London annouce another 3 strikes

[Martin Walsh]

All London offices apart from the Mount Plesant , EC deliveries and LAMU are out this weds making it 12 days of strikes. The Mount , EC Deliveries and Lamu are out on Saturday and Monday , Nine Elms are out tuesday and the rest of London are out on next weds.

We have also agreed a day in the week of the Labour party conference week where we are hopeful that the national union calls everyone with a live ballot on strike hopefully the same day as the Royal Mail motion is heard.

Royal Mail are under pressure and for the first time they have taken a step back and not introduce execitive action as they previously stated they would into offices. Progress was made again in talks today , and the future of deliveries is being discussed over the next two days for the first time.

We will win but we have to keep the pressure on.

[Geezer]

Thanks for the update

And Good Luck

[Martin Walsh]

What that sentence meant was that in June , July and August they implemented executive action everytime they said they would. However in South West London this week they were meant to implment revisons in Putney and Streatham today and have now put them on hold to Ocotber 16th at the earliest. Why because of the backlog and the strikes and the media issues icluding wimbledon and others.

Thats what I meant by pressure.

[shimmyrule]

well said dingo , keep the pressure up lads, your fighting for the whole uk here, we appreciate it.

[Lowkeyizsik]

All london deliveries out next wednesday 23rd sept?
I was told today that there would be no more strikes for possibly two weeks?
It does make sense though as the backlog is huge at my small office so it is finally starting to hurt Rm. Our summer time strikes had no where near the same effect as everything was cleared within a couple of days!!
I love seeing our manager under pressure, long may it continue!

[Carnoustie]

London offices out on WEDNESDAY 23rd ???

I'm sure I've read on here in the past that any strike action taken during the period of the National Ballot process leaves the CWU wide-open to a legal challenge from RM that could mean the ballot result is invalidated and thus void ????

RM's legal argument being something along the lines of 'if some members' ballot papers are delayed by strike action, those members will not have had an equal duration of time to consider their vote'. Likewise, won't they also argue that if any office is on strike - official or not - near the closing date of the ballot, that any completed ballot papers posted back by CWU members in and around that area would be delayed and not be counted, thus also invalidating the result on the grounds of 'not every member had an equal opportunity to register their vote' ????

Please, someone assure me that the CWU top-brass have not scored a last-minute own goal again

[TrueBlueTerrier]

London offices out on WEDNESDAY 23rd ???

I'm sure I've read on here in the past that any strike action taken during the period of the National Ballot process leaves the CWU wide-open to a legal challenge from RM that could mean the ballot result is invalidated and thus void ????

RM's legal argument being something along the lines of 'if some members' ballot papers are delayed by strike action, those members will not have had an equal duration of time to consider their vote'. Likewise, won't they also argue that if any office is on strike - official or not - near the closing date of the ballot, that any completed ballot papers posted back by CWU members in and around that area would be delayed and not be counted, thus also invalidating the result on the grounds of 'not every member had an equal opportunity to register their vote' ????

Please, someone assure me that the CWU top-brass have not scored a last-minute own goal again

Dingo has posted that the 8 October 09 Announcement on the results of the ballot is in line with the independent adjudicators recommendations, and this was given in full knowledge of the possibility of strikes in the run up.

[Carnoustie]

Dingo has posted that the 8 October 09 Announcement on the results of the ballot is in line with the independent adjudicators recommendations, and this was given in full knowledge of the possibility of strikes in the run up.

That doesn't mean RM won't challenge the independent adjudicators opinion that nobody's chances of registering their vote were diminished by their ballot paper getting caught up in a backlog of other mail. It would be for a judge to rule on whether the ballot was valid and fair, surely ? Which makes holding strikes during the ballot process a risk of it being declared void

[krussel]

London Posties

[Martin Walsh]

Carnouste with the bullying and harrassment we are facing if we couldt take strike action the chances we would be out unoffically which is more problematic.

Look legally there is nothing to wrong with us taking strike action during the national ballot process providing we have informed the indpendnt scurtuineers of this matter and then its their decesion on the timetable and whether it needs extending. Remember the same applies to any other unions ballots as they all have to be returned by post this includes the RMT and PCS ballots which are currently running.

Look Royal Mail will attempt to challenge us on a range of issues but if there was no agreement to take strike action then we would see widespread unofficial action of that i am sure. Plus Royal Mail could introduce all their revisions by executive action without resistance and I am pretty sure the talks would have been put on hold till the outcome of the national ballot. The reason the talks are on going is due to the strikes and the backlog

[Carnoustie]

Carnouste with the bullying and harrassment we are facing if we couldt take strike action the chances we would be out unoffically which is more problematic.

Look legally there is nothing to wrong with us taking strike action during the national ballot process providing we have informed the indpendnt scurtuineers of this matter and then its their decesion on the timetable and whether it needs extending. Remember the same applies to any other unions ballots as they all have to be returned by post this includes the RMT and PCS ballots which are currently running.

Look Royal Mail will attempt to challenge us on a range of issues but if there was no agreement to take strike action then we would see widespread unofficial action of that i am sure. Plus Royal Mail could introduce all their revisions by executive action without resistance and I am pretty sure the talks would have been put on hold till the outcome of the national ballot. The reason the talks are on going is due to the strikes and the backlog

Don't get me wrong, I understand WHY strikes are continuing during the ballot. I just worry if the ballot result is declared void, you're then looking at a further delay and asking members to then take IA very close to Christmas, when support could dwindle due to financial pressures on members who would have lost a lot of pay by then.

[studmuffin]

London offices out on WEDNESDAY 23rd ???

I'm sure I've read on here in the past that any strike action taken during the period of the National Ballot process leaves the CWU wide-open to a legal challenge from RM that could mean the ballot result is invalidated and thus void ????

RM's legal argument being something along the lines of 'if some members' ballot papers are delayed by strike action, those members will not have had an equal duration of time to consider their vote'. Likewise, won't they also argue that if any office is on strike - official or not - near the closing date of the ballot, that any completed ballot papers posted back by CWU members in and around that area would be delayed and not be counted, thus also invalidating the result on the grounds of 'not every member had an equal opportunity to register their vote' ????

Please, someone assure me that the CWU top-brass have not scored a last-minute own goal again

we need some straight direct answers from the union, can or carnt we take strike action during a national ballot ? its either YES or NO, because if they are hoping that whilst we are on strike, RM will not legally challenge the union, then the union big guys, should be hung out to dry. I was told directly by a pec union member last sunday [and i can name him if anybody wants to know] that LEGALLY WE CANNOT TAKE I/A DURING A NATIONAL BALLOT . i and few others need some DIRECT, STRAIGHT, HONEST ANSWERS , and not lies, bullshit and crap, i have enough of that from rm managers. i am not f"""king happy with the union gambling with my wagepacket.

[piranha]

Surely the union aren't that stupid, are they?

[POSTMAN]

1 Ballot has been extended in part due to the backlog
2 Royal Mail say there is NOT a mass backlog.

[Carnoustie]

Surely the union aren't that stupid, are they?

Not been a member for long, then ??

I bet RM will challenge the validity of the ballot result in court. Doesn't mean they will get judgement in their favour, but remember two things

a) they have limitless funds and a team of expensive lawyers to argue their case, and
b) they will, at the very least, most likely get a temporary injunction banning further strikes whilst the judge decides whether to void the result of the ballot.

RM have nothing to lose by challenging it in court, and everything to gain