Posties poised for action if talks fail

[Geezer]

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/inde ... full/82916

Friday 06 November 2009
by Paul Haste


Post workers' union leaders have insisted that the threat of a national strike "remained in place" should Royal Mail bosses backtrack on a new agreement to resolve the mail dispute.

CWU leader Billy Hayes wrote to 120,000 post workers to declare that calling off - at the last minute - the massive strikes due to take place yesterday and on Monday "was the right decision because Royal Mail have made significant concessions.

"It was the strength of our union members' support for strike action that brought us to this position," the letter sent to CWU branches and passed to the Morning Star stated.

Mr Hayes stressed that, although the union "wants a strike-free Christmas, the agreement is explicit in recognising that this is dependent upon significant progress being made in negotiations over bitter, long-running local disputes.

"The national ballot and all local ballots remain in place," he warned.

CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward explained that the "interim agreement" with Royal Mail bosses will allow post workers to work extra hours at Christmas to make up for pay lost during the strikes.

"This is a benefit that has been denied to workers as Royal Mail has tried to build a casual workforce," he pointed out, adding that management had also conceded that there would be no "settling of scores" - or victimisation - arising out of the dispute.

Post workers gathering at the end of their shift at south London's Nine Elms mail centre to discuss the deal were sceptical that post bosses would keep their side of the agreement.

Mail sorter Paul Coates asserted that "Royal Mail's only agenda in these talks was to stop us striking over Christmas and they've got what they wanted."

And fellow worker Imran said that he believed that "management are going to sit it out and, come January, will press on with their idea of modernisation, which will mean less full-time posts and more work for the rest."

Mr Ward accepted that Royal Mail managers' attitudes towards their own staff meant that "trust remains an issue between the union and the company."

But he revealed that an accord to bring in an arbitrator independent of management to continue negotiations and review progress every two weeks through the winter will mean that Royal Mail "cannot walk away from this agreement."

[shadow]

Royal mail cannot walk away. Royal Mail always do what THEY WANT.

[Delivery Donkey]

How naive And gullible can Dave Ward,Billy Hayes and the PEC be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stokes11eg]

More and more, Billy Hayes seems to be talking as if 'The Union' and it's grass root members are a seperate entity.

[fishtank]

"CWU leader Billy Hayes wrote to 120,000 post workers to declare that calling off - at the last minute - the massive strikes due to take place yesterday and on Monday "was the right decision because Royal Mail have made significant concessions."


Can anyone point out the concessions because i can't find them?
And please don't use words like revisit,review or re-engage unless you understand what "re" means.

[dvbuk55]

More and more, Billy Hayes seems to be talking as if 'The Union' and it's grass root members are a separate entity.

Stokesy you never spoke a truer word. The membership are the milk cow that provides the finances for these bods to enjoy the lifestyle they do - although the union is not specific to Royal Mail workers we are by far their biggest contributor. They do believe that whatever we have to agree to in terms of pay and conditions it is secondary to the survival of the CWU and its infrastructure of branch, area, division et al. What we need is a grass roots upsurge to topple these bods from their ivory tower, including the PEC and get them back to the shop floor where our real world is.

[weetrogg]

I was a rep at the recently closed(by E/A) SK mail centre(300+staff) I am now the rep at the remaining collection hub(75 staff) This all happened during the summer, we had no or little help from HQ/division or neighbouring branches

Now of the remaining staff most of whom have had duty times and workload changed beyond recognisation ie 4nights to 5nights,people forced from days to lates etc etc we were 99.5% solid during this strike. Now the point im making is we have been through RMs "vision" of the future and believe me it aint nice but still our members voted for and supported the national ballot. It took a great effort from the branch and the reps to gain that yes vote, after all our remaining members had been shafted already and were questioning why they should strike.

The reason we supported this strike is basically our members had seen first hand the devious and spiteful behaviour of RM, the bullying&harrassment and the generally intimidating atmosphere that is now prevalent throughout the whole industry. Having been through all this the members decided that that RMs new way of working was unacceptable,wrong and completely unnecesary and that nobody should have to put up with it, so although most of what were on strike for had happened to us, the general feeling was RM had to be stopped.

My one big fear is if we do not reach a satisfactory and meaningful national agreement this time, is that when /if we have to ask for our members to take I/A again the support will not be there and to be honest with you i wouldnt blame them???

On a more positive note its heartening and uplifting to see such shows of solidarity and unity by the membership, the question is our we lions being lead by donkeys??? To all the members who have supported our union imparticular, Scotland and London we can be proud of our actions.



WE are the union

[dvbuk55]

More and more, Billy Hayes seems to be talking as if 'The Union' and it's grass root members are a separate entity.

Stokesy you never spoke a truer word. The membership are the milk cow that provides the finances for these bods to enjoy the lifestyle they do - although the union is not specific to Royal Mail workers we are by far their biggest contributor. They do believe that whatever we have to agree to in terms of pay and conditions it is secondary to the survival of the CWU and its infrastructure of branch, area, division et al. What we need is a grass roots upsurge to topple these bods from their ivory tower, including the PEC and get them back to the shop floor where our real world is.

Are you a Wobblie?

I would reply to that if I knew what it was.

[Steven]

Wobbly: member of the industrial workers of the world union, a revolutionary syndicalist union which was big in the US at the beginning of the 20th century:
http://libcom.org/tags/IWW" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dvbuk55]

Wobbly: member of the industrial workers of the world union, a revolutionary syndicalist union which was big in the US at the beginning of the 20th century:
http://libcom.org/tags/IWW" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unfortunately not - but I rather think that I wish I was.

[Wilbur Spoons]

I can't believe what I am reading on this site, the lack of trust some of you have in the union which you are supposed to support is an absolute disgrace. The strike was called because Royal Mail weren't talking, now they are saying that they will, under any circumstances the union is obliged to hear what they are saying, and try to sort things out. It sounds as if some of you just want to be on strike forever, with no chance of fixing things? A lot of you complain about the stitching you received 2 years ago, as if everyone was shat on by the Union and left to rot. Open your eyes, the strike action WHICH IS STILL IN PLACE, is a direct result of Royal Mail welching on all deals made during that time, to accuse the CWU of letting you down is a laugh, people who are on here saying that they will go in are the one's letting themselves down, what chance does an organisation like the CWU stand if its membership all start crying and moaning foul, every single time that the Union try to sort things out with the party they are in dispute with? Nobody has backed down, nobody has 'been sold down the river'. Sit back and wait to see what the deal is, if you don't like it, vote no, as is your right. May I also mention that 2 years ago it was the membership who voted this agreement in? The CWU has sold nobody out. You have been sold out by the majority of the membership, who continuously come in early, skip breaks, run round like idiots, and give the impression that everything that is asked of them is fine, and believe me when I say that whatever new scams RM bring into the workplace, will be easily facilitated by idiotic, so called sold out, union members who have a driving urge to make the job look piss, whilst their less capable colleagues risk serious ill health trying to do the extra work which these idiots have created for them through their puppy like enthusiasm for any little scrap of meat that their master throws for them whilst leading them to the canal with a bag of bricks.

Stand firm everyone, stop talking like the weak willed strike breakers, and if the offer is a poor one. Say No. This site makes my stomach turn sometimes it really does.

(Former Local rep and posty now retired due to ill health)

[rhino49]

I can't believe what I am reading on this site, the lack of trust some of you have in the union which you are supposed to support is an absolute disgrace. The strike was called because Royal Mail weren't talking, now they are saying that they will, under any circumstances the union is obliged to hear what they are saying, and try to sort things out. It sounds as if some of you just want to be on strike forever, with no chance of fixing things? A lot of you complain about the stitching you received 2 years ago, as if everyone was shat on by the Union and left to rot. Open your eyes, the strike action WHICH IS STILL IN PLACE, is a direct result of Royal Mail welching on all deals made during that time, to accuse the CWU of letting you down is a laugh, people who are on here saying that they will go in are the one's letting themselves down, what chance does an organisation like the CWU stand if its membership all start crying and moaning foul, every single time that the Union try to sort things out with the party they are in dispute with? Nobody has backed down, nobody has 'been sold down the river'. Sit back and wait to see what the deal is, if you don't like it, vote no, as is your right. May I also mention that 2 years ago it was the membership who voted this agreement in? The CWU has sold nobody out. You have been sold out by the majority of the membership, who continuously come in early, skip breaks, run round like idiots, and give the impression that everything that is asked of them is fine, and believe me when I say that whatever new scams RM bring into the workplace, will be easily facilitated by idiotic, so called sold out, union members who have a driving urge to make the job look piss, whilst their less capable colleagues risk serious ill health trying to do the extra work which these idiots have created for them through their puppy like enthusiasm for any little scrap of meat that their master throws for them whilst leading them to the canal with a bag of bricks.

Stand firm everyone, stop talking like the weak willed strike breakers, and if the offer is a poor one. Say No. This site makes my stomach turn sometimes it really does.

(Former Local rep and posty now retired due to ill health)

NIce one Wilbur - missing you already mate, but your sub is doing a grand job. See you next week at "Posties empty Wetherspoons"

[fishtank]

I can't believe what I am reading on this site, the lack of trust some of you have in the union which you are supposed to support is an absolute disgrace. The strike was called because Royal Mail weren't talking, now they are saying that they will, under any circumstances the union is obliged to hear what they are saying, and try to sort things out. It sounds as if some of you just want to be on strike forever, with no chance of fixing things? A lot of you complain about the stitching you received 2 years ago, as if everyone was shat on by the Union and left to rot. Open your eyes, the strike action WHICH IS STILL IN PLACE, is a direct result of Royal Mail welching on all deals made during that time, to accuse the CWU of letting you down is a laugh, people who are on here saying that they will go in are the one's letting themselves down, what chance does an organisation like the CWU stand if its membership all start crying and moaning foul, every single time that the Union try to sort things out with the party they are in dispute with? Nobody has backed down, nobody has 'been sold down the river'. Sit back and wait to see what the deal is, if you don't like it, vote no, as is your right. May I also mention that 2 years ago it was the membership who voted this agreement in? The CWU has sold nobody out. You have been sold out by the majority of the membership, who continuously come in early, skip breaks, run round like idiots, and give the impression that everything that is asked of them is fine, and believe me when I say that whatever new scams RM bring into the workplace, will be easily facilitated by idiotic, so called sold out, union members who have a driving urge to make the job look piss, whilst their less capable colleagues risk serious ill health trying to do the extra work which these idiots have created for them through their puppy like enthusiasm for any little scrap of meat that their master throws for them whilst leading them to the canal with a bag of bricks.

Stand firm everyone, stop talking like the weak willed strike breakers, and if the offer is a poor one. Say No. This site makes my stomach turn sometimes it really does.

(Former Local rep and posty now retired due to ill health)

I'm sorry my office did not call a strike because "Royal Mail weren't talking".
My office call a strike because executive action was implemented.
And please refrain from calling me a weak willed scab,thank you

[Wilbur Spoons]

I'm sorry my office did not call a strike because "Royal Mail weren't talking".
My office call a strike because executive action was implemented.
And please refrain from calling me a weak willed scab,thank you

That statement of Weak willed scab refers to anyone who is talking about going in if the strike is called back on again. I don't see that you have said this. Royal Mail not talking clearly refers to executive action, sorry if that wasnt as clear as I thought. As for the rest of it, I stand by what I have said. Back your union and stand strong.

[dvbuk55]

I'm sorry my office did not call a strike because "Royal Mail weren't talking".
My office call a strike because executive action was implemented.
And please refrain from calling me a weak willed scab,thank you

That statement of Weak willed scab refers to anyone who is talking about going in if the strike is called back on again. I don't see that you have said this. Royal Mail not talking clearly refers to executive action, sorry if that wasnt as clear as I thought. As for the rest of it, I stand by what I have said. Back your union and stand strong.

I've backed it - it's time it backed me and stood strong.