industrial action?

[RoyalQuest]

Most people are talking on her as if I/A is a bit of a joke and can't wait for it to happen, i know it seems that theres no options left but do we really think RM will let us strike say a Monday, Wednesday and Friday (example) and then lets us work on the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday( no benefit there for royal mail to let this happen). What if they say your out so stay out , where do we stand with that? is that against the law as it's official action? If that happened in my office i know most people would go back in to work due to fiancial pressures and worry of losing there job, the strike would then be turned on it's head and RM would have the last laught, again!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

What you suggesting is called a "Lock Out" and its a legal tool that RM could use if they wanted.

However, it is extremely unlikely as at the moment they look like the goods eggs and we look like the party poopers, even in the reverseis true. SO a national lock out would be highly unlikely as the prospect of turning people away who are willing to work would or at least should rebound on them pretty fast. Also there are various laws that would cause this to be a problematic solution for RM and would only be used as a final and Nuclear option.

[kwikpost]

let them do it. i think you'll find the businesses across the uk need us more than some realise. they'll soon be telling the bosses to unlock the gates

[heston]

yes it would be against the law,perhaps we will phone up crozier and ask him if there is a time which is suitable to rm when we take industrial action,members in your office wont need to worry about losing there job,if we lose this there wont be many jobs left,and the cwu will not exist,

[DirtyHarry]

A lock out would only serve to stiffen the resolve of postal workers, and when the return to work happened, a lock out would only serve to stiffen the resolve of postal workers to "do the job properly", and be ever so reluctant to do overtime to clear backlogs ever so quickly for an obviously ruthless management intent on ensuring an uncertain future for postal workers.

Bring it on, I say.

[banner18]

As far as I know, lock out is unlawful. The miners were on strike for a year, but were they ever locked out? I don't think they were. I could be mistaken though.
It is also unlikely because it would be a very high stakes game then. If enough people drifted back to work, RM will have broken the strike, and the union, and we would be their bitches for life. If not enough people returned to work, RM as a business, along with all its management structure, would be a liabilty beyond repair. Those in the top echelons of RM and even members of the government, would be unable to hold on to their positions.

Just my opinion anyhow.

[brothermagrew]

Lock-outs:
Where one particular group of workers is on strike, an employer may wish to shut down operations completely at the establishment or workplace concerned. A lockout occurs when an employer closes the place of employment or otherwise prevents employees from attending work.

Where there is no contractual provision to lay-off non-strikers in these circumstances, employers are likely to face claims for pay from those employees who were not taking part in the action (i.e. were ready and willing to work but were not able to do so).

Locked-out employees may also regard the employer's action as repudiatory conduct, allowing them to claim constructive dismissal. Dismissals during a lockout (whether constructive or whether an employer explicitly dismisses employees) are subject to the same rules as those that apply to dismissals during industrial action.