RECENT disputes within the postal service have centred around two inter-related issues, delivery stand. ards and the employee agenda. The crunch point is arriving fast.
Union negotiators have broken off discussions on delivery standards and are about to recommend industrial action. The issues are protection of fulltime jobs within delivery, and maintenance of the second post.
Management seeks to concentrate mail in the first delivery to cut down on second deliveries and duties, effectively reducing jobs.
The "employee agenda" involves a major internal restructuring of pay and working conditions by the Royal Mail.
Royal Mail hopes to buy off union opposition to teamworking by offering a reduction in the week by 90 minutes and guarantees on jobs Another concern is the introduction of personal development profiles. These could be used as a future basis for internal job selection, weeding out so-called trouble makers.
All these measures would attack and undermine the union's strength. There is a London meeting on March 2 to discuss them, despite the opposition of Alan Johnson, CWU general secretary.
The CWU looks destined for a national dispute that would be a successful challenge to management's anti-union offensive.
Ann Gowan