Strike Ballot coming up

[OnAFlyer]

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!

Of course they will! Most people I know are getting no pay rise or very little, the public see an offer of 8.6% (don't quote the 'ties' to that because the public don't and won't care, they just see the numbers) and 90% of them will immediately think we're being greedy. Add onto that a pension that most workers won't get near, guaranteed same conditions for 3 years when most people dont have 3 years of job security and we will get very little support.

Explaining to a few people on our walks what is really happening isn't going to change the public's perspective as a whole.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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?!

Improving T&Cs, Protecting T&Cs and fighting the reduction of T&Cs are all the same thing just that the economic and Industrial situation at the time has an impact on what tack you take.

Also to be honest couldn't care less what's going on in the rest of the economy on this issue, if our business is making a profit then we deserve part of that just as when we weren't making a profit our pay rises were low or non existent.

[cloherty1976]

Your comment amuses me tbt and as someone displayed the profits for the last 30 years and I can't say the pay rises have been that bad considering the profits we have made. Something you have to say the union has done well on?

[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.

Of course they will! Most people I know are getting no pay rise or very little, the public see an offer of 8.6% (don't quote the 'ties' to that because the public don't and won't care, they just see the numbers) and 90% of them will immediately think we're being greedy. Add onto that a pension that most workers won't get near, guaranteed same conditions for 3 years when most people dont have 3 years of job security and we will get very little support.

Explaining to a few people on our walks what is really happening isn't going to change the public's perspective as a whole.

See my quote from your quote of my quote! Just for you flyer once again.....

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.

Give them the facts and they will relate to it. Not selective stories from the press, proper statements from the CWU about the whole situation.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Your comment amuses me tbt and as someone displayed the profits for the last 30 years and I can't say the pay rises have been that bad considering the profits we have made. Something you have to say the union has done well on?

Generally since I started around 10 years ago I would say they have a patchy record.

Before 2009 it was okay but nothing special.

After 2009 with a pay freeze, rises below inflation and losing £30 D2D money and £15 (approx) shift allowance - albeit getting a £22 Delivery Supplement - but only reaching take home pay where I was before BT2010, in 2012 .......their record is far from good for me personally.

[cloherty1976]

Been here many more years and for me bar the one year of pay freeze still three pay rises in a recession totalling what say nearly 10% in my section of work can't be bad. Just a thought why don't like me transfer from delivery and mail centres transfer to logistics as then you can't moan about th pay so much but then remember long days nights and horrible shifts all around the country. They have been employing hundreds of extra staff full time an are mainly agency which I think is a shame?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Been here many more years and for me bar the one year of pay freeze still three pay rises in a recession totalling what say nearly 10% in my section of work can't be bad. Just a thought why don't like me transfer from delivery and mail centres transfer to logistics as then you can't moan about th pay so much but then remember long days nights and horrible shifts all around the country. They have been employing hundreds of extra staff full time an are mainly agency which I think is a shame?

Moan - I didn't moan about the pay rises - you asked for an opinion I gave it.

As to the rest, because of personal reasons I can't and don't want to go into I can't go to a MC or Logistic. If I did Long days and nights hold no fear for me as had both in the military and in civy jobs, unfortunately my HazChem qualifications are out of date otherwise if I could go back to driving RM logistics wouldn't be my first choice.

[cloherty1976]

Sorry didn't mean you moaning as I remember you said in earlier posts you enjoy your job but you know what I mean that a lot of posties will always moan about pay. Nice thing to have haz chem shame you let it expire.

[music4essex]

What about people where both parents work at Royal Mail ( and we have many) they face losing not one wage but both wages, while your sentiments are admirable the reality of life today is very far removed from the times of previous generations

I am a bit behind on this thread so apologies, My ex husband and I both worked for Royal mail deliveries and supported the strikes over the last 18yrs so the above statement does not wash with me.

As you see by the post I am now on my own with our son and have been for the last 9yrs , but I will still go on strike because I believe it is worth fighting for , we are forgoing a summer holiday so as we have enough money to get by to pay my morgage ETC bills , that is what folks should do, they know its coming start putting a bit away , I cannot afford to do it but I will .

Essex mum

[cloherty1976]

What amazes me is that everyone knows the future. If you work for bt or british gas and even the railway the wages are probably better than ours and the perks on the railway are very good too. People all have there own views and I respect them but remember someone will always be delivering the post like someone takes a ticket on a train..

[chrisj]

Some people here that normally sounds intelligent are now not being coherent these days. Not caring about what the public thinks of a strike action is naive, and thinking of your sector in isolation to what is happening to the rest of the country and economy might be a bit if bravado but that is not the way the Execs of the CWU and other Unions think - and thank god for that.

The idea that Royal Mail is making money or well into profits is clearly not the overall the picture.

In fact, an argument against Privatisation should be that it is not about making a lot of money but providing a good service. Moreover, the accounts have been rigged, the pensions absorbed by the govt, stamps have gone up and people are being laid off does not make RM suddenly very profitable. I imagine the cost of the vans and other aspects of modernisation have been hidden in the accounts or sliced into tiny bits - a la depreciations and accruals...

TBH is actually talking up Privatisation and Capitalism without realising it - so we should be taking more slice of the National Cake because our company is making spurious profits. Well, the govt has started things off by giving away shares. What more shall we have?

[chrisj]

CWU should just give the facts and the public will understand. NOT!

We are talking about the same sort of public that kept voting Mrs Thatcher in despite what she was doing to the Unions and some parts of the country.

The same one that kept Blair in power; and it was Labour that opened up the labour market to cheap labour from Europe and it was during the Blair govt that UK became a more part-time/low paid economy.

Judgee should just try and read the Daily Mail, the Sun and other Tory Press to find out that there are lots that want Royal Mail privatised and reading the forums and comments including that of Sky - some wants the Unions smashed and the like of postal workers knocked off their pedestal. Some are even smarting that we are going to be given shares.

Anyways, what are the facts that you want the CWU to convey to the public?

[spoodoo]

Well said Essex mum ,we need more like you. ,,,,,

[hampshireman]

The only thing that concerns me is getting my shares and as the government have stated if its not an ipo and they sell it privately we will get nothing and things will be a lot worse for us. I think this will be a big worry for the union..

Cant believe you wrote this

[cloherty1976]

[quote="hampshireman"]

Cant believe you wrote this... I did but do you understand what I mean and that I would rather get shares and be sold as an ipo rather than say a 50% sold off to say a company that would asset strip and receive nothing!