Postal Group Conference Day 3

Postal Group Conference
16th June 2005
Day 3
This was the last day of Postal Group conference & ran for the morning period only. After the break for Dinner the differing sections of the Postal Group broke away to undertake their own industrial conferences.

The day started with the carriage of emergency motion EM6.

This motion was concerning Royal Mails stated intention of removing seniority as a determining factor where office transfer is requested & how we as a union will deal with this move by the employer.

There was much debate over this issue & it was recognised by the entire conference that this was just the first step on behalf of Royal Mail to complete removal of seniority. Needless to say this is a move that we as a union will whole heartedly resist. More information regarding this move will be forthcoming in the coming weeks.

Yet again many of the motions on the pad were carried or accepted.

Only one motion was not carried Today, which was motion 2.96. Which concerned amending the attendance procedure.

Motions carried, along with EM7 as previously mentioned were:

Composite motion 2S, 2.83, 2.84, Composite motion 2T, 2.88, 2.89, Composite motion 2U, 2.93, 2.94, 2.95, emergency EM7 (which was unanimously carried after several speakers supporting the motion) This motion concerned the IR review. Motions 2.97, 2.98, 2.101, Composite motion 2W & Composite motion 2X.

Several of the earlier motions of the morning concerned the Attendance Procedure & should see many improvements to the procedure if attained.

Some of the improvements include:-
· Where employees have stated on their application form that they suffer from a condition / illness covered by the DDA, this will be taken into consideration when the procedure is applied.

· An end to managers harassing our members, who are off work due to ill health, by phoning or visiting them at home.

· The end of contagious disease / illness counting against our members under the procedure.

Full details to be announced.

Many of these improvements were debated at length.

In closing the conference Pat O’Hara thanked delegates for the professional way in which conference had been conducted & applauded the abilities & professionalism of many of the unions representatives.


Michael Williams
Acting Branch Secretary
Eastern 5