Union anger over Consignia boss's `Hacked off' letter
The chairman of postal group Consignia sparked a row with union leaders today after writing to workers saying he was “hacked off” with negotiators from both sides of the business.
Allan Leighton told 170,000 Royal Mail employees that union officials and managers were “struggling” to find time to talk about the link between a pay rise and the introduction of single deliveries.
“They must all be in the Costa del Sol, or watching every game in the World Cup, so in theory the pay deal cannot go through,” he wrote.
“Frankly I’m hacked off with the whole lot of them and I wouldn’t be surprised if you were too.”
John Keggie, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union said he was “absolutely amazed” by the tone of the letter adding that the only reason Mr Leighton was hacked off was because he had been forced to honour a pay increase recommended by mediators.
Mr Keggie wrote back to Mr Leighton tonight saying he was “astonished” at the allegations, adding: “You may believe that by slagging off your managers and trade union representatives you will become popular with some individuals.
“However, I believe your attempts to gain immediate popularity will be seen for what they are – shallow and insincere.
“It may well be that your board of directors and some politicians may want to slap you on the back for being big, bold and brash but I can tell you this approach will not wash.”
Mr Keggie said the allegation that negotiators had been abroad or watching the World Cup was “staggering”.
He went on: “My fellow officers and I have in actual fact cancelled our annual leave over the last three months in an attempt to find a solution to this and other problems.”
Mr Keggie claimed he had written to Mr Leighton twice seeking talks to discuss problems facing the industry but the offer had not been taken up.
Mr Leighton said in his letter that he wanted to press ahead with trials of single deliveries which he wanted to be completed in two months.
He added that the queue for voluntary redundancy from Consignia could run “from here to Wembley” following last week’s announcement of 17,000 job losses.
