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30,000 new jobs set to anger strikers
ROYAL MAIL has set itself up for a further bitter clash with the postal workers' union by hiring 30,000 casual staff to clear the backlog caused by strikes.
The dramatic move - which could massively reduce the impact of the walkouts - was announced last night by chief executive Adam Crozier.
It is sure to anger members of the Communication Workers Union and its militant leader Billy Hayes.
The part-time staff will NOT do the posties' work while they are on strike, but will help clear the log-jam of 200 million items between walkouts.
Five additional sorting centres will also be created to keep the country's mail moving. And around 5,000 managers will be sorting and delivering mail during the strike.
Writing exclusively for the News of the World, right, Mr Crozier calls CWU's action "industrial suicide". He vows: "We'll do all we can to deliver for our customers during this dispute."
The CWU is staging a two- day walkout on Thursday and Friday involving 120,000 workers in a row over modernisation plans.
Bosses will spend an estimated £10 million on temporary staff to keep Britain's post moving. That compares to the £120 million cost of the strike in lost business, estimated by consultancy Post-Switch.
Mr Hayes, right, has warned of further strikes up to Christmas. That prospect has led several major firms to cancel multi-million-pound contracts with Royal Mail.
Mr Crozier said Mr Hayes had refused at least 12 invitations to meet and discuss a way forward. Royal Mail has had almost 80 meetings with the unions in recent months.
The strike could cripple small businesses.
The number of letters and parcels Royal Mail delivers is falling by ten per cent each year as people switch to email.
Mr Crozier has tried to push through modernisation using electronic sorting and cutting staff levels.
But his efforts have been bitterly opposed by unions.
When Royal Mail made an operating profit of £321 million last year it was the first time in 20 years it had not made a loss.
It employs 180,000 - down from 230,000 in 2002. There were 18,393 Post Offices in 1999, and that will be cut to around 12,000 outlets after modernisatation.
Last night The CWU declined to comment.
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This article has 17 comments
The Royal Mail and the CWU need to get their problems sorted. In the long run the only people to suffer are the public and just as importantly the workforce. I will not strike purely because the Royal Mail pay my wages and the CWU dont, so for christ sake just get it sorted. I may lose friends or colleagues for not striking but in this recession we are in, i'm afraid you have to look after number 1.
By Mick Melinn.. Posted October 23 2009 at 9:16 PM.
im a postie and all my customers are totally behind me all the way. after i tell them how a mangaer spat in a girls face and then got promoted, how 2 of my colleagues were driven to nervous breakdowns by constant bullying by managers, how a disabled man was humiliated in front of the entire workface by being told his opinions were of no interest because he was disabled.a pregnant woman was told to put her hand up if she needed the loo as she was going too often, constant homophobic so called banter that nothing is ever done about and a colleague is threatened with physical violence by another member of staff in front of 2 managers and nothing is done about it. report it to anyone??? why bother , nothing is ever done about it except the managers responsible get promoted and bigger bonuses. im striking with my fellow workers with pride.
By fee.. Posted October 22 2009 at 7:24 AM.
the unions are not dinasours they are there to protect workers rights without which management would ride roughshod over workers pay & conditions. driving down staff wages whilst awarding them selves huge bonuses as weve seen in royal mails case.
modernisation plans in royal mails grand plan seems very reliant on close it shut it save hours ,more work less pay unless of course it involves their salary.
By gary kyme.. Posted October 20 2009 at 5:10 PM.
Just to make it clear this dispute is not about pay, even though royal mail posted a overall group profit (first in 20 years) and the announcement that the 10 directors on the royal mail board are going to share a 10 MILLION POUND BONUS. This dispute is about my terms and conditions of employment, royal mail management seem hell bent on bullying its staff into change! Plus people have commented that if you dont like your job then leave, this is the kind of attitude that sums this country up. I have rights of employment and once they are threatened i will make a stand and not take the easy option and roll over. Oh Lindsey i did write off to postcomm about my personal situation, but they responded saying that it was an internal matter and they were only there to regulate the service. Only option is to withdraw my labour in protest.
By Mr b nudd.. Posted October 20 2009 at 1:17 AM.
Modernisation - getting one delivery after 2pm - hats off to Croziers Cronies they've conned you all!
By terry.. Posted October 18 2009 at 7:55 PM.
Do you think you will be getting your mail any better or at better times with other companys are delivering your mail and parcals think again they will do the parts of towns and the country they want.
By dazza.. Posted October 18 2009 at 7:35 PM.
Hilarious. Crozier has brainwashed you all. Come and work in my office. You'll soon change your tune. The guys getting 3 million a year for failure. The fattest cat has the last laugh as usual.
By G O Root.. Posted October 18 2009 at 6:24 PM.
vlad-
you say you cant afford to lose £70 a day, so how are you going to afford to go part time??
By paul.. Posted October 18 2009 at 5:21 PM.
Please dont tar us posties with the same brush, there will be quite a lot of us that cant afford to lose £70 a day and that will be going to work as usual.
By vlad.. Posted October 18 2009 at 3:23 PM.
Tim. Like the majority of us have said, we're in a recession! Redundency and slashing of pay are sadly a factor of life. Royal Mail, despite my previous praises for hiring more staff, is a stagnant service that has gotten worse as the years have gone by! Without modernisation, Royal mail will continue to stagnate
As for the Harassments/bullying by managers? Don't tell me the Union has never heard of Postcomm! Why, instead of walking out and potentially losing your job for it anyway, don't you report them to the regulator. If the union really cared about workplace conditions, why don't each and every member of the union just write everything thats happened in the past six months to them and see what response you get from it!
By Lindsay.. Posted October 18 2009 at 3:06 PM.
As usual, all the above comments just going to show how ignorant the public are about what this strike is all about!
Its not about money but how we are treated within the job by managers who don't have a clue on how to treat staff ; ie. bullying and harassment, and also about the threat of compulsory redundancies etc.
So to all you people moaning about us posties would you not fight to save for your job and conditions? Or would you just sit on your backsides and be dictated to without any consultation?
I don't think so.
By Tim Sturges.. Posted October 18 2009 at 1:20 PM.
Finally! There is someone within the Royal mail that has the sense to actually do something about the Union workers rather than cripple them like last time. We're in the middle of a recession here and they want more pay for less work? I don't think so. I bet they (the union) will be crapping themselves big time now as it seems their strike has dramatically backfired on them! Good job Royal Mail!
As for the union posties? Well, there's 2 million unemployed workers looking for a job right now and I bet there'll be a large number of them waiting to take your place should you be sacked! Life on the dole is a hell of alot worse than life working as a postie...so think about whats worse...modernisation (which Royal Mail desperately needs and could make conditions in the workplace better for you and a better service for customers!) or the next 6 months to 3 years on the dole looking for a job in a recession. Its your choice...
By Lindsay.. Posted October 18 2009 at 1:03 PM.
bloody good job they are getting casual staff in. Us forces personnel who live overseas and are on ops are having to wait a life time for letters and parcels!! If the strikers dont like it get another job and let people who want jobs do the work
By rach.. Posted October 18 2009 at 12:18 PM.
I think if the workers are not happy well leave there is how many unemployed people out there that would LOVE to have those Jobs,Not Happy Well LEAVE,,,,,Simple as,,Why should everyone suffer because of a bunch of whinging fools
By Glen Meek.. Posted October 18 2009 at 11:51 AM.
FANTASTIC - absolute common sense. Sack the lot of these striking idiots and hire new workers. IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR PAY GET A NEW JOB, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE LINING UP FOR WORK WHO WOULD HAPPILY REPLACE YOU - stop wasting everyone's time.
By Chris Froughton.. Posted October 18 2009 at 11:39 AM.
The unions should not be allowed to cripple this country by striking. If the workers don't like the conditions imposed, look for another job - simple.
By Louise James.. Posted October 18 2009 at 10:36 AM.
The unions are from a bygone age they now choke the life blood from industry and must be disposed of. I hope Joe Postie sees this whilst his wages next month will be 2 days short in these bad times. His union bosses will still be picking up their 50,000 plus fat salary's. The unions are no longer required there are laws in place to protect the employee that were not there 20-30 years ago. Maggie Thatcher was right all along get rid of them. I was a skilled card carrying member for thirty years and have been on strike there is only one loser the worker.
By David.. Posted October 18 2009 at 2:05 AM.