Calum Greenhow comment: Unity is key and should not be ignored

There are two aspects in dealing with Post Office Ltd (PO) at this moment that are proving challenging for the NFSP. “Only two” I hear you cry.
 
The first is that PO has set up different types of “listening” forums at which it engages with postmasters. It also has two postmasters on the Board of PO and a Postmasters Experience Director. These are positives and should be welcomed but when it comes to negotiating postmasters' remuneration, in accordance with everyone’s contract, it is the NFSP these matters are to be negotiated with. See, PO goes out and speaks to these different groups and those on the Board and then comes back to the NFSP and states that everyone else is happy with their proposals so that’s that.

The second is in relation to confidentiality. Again, PO enters into these discussions and negotiations on a confidentiality basis with the NFSP, which PO makes quite clear during these discussions. However, PO is then going out and having these supposed confidential discussions with these other groups, who then go onto social media and challenge the NFSP as to what we are doing to ensure that postmasters are remunerated properly.  
 
The NFSP’s desire is to engage with PO with regards to remuneration and then come back to postmasters to seek your views and thoughts so that we can collectively come to an amicable, pragmatic and democratic decision that is beneficial for the network. We all know that postmasters' remuneration is well below what it should be but how do we reconcile, on the one hand, when in meetings with postmasters we are being told “we need more” but on the other hand, PO state that in conversations they are having with some of the same postmasters, via these forums or on their Board, the offer on the table is acceptable?
 
The question has to be asked as to whether this is a divide and conquer tactic that is being deployed by PO, using postmasters to accomplish it?
 
There are many challenges ahead and some very important decisions we will need to make. Whilst there are many colleagues on these forums who genuinely want what is best for the network, there are some who are using these forums to promote their own agendas with the aim of being detrimental to the NFSP. Being divided does not benefit the network, it does not benefit postmasters but there are those in the network for whom that is their goal. The only way we can plan for a mutually beneficial future is if we are doing that together. Unity is key here and should not be ignored or undermined.