ROYAL MAIL

Royal Mail

Royal Mail

Royal Mail is hiring thousands of 'strike-breakers' who have not had their references checked or been vetted for criminal records. The company's decision to bus in 30,000 casual workers, to clear a mail backlog caused by previous strikes and the two-day national stoppage beginning on Thursday has already triggered a furious row. Now the Mail has learned that they are being hired - on the minimum wage of £5.80 an hour - after only cursory interviews.

Some have criminal convictions, but references are not being checked before they start work. Applicants are simply asked to provide a passport and a utility bill. One man revealed he was phoned just 15 minutes after he emailed his CV to a recruitment agency - and asked when he could start. The temps are asked to fill in a police security check form, stating they have no criminal record. But according to one witness, at least one man was hired - and given a security badge to enter sorting offices packed with valuable mail - despite admitting he had spent time in prison. Royal Mail and recruitment agencies such as Manpower and Reed have been deluged with more than 85,000 applications. In some areas, people are being interviewed three at a time. They also have to take an 'aptitude test' involved a sorting exercise which any primary school child could complete.

In another move to minimise the impact of the strike, Royal Mail managers have been ordered to work on front-line duties, including sorting and deliveries. Emergency measures are being drawn up to ensure hospital patients, pensioners and people on benefits will not suffer from the strike. Hospitals are planning to phone patients with appointment details and use private couriers to carry blood samples and test results. The astonishing details of the recruitment process emerged as Lord Mandelson triggered a Cabinet split by taking a hard line against the Communication Workers Union. The Business Secretary supported the decision to hire the temporary staff, telling peers that Royal Mail took on casual workers every year in the runup to Christmas. He added: 'It is now doing so in greater numbers because, if this strike goes ahead, there will be considerable backlogs to clear.' Lord Mandelson denied that the casuals were an 'army of strike-breakers'. Senior Labour figures have warned Lord Mandelson that any decision to sanction the hiring of strike-breakers will stretch their loyalty past breaking point.

The facts from the outcome of the culture shift/organisational commitment at Royal Mail show that there has been success whichever model you hold it against. Before the shift there was poor relation between the employee/unions and the firm, which led to strikes, however within 18 month of the program being implemented when similar union action was called of, members voted again a strike. McCarthy himself highlighted that the Royal Mail was trying to build trust between the staff and the firm, "we are trying to fundamentally shift the relationship with out people so that they trust ...