Industrial Action Ballot:Next Steps

[fishtank]

Dear Colleague,
Thank you for your support.
We have been clear from the outset that we want an agreement and privatisation makes this more important than ever. Your support has strengthened our position and the clock is now ticking for both sides to focus all their efforts on reaching that agreement.

The key debate is whether a privatised Royal Mail really wants a settlement. To build on the progress we have already made we have now offered the company another two weeks to conclude discussions. But if they are not prepared to make a new and improved offer and reach the agreement you deserve – we will hold a 24 hour strike on the 4th November.
It is your efforts that have significantly improved the fortunes of this company and we cannot allow private operators to maximise their profits by minimising the value of your job security, terms and conditions.

We cannot allow a private Royal Mail Group to enter the race to the bottom by replicating the employment practices and service standards of their competitors. This is why we have also announced, that if an agreement cannot be reached, we will soon hold a second ballot for action short of a strike enabling a boycott of the competitors’ mail

If necessary, a second ‘yes vote’, will also open up options for other tactics such as work to rules, overtime bans and non co-operation with unrealistic efficiency demands.
Privatisation is a setback – but regardless of ownership – our strategy was always designed to cover all eventualities and protect you from the impact of any sale and the continuing threat of unfair competition.With your continued support we are confident we will secure a long term legally binding agreement that will not only give you greater protection than any other group of UK workers – but will also determine the strategy, principles and values that the Royal Mail Group will have to operate under as a private entity.

We will keep you updated.
Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward Billy Hayes
DGS(P) General Secretary

[fishtank]

the settlement we want:
➤ Long term legal protections ensuring a private Royal Mail Group can never
replicate the employment practices of their competitors’.
➤ An above inflation pay and reward package.
➤ A separate legally binding pension agreement that protects the Defined Benefit
Scheme and secures improvements to the Defined Contribution Scheme.
➤ Agreement on a future strategy for letters and parcels that delivers an agenda
for growth with you – not despite you.
➤ A new consensus on a fair days work for a fair days pay that tackles chaotic
managerial lapsing/absorption and unrealistic efficiency demands.

employee shares
The CWU are exploring with our lawyers the potential for a trust to co-ordinate voting rights
and maximise the influence of postal workers in the new ownership structure.

[dvbuk55]

employee sharesThe CWU are exploring with our lawyers the potential for a trust to co-ordinate voting rights
and maximise the influence of postal workers in the new ownership structure.

Who would control this and why would the shares need a co-ordinating body. The shares are owned by the individual and move with the individual and could be sold after the appropriate period with or without the tax break. There is also the 35,000 employees NOT members of the CWU who would presumably have sole control of their own shares and the voting rights. Lets not overcomplicate the issue and have another tier of share ownership. Should the CWU go down that route I would want to have the option of NOT having my vote transferred.

[Cut Off King]

now offered the company another two weeks to conclude discussions

Meanwhile RM will use the extra time to strengthen their position and work on the weaker willed members......might as well called a 2 day strike on xmas day & boxing day.

[lala]

now offered the company another two weeks to conclude discussions

Meanwhile RM will use the extra time to strengthen their position and work on the weaker willed members......might as well called a 2 day strike on xmas day & boxing day.

But at least it gives the company the chance to respond, with the possibility (although it may be slim) of an agreement without any strike action, loss of pay for our members etc...

[Surreypostie]

I think and hope there will be a deal. RM now have to worry about shareholders, its possible action could be taken for damages by the companies we deliver mail for, TNT etc, for breach of contract or similar, just my guess there but isn't virgin taking action against railtrack for causing them problems? I think we don't have a pigs ear of a chance of a 10 year deal, I don't even trust the 3 year deal on offer. I wouldn't trust them for a deal lasting to the end of next week after colleague shares. I'd be happy with a decent no strings pay rise and leave my dwindling pension alone.

[royalmailsajoke]

The numbers though - 63% (turnout) of 115000 members is 72,450 x 78% (yes voters) = 56,511 = 49% of members voting yes = 38% of the workforce (assuming it is still 150,000)
I know a non vote is not a no vote, but at our office the p/timers were not interested.
I suggested to a senior union rep 4 years ago that the Union needed to get part-timers on board by pushing for them to be made up, but he said not at the expense of SA or full-timers O/T.
We're now a them and us workforce and that gives RM a lot of leverage.

[cloherty1976]

I think and hope there will be a deal. RM now have to worry about shareholders, its possible action could be taken for damages by the companies we deliver mail for, TNT etc, for breach of contract or similar, just my guess there but isn't virgin taking action against railtrack for causing them problems? I think we don't have a pigs ear of a chance of a 10 year deal, I don't even trust the 3 year deal on offer. I wouldn't trust them for a deal lasting to the end of next week after colleague shares. I'd be happy with a decent no strings pay rise and leave my dwindling pension alone.

The first pay dealis on the table, the second is a certain as inflation will be higher than the 2.7% at the moment as energy prices will soon be rising and that will be in the figures for the coming years. We only have 5 months to trigger that, 3rd year do you think prices are coming down! I think not..

[disheartened]

I presume the talks will start tomorrow(thurs)the 2010 talks for the the "Deal of the Century" had a "Silence Clause"until the deal was done agreed by both parties,will it be the same this time or can we have a thread "update on talks"in the news section or this Union section?

[Cut Off King]

now offered the company another two weeks to conclude discussions

Meanwhile RM will use the extra time to strengthen their position and work on the weaker willed members......might as well called a 2 day strike on xmas day & boxing day.

But at least it gives the company the chance to respond, with the possibility (although it may be slim) of an agreement without any strike action, loss of pay for our members etc...

The point of being balloted is that the management have failed to respond to negotiations and the next step is to strike, giving them more time to prepair & work on the people who might cross the line is counter productive.
If people think that RM are going to give in without a strike, think again.
Moya is no fool, I just wish I could say the same about leader.
Remember what happened the last time, an interim deal while negotiations took place. "we can always go back on strike, as we have agreed to extend the 28 days that the strike ballot is valid for if the talks fail" EXCEPT that wasn't quite true was it, the ballot lapsed & the CWU had no plan B

BT2010 was born

[cloherty1976]

Meanwhile RM will use the extra time to strengthen their position and work on the weaker willed members......might as well called a 2 day strike on xmas day & boxing day.

What followed by New Year's Day

[aposter]

I think the union have actually played a decent card for once. An all out one day strike on its own would probably be a bit of a flop , with many crossing the line, very little effect on RM and double weight the day after, HOWEVER to say if that doesn't achieve to call a ban on DSA, well that would be abided to by every posty

[cloherty1976]

I think the union have actually played a decent card for once. An all out one day strike on its own would probably be a bit of a flop , with many crossing the line, very little effect on RM and double weight the day after, HOWEVER to say if that doesn't achieve to call a ban on DSA, well that would be abided to by every posty

Yes but surely this will be challenged in court and what would you do some workers take them and some don't. Also it would also make it easy to give out overtime as because members would not be able to do the duties. Me as a driver would I refuse to take the load as dsa on board. Do you think this is legally workable or just talk?

[Wild Rover]

Since we already have an overwhelming YES vote, what is stopping the CWU insisting that members MUST work to rule from tomorrow onwards? That would mean no O/T going out, lapsing stopped, work to time, etc..
That would instantly hit RM hard.

[fishtank]

Since we already have an overwhelming YES vote, what is stopping the CWU insisting that members MUST work to rule from tomorrow onwards?.

There needs to be another ballot to cover that and from what i've heard there will be.