Post Call Centre dispute
Recently, Post call centre senior managers directed workers to sign off all customer communications with their surname. This was done WITHOUT any consultation with the CWU.
We received numerous calls and emails from our concerned members around this directive with genuine concerns for their privacy and personal safety with customers having the ability to search staff members via social media sites.
Post had suggested that concerned employees should approach their team leader to discuss their PRIVATE and CONFIDENTIAL reasons why they wouldn’t feel comfortable giving the public their full name. The team leader (usually a temporary acting position without any formal training/degree in counseling or related fields would ultimately decide whether their concern is valid or not!
With Domestic Violence in the spotlight and one of the more common concerns raised, our members would have to disclose and re-live the incidents repeatedly whenever there is a new acting team leader or if the agent moves from group to group. The privacy of our members’ personal lives are at risk from other employees, managers and customers.
Questions raised of how will Post manage all this sensitive information and who will have access to this. Colleagues will know about very sensitive issues into people’s private affairs and possibly become lunch- time gossip.
Further concerns over people not being able to work in other areas (higher paid positions) due to not wanting to supply their full name. Our members feel this would be direct adverse action and discrimination.
We have had several meeting with senior management discussing a range of options including signing off with an agent number after the agent’s first name and first initial of the surname.
Example: Mary .S.
Agent: 001
This still allows Post their accountability and best practice which seems to be the driving motivation.
The CWU notified our Dispute with the senior management around this directive and without any consultation of significant change. We asked for the Status Quo to remain until we had resolution with this intended practice.
Unfortunately we have not had a full resolution to this however we are confident we will have an outcome shortly.
We will keep you posted shortly.
