure.

 

They say they will be able to bring in new technologies and products faster. The letter does not explain how creating a new company which is still fully owned by company that is supposedly holding you back delivers this.

 

Of course, the truth is this change is completely un-necessary to give Parcelforce more flexibility and freedom to grow. TheRMG Board can deliver all of Parcelforce’s commercial requirements from within the existing RMG Structures.

 

 

If Parcelforce requires more commercial freedom then the CWU would work with RMG to facilitate this within the current RMG structure.

 

This proposed change has everything to do with the RMG Board preparing to outsource and sell off Parcelforce. 

 

Our current legal job security protections prevent RMG from selling off Parcelforce. The company has triggered a review of these protections and will be planning to get rid of this restriction, and if they succeed then the sell off is only a matter of time.

 

 

Can this TUPE be undone?

 

Yes. This TUPE does not involve a sell off from one company to another. There is only one company involved in this planned TUPE – Royal Mail Group. They can stop this planned TIUPE any time they want.

 

Even if the TUPE takes place, RMG can reverse it any time they want as Parcelforce Limited will be a wholly owned business of RMG.

 

The true reason RMG are embarking on this course of action is far more sinister than they are stating. They must be prevented from succeeding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay United – Vote YES

 

 

Dispute Daily. We talk to Tony Bouch of the NEC on why every rep getting out to meetings is so important and we round up some of the brilliant gate meetings #WeRiseAgain

Voice of the Mirror: Suspending Parliament is scandalous sidelining of democracy.

 

BY

Voice of the Mirror

 

29 AUG 2019.

 

 

 

Suspending Parliament is a scandalous sidelining of democracy by an unelected Prime Minister.

Shamefully dragging the Queen into a constitutional crisis that he has engineered only underlines the charlatan’s complete lack of respect for our country’s treasured values, institutions and conventions.

Deceitful Mr Johnson brazenly lied in the 2016 referendum and is lying now in Downing Street. Closing down Parliament to avoid scrutiny of his threat to push Britain off a Brexit no-deal cliff is cowardly.

Afraid his egotistical journey would be ended by the sovereignty of Parliament, this is the coup of a pompous PM.

And the great British public must unite to defeat this outrage. This is not about whether you want to remain in Europe or leave. This is about saving Parliament from a piratical PM.

Age old shame

 

Cynical Boris Johnson has confirmed he is an unprincipled Tory, putting himself first, second and third.

 

When our senior citizens will have spent the equivalent of the annual state pension with four months of the year remaining, we see what a pittance it really is.

To be nearly £4,500 a year short means those without occupational pensions must eat into often meagre savings – or not eat at all.

Poverty among the elderly is on the up.

With talk about raising the qualifying age to 75 from the 67 to be imposed in 2028, 

Tories are already under fire for axing free TV licences, do not deserve the votes of our elderly.