Royal Mail halts probe in working practices rethink
Royal Mail has agreed to bring in tougher working practices to tackle widespread complaints of sexual harassment and discrimination.
The company is to appoint 22 independent investigators, introduce monthly staff surveys and monitoring, and open a bullying hotline. In addition, managers are be trained to deal with complaints, and external reviews will be carried out.
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is to suspend its seven-month investigation into claims of bullying of female staff while Royal Mail attempts to clamp down on the alleged problem. The commission says the investigation will resume if the situation does not improve.
The EOC found the rate of internal complaints by women reached 70 in the 12 months to March.
Meanwhile, talks between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union were continuing at conciliation service Acas as Precision Marketing went to press, in a bid to avert the first nationwide postal strike for seven years.
Royal Mail claims ‘contingencies’ are in place if an autumn strike goes ahead. It is refusing to elaborate on possible emergency procedures.
The DMA (UK) is calling on both parties to resolve the issue to save the direct marketing industry a major headache. However, initial talks this week have so far been in vain.
