BPSU: Motion Against Post Master General

June 28, 2017

Members of the Bermuda Public Services Union [BPSU] Postal Division have “voted overwhelmingly to support a motion of No Confidence in the leadership of the Post Master General”.

Citing staffing issues, information technology and equipment malfunctions, and building conditions/health and safety concerns, the BPSU said “On behalf of the members of Postal Division, The BPSU is requesting that the Government address the outstanding matter with immediate effect.”

BPSU General Secretary Ed Ball said, “At a duly convened meeting of the Union’s Postal Division, members voted overwhelmingly to support a motion of No Confidence in the leadership of the Post Master General. This vote of No Confidence follows a No Confidence vote taken by the BIU in October 2015.

“Since the introduction of austerities measures by Government which resulted in the decrease of the size of the Civil Service and reduced Ministerial budgets, a number of serious issues has arisen that are negatively impacted both the productivity and efficiency of the Bermuda Post Office [BPO].

“In addition, the failure of the PMG to address health and safety concerns have placed many of the employees at risk. In the meeting, members expressed their frustrations with the lack of meaningful dialogue as well as the PMG’S intransigence to address the concerns raised

“Concerns were originally raised in June 2015 in a joint meet between the BPO, BIU and BPSU, and were also presented to the then Minister of National Security Michael Dunkley. To date, there has been very little effort made by the Government and PMG to address the concerns.

“The outstanding matters include but are not limited to:

1. Staffing Issues leading to:

  • Staff shortages having a negative impact on customer service relations
  • Staff not taking lunch due to the excessive workload
  • No relief for vacations
  • Staff being overworked and falling ill
  • Staff forced to work outside of agreed working hours
  • Transfers/re-deployment not negotiated and planned
  • No contingency plans which result in staff not being adequately trained to assume additional responsibilities

2. Information Technology and Equipment Malfunctions resulting from:

  • Dated computer equipment
  • Outdated computer systems
  • Repeated network failures
  • Lack of implementation of approved upgrades to the existing IT

3. Building Conditions/Health and Safety concerns include:

  • Mold in many areas
  • Unbearable temperatures and conditions in some areas resulting from malfunctioning air conditioning units
  • Frequent water leaks occurring at the BMPC
  • Lack of security at some of the facilities where entry and access to restricted areas are unmanaged

“On behalf of the members of Postal Division, The BPSU is requesting that the Government address the outstanding matter with immediate effect.”

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Comments (40)

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  1. Curious says:

    This happens in alot more departmentS than just post office. There alot of staff shortages and people being overworked, me being one. Can;t hire because of hiring freezes which has nothing to do with management. its a higher up issue. Problem is how are you holding the PMG accountable for building issues. Isnt that public works? Tech issues, isnt that ITO? Staffing? Isnt that government HR who follow what ever directive put in place by Government head of civil service? Right energy, but not sure if this is the correct person.

  2. inna says:

    Thank CHRIST the unions have finally realized that it is not the OBAs direct fault for everything that goes on and wrong in the civil service as clearly mold is an issue within all ministries and govt buildings.

    Lets see how Jamot et all spin this as being all the OBAs fault!

    • Times up Milkman & OBA says:

      Are you crazy it’s because of the OBA every Government Department is stretch thin like this. We paid big time to have America’s Cup in Bermuda. The OBA pull the 100 million + from …….what POT??? Ask the other Countries did they benefit from this event. The OBA promise Forward Together but my people have gone BACK back back.

      The question is will we see a return in the investment!!!

      • Mr Sparkle says:

        You are the crazy one – its because the PLP left us with no money that hiring freezes are necessary. Further reductions in the civil service are still needed. It will be tight for years to come.
        Read up on Economics 101 to understand the long term financial gains that the America’s Cup has given us…
        Also, assuming you are Bermudian, its our people – don’t put yourself in a box!

    • Onion says:

      It’s the OBA’s fault that the PLP ran huge deficits and landed us with a $180 million annual debt payment.

      • Ringmaster says:

        In the private sector, those that pay taxes to pay for the public sector, employees take on additional responsibilities. It’s only the special public sector who need at least one additional person for each job to fill in for vacation and sick leave. Seen it at the Post Office. Staff sitting doing nothing but saying “we can’t/won’t sort mail” when the postperson is on vacation.

        Government cannot be stretched because the population has reduced by thousands to about the same as in 2000 yet the Civil Service has only shrunk by a few hundred. Most civil servants would never survive in the private sector. No sympathies here.

      • Just the facts says:

        And it’s also the OBA’s fault that the PLP over-bloated the Civil Service to begin with?

  3. ella says:

    Yes – The General Post Office is a MESS! Not inviting at all when you go there and you can tell that the STAFF are not happy. You can see it in their demeanor. Personally I stopped going there cause they bring you down.

    • BermudaRat says:

      How right you are,Ella.
      I refuse to return to the General Post Office due to the miserable demeanor of the staff over the last couple of years who take their situation out on the Bermudian taxpayer.

      Thank goodness for the helpful and friendly staff at the Southampton Post Office.

    • legalgal says:

      With a few exceptions the staff are unhelpful and treat the customers like potential criminals. We now have to pay a premium to use private post and send our mail to be posted elsewhere. Never an apparent “shortage’ when collecting. More a case of people milling around. The downstairs seems to have improved since they sent other services downstairs too.

    • cpm says:

      Agree
      Avoid General Post Office-the staff are the worst

      • wahoo says:

        So we wait, postal workers will be obsolete soon at any rate, we have lost a few post offices already.

  4. wondering says:

    The PMG is a patsie that the union will jump on. The immediate past PM will have some of this cross to bear but they wouldn’t dare challenge him…..biased

  5. Silence Do Good says:

    Unfortunate that the unions choose this method to communicate but I guess when people are not happy they will let it be known. Plus an election is always a good time to air dirty laundry. The Post Office is just a pawn in some peoples politricking aspirations.

    I guess Bermuda has to decide what type of services they want, can afford or willing to go into debt for. Government austerity measures has hurt many departments to provide the same level of service with less, out dated/poorly maintained equipment and buildings. I guess a new government can continue with austerity and provide the truly needed services or they can spend money (aka: debt) providing jobs and services that we really don’t need.

    Yes, to: schools, health care, roads, environment protection… Alternatives can be found for: transportation, Post Office, waste management… after all do we really need a post office?

  6. BullyBreed says:

    Aw overworked ya kidding me the whole problem is that department is totally unorganized ya go there 5 pieces of paper to fill out for one package. such a hard job and how about the postal workers 15 years ago they worked with no AC.or do we have that mentality its not my job

  7. puzzled says:

    Vote OBA.

  8. sandgrownan says:

    Why do we even have a PO now…is it relevant at all. Privatise.

  9. wondering says:

    I would love to see the union leadership in charge of a business.

    • DarkStar says:

      They were and the PLP basically broke them over the bond issue with the school so that the Union couldn’t do anything drastic to support it’s membership b/c the gov’t would have called the bond and there would be no BIU

    • Hmm says:

      co-op… Moldy liberty theater, gas stations isn’t bad, but not very friedly.

  10. Joe Bloggs says:

    I wish we could have a vote of “no confidence” in my boss. Then the union could fire him, buy his company and everything would be better!

  11. Comfortably numb says:

    Overworked? Don’t make me holler! Walk past Mangrove Bay PO any morning and you’ll see the staff outside chatting, drinking coffee and having a grand old time when they should be working. I’m lucky if I receive one delivery a week and if it’s partly cloudy with a chance of a shower I get none!

    • smh says:

      So because you happen to see a few workers drinking coffee for the 2 seconds you go past out of the 100+ employed by the post office, that means they can’t be overworked or still have serious management issues?

      Ignorant.

      • blazer says:

        I feel overworked!! Who feels it knows it!

      • Comfortably numb says:

        Ignorance is when you obviously haven’t seen how long the “workers” spend chatting away on the government dime. Wouldn’t be allowed in a private sector job but this is a government job where lethargy is the norm – think W & E, TCD etc etc.

        • Cedar Berry says:

          Actually you’d be shocked. When you have managers stretched so thin and always in meetings, it also happens in the private sector. Spending half your working day on personal calls and no-one notices, you can get away with things. Or you think you can. Will catch you up eventually though!

          • Just the facts says:

            I just got a Christmas card in my mailbox this week. I haven’t seen a postal delivery person in months. Rain, holiday time, wind – yet when I make my way to the Post Office to collect my own mail, there are at least 5 employees there.

            • George S says:

              Are you suggesting because you see 5 employees it increases your chances of receiving mail by 5 times. Mail makes it way through many processes Trust me, when they get it, you get it.

    • George S says:

      It’s so typical of persons such as yourself to build an encyclopedia of ignorance based on a single mental image and Bermuda is full of idiots like you. For your information they are waiting for their work (mail) to arrive from the BMPC (St. Georges). Mangrove is the farthest office and the last stop and the delivery van is subject to diversions due to traffic accidents etc., weather and the like. At least they are on the job and waiting. Maybe you should have the gumption to ask them why they are sitting outside having a grand old time as you put it, instead of spreading rubbish. But then again, based on what you blog only suggests the level of your competence*intelligence = IGNORANCE. Have a nice. Don’t hope to hear from you soon.

  12. clearasmud says:

    “Vote of no Confidence” What is that about? the PO is not an elected position! Perhaps the time has come to privatize? I wonder if the Union is interested in purchasing the business?

  13. Family Man says:

    The Post Office is understaffed and overworked? Give me a break. They have no idea what work is.

    • Ringmaster says:

      The quantity of mail has dropped considerable over the last 10 years or so according to the SAGE Report (I believe) so its obvious less mail=less workers. That means unless the number of workers has dropped in the same proportion, current PO workers are under-worked, not over-worked.

    • Dark Star says:

      Actually family man—I will give the ladies at the general post office in town their dues. Every time I have had to go in there they are hustling big time ->I would say they are over worked for sure. I can not comment on anybody else at the post office but Asia and the girls at the Hamilton post office work their tails off

  14. rick says:

    time to close them all and just have public boxes . dont need att the buildings and people just to sell stamps. automate, and or udr email.Now there’s a novel idea

    • Toodle-oo says:

      A novel idea would be for someone to use their brain cells before making a submission like that one .
      What about people who don’t have transportation to go to a general post office box ?
      What about the elderly unable to get out and about ?
      Is anyone , yourself included , willing to and ABLE to ,pay above and beyond the cost of regular postage rates that includes delivery ?

      I admit that our postal service needs a massive shot in the arm in terms of efficiency but think before stupidly suggesting that we no longer deliver mail .

  15. parent says:

    Maybe BPSU now need to look at the incompetence in Works and engineering they are responsible for moldvin schools and buildings also Parks so many persons in acting post a failure of the department all around hold your lazy members accountable

    • Joe Bloggs says:

      How dare you suggest that a union look at it’s own workers! It is obviously the fault of management! It could go as high as a UBP/OBA Minister!

  16. Proud Bermudian says:

    That sounds like a government problem, PMG’s hand are tied. I’m sure the PMG has asked for these things to be done, Government has the last say. Complaint looks like it should be a Government one, not a personal one.

    • Earth watch police says:

      Bull##it we pay people to maintain the schools etc the whole civil service needs it’s head cut off keep the workers fire the managers supervisors and dept heads.