by René Lavanchy
Royal Mail is clashing with the Unite union over attempts to make managers provide cover during the national postal strike, in a move which could plunge the company into a dispute with two unions at once.
Mark Higson, Royal Mail managing director for letters, ordered managers to “support the operation” – doing postmen’s and women’s duties – for at least two days once the Communication Workers’ Union had brought their staff out of strike yesterday (Thursday).
But Unite, which represents several thousand Royal Mail managers, says this goes beyond their members’ contractual obligations and puts them in “an intolerable position” between their fellow trade unionists and senior managers.
National officer Paul Reuter told Tribune: “There’s a difference between following a reasonable request and ‘you have to make yourself available for two days’. This has gone a stage further. It appears they’re not going to issue the normal reasonable request.”
It is unclear what sanctions managers would face, but Royal Mail has a policy of stopping the pay of lower grade staff who ignore requests to cover work.
Mr Reuter said: “We’ve had complaints from members that this has put them in an intolerable position. We’ve got some that think they might get a bad report”. He added: “It would be disastrous for Royal Mail to drag Unite into a dispute that they’re not party to.”
Royal Mail did not respond to a request for comment.
