'Royal Mail trying to force out staff'

Their 24-hour stoppage '“ which is expected to be one of many around the UK '“ is in protest against Royal Mail's modernisation plans.

Communication Workers Union staff at Bognor believe the proposed changes will have a dramatic impact on the postal service.

Paul Mountain, their representative at the Clarence Road office, said: "Royal Mail has purchased a large amount of machines that will sort the mail.

"But it is how the machines are used that Royal Mail and ourselves have differing views on.

"Royal Mail wants to use the machines using a delivery model to deliver maximum profit with little thought for the impact on the service that is provided to firms and the public.

"This will mean moving the delivery specification for last letter from 2pm to 3pm, pushing all deliveries one hour later than now, so postal workers will not leave the office to start delivering until gone 11am.

"Also, they are trying to force out full-time staff with long service in favour of a part-time temporary workforce, which in itself will create problems around integrity and quality of service.

"The union believes the machines should be used to make Royal Mail profitable but equally should be used to improve the service provided.

"The union accepts that machinery will mean job losses but believes the delivery model and people issues should be negotiated.

"There is no reason why Royal Mail couldn't use the machines with the aim of getting us back to getting out on delivery early morning and even providing a second delivery again.

"We find it astonishing that Royal Mail aren't being honest with the public and they have a right to know that the automation that Royal Mail keeps on about, effectively if left unchallenged, is going to provide them with a worse service rather than a better one.

"This is all on top of Royal Mail imposing revisions planned on computers with rigged planning values to fit in with their budget savings, such as sorting mail at the rate of a letter every two seconds and cycling to Elmer Sands on a fully-loaded cycle in ten minutes.

"Postal workers have had enough of Royal Mail's continual cuts and attacks on the service and this is why so many offices around the country have been forced into defending their jobs and the service by taking strike action."

Royal Mail operations director Paul Tolhurst said: "It is now more clear than ever that the CWU is focusing all its efforts on strike action and political posturing.

"Its claimed support for change is no more than lip service but its determination to damage services and undermine the future health of the business and the universal service is increasing.

"Royal Mail is getting on with modernisation in an entirely fair and reasonable way which is completely in line with our existing agreement with the union on flexible working practices."

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