Strike Ballot coming up

[aiden01]

Start with penny shares then and remember the shares they are giving you are free..

So were colleague shares and in the end they were,nt even worth a penny.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Start with penny shares then and remember the shares they are giving you are free..

So were colleague shares and in the end they were,nt even worth a penny.

Exactly.
What use would shares be? Keeping us company in the dole queue?

[Judgee]

The CWU do not need a charm offensive. They simply need to point out to the public what privatisation will mean to them. Higher costs, selective service focusing on profitable areas, etc.

You really think the public will see Pensions, working conditions, Pay and boycotting DSA as selfish reasons for striking? (DSA maybe, to my mind that is not an issue the workforce really needs to get involved with, it's more a management/regulatory matter) I'm sure the average man/woman in the street can relate to these issues sympathetically. Most of who have probably suffered the same cutbacks and managerial abuse as we have!

Striking is a last resort and not something anyone chooses lightly. But standing up for what's right is a worthy cause is it not? So we may fail but it's better to try and fail than to give up the fight before it's even started. With that attitude women would still be without the vote and Hitler would be on your stamps!

[cloherty1976]

Colleague shares was apiece of paper and an idea of crozier and Leighton but you got rid of them so if they were to stay I think they would have been paid out. Also some people who retired did get paid as led to believe . This time you are dealing with stock market and that is a totally different ball game. One last point if you thought crozier was any good look what you could have made investing in itv as the company was on its knees when he took over and look at the share price today. Just hope moya can do the same.

[Stella102]

i think im ready to strike now

[Lincox]

They are merely a bribe to attempt to calm down a volatile situation as privatisation is progressed. They are a cost to the government that will be reclaimed many times over, as they reduce your pension benefits, reduce sickness benefits down to the minimum statutory rights, gradually reduce the hourly rate of pay to reflect the reduced responsibilities of the job, as a separate entity for delivering D2Ds is brought on stream, and parcels are collected by the receiver at a designated collection point. Fighting against these changes to terms and conditions may be futile in the long term, but deferring what may be the inevitable could extend existing terms and conditions for a few more years,so if that means losing some pay this year, then I believe it is worth the struggle that a national strike will bring. To just sit back and do nothing and accept the inevitable would mean that we would probably all be German speaking now. We are made of sterner stuff than that, so lets all put our best feet forward and collectively give this Government and Royal Mail a right old run for their money.

[aiden01]

chrisj not really interested in other peoples terms and conditions wether in private sector or other countries only trying to improve my own might sound selfish but hate to think what ours will be after privitastion as I,ve already said I don,t trust gov or rm.

[fishtank]

chrisj not really interested in other peoples terms and conditions wether in private sector or other countries only trying to improve my own might sound selfish.

It's not selfish.
That's how you protect other people's terms and conditions,by protecting your own.
It is those who fail to protect their own terms and conditions that undermine us all.

[aiden01]

chrisj not really interested in other peoples terms and conditions wether in private sector or other countries only trying to improve my own might sound selfish.

It's not selfish.
That's how you protect other people's terms and conditions,by protecting your own.
It is those who fail to protect their own terms and conditions that undermine us all.

just what I thought ft.

[Zootsuit]

Some interesting debate and excellent arguments in here. I can see the point of making a point, definitely. Still not sure that strike action is the best way to do that though (and I am honestly trying to understand whether it is or not). As a union member I will stand by a majority decision to strike but I would want to understand exactly what I was trying to achieve.

If, as some have suggested, the aim is to demonstrate that we are a workforce to be reckoned with and one that can't be shoved around I wonder whether strikes are really the best way. It has been pointed out that total support of a strike is not likely, in fact it is actually unlikely. There have always been, and always will be, strike breakers and some on here feel that the action would fold before too long.

Might it not be better to try and demonstrate what's wrong with RM at the moment by banning overtime, working to methods and boycotting DSA? Overtime is the glue that holds deliveries together. If we don't do overtime for an extended period and 'work to rule' the effects will be much like a strike, except we still get our basic wage and no-one has to be a scab (might have to bear down on those giving freebie time though).

We could probably keep a 'work to method' and overtime ban up for an extended period whilst avoid starving any kids and putting people under undue pressure, still make our point and expose RM's cynical use of part time contracts and overtime. Maybe we could do that as a starter and if it doesn't work escalate to strike action. I just can't help feeling that the blunt weapon of strikes might not serve as well as more subtle well aimed sharp jabs.

[chrisj]

One says 'improve' terms and conditions and the other say 'protect' terms and conditions. They are very different aims! Even so, what terms and conditions can really be protected in isolation to what is going on in others parts of the economy and/or in other industries?

We shall see!

[Lincox]

Problem is Mighty, that it allows the company to take on casuals to do the work at a reduced cost. They cannot legally take on casuals to cover the work of people on strike. It is also very unlikely that part time staff who need the overtime are likely to heed a ban on overtime.

[borders]

I have just posted this up on another thread and it is relevant to this debate. we are not the only posties under attack, this is ideologically driven mainly due to the present crisis of capitalism. the Capitalists are sitting on hundreds of billions of dollars that they have accumulated over the years but they will presently not re-invest.

In the USA, Germany, Spain, Greece, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, India, Uruguay, Peru, Brazil, Canada and other countries, postal workers have gone out on strike in the last year to demand wage increases, to defend benefits and to oppose privatization.
Under privatization, the bosses would aim to eliminate unions and reduce workers’ wages and benefits. the wealthy at this moment in time, are reluctant to invest to create more commodities for sale, postal delivery and other services historically controlled by government offer a place where exploitation of workers can generate real profits. this is ideologically driven and the capitalists are taking advantage of austerity to raid the public sector, searching for opportunities to exploit labor and make profits.

[bag69]

I am voting yes and will be going out on strike even though I cant afford it!!!! Everyone keeps talking about terms & conditions, but no one has mentioned what I think will happen first. The loss of paid meal breaks. It would save a fortune as everyone will loose 2 -3 hrs wages every week. Mind you it would mean people would start taking meal reliefs.

[cloherty1976]

I work for logistics and this was done years ago and the union approved it so I can see this happening to you too