A MESSAGE TO EVERY CWU MEMBER IN THE UK ON NATIONAL GATE MEETING DAY

[POSTMAN]

A MESSAGE TO EVERY CWU MEMBER IN THE UK ON NATIONAL GATE MEETING DAY

TO ALL CWU REPS
Firstly, we want to thank you for your outstanding support during the most difficult dispute we have ever faced. You have stood up to the employer locally and kept our members informed, behind the union and ready to take strike action – it is this strength that will ultimately deliver us an agreement.
Today (Tuesday 22nd November) we need you to do two things. Firstly, please read the letter below to all members at a gate meeting. Secondly, we want you to ask the meeting for a show of hands at the end of your speech. The question we want you to ask CWU members in your office is “Do you support a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail Group CEO, Simon Thompson?”.
We ask you to take a photo of the office voting (hands up) and send it via WhatsApp to 07701 397351 – We will then give the images from across the UK the widest possible coverage.
……
Dear Members,
This is the most important week in the history of Royal Mail Group. Firstly, we want to assure you that we are using every minute possible to reach a resolution with the company and will be continuing to engage with them to resolve the dispute.
We were making some progress with the company at ACAS but on Saturday they presented a paper which amounts to a surrender document. A charter which, if implemented who destroy the service we provide, your terms and conditions and remove the union from every workplace.
Their proposal included:
• No job security commitments whatsoever - opening the door for compulsory redundancies
• 3.5% on pay for Royal Mail – not backdated
• Nil pay for Parcelforce
• 3% pay for Fleet – not backdated and conditional on accepting the outsourcing of Fleet work, leading to compulsory redundancies
• Later start and finishing times that will see the company abandoning the AM delivery period, forever denying growth opportunities and new products and services being developed.
• A combined proposal on flexibility and seasonal variations that means the company will be in total control of when you work and when you don’t.
• Technology being used to bare down on and monitor postal workers every minute of the day.
• Royal Mail Group is demanding the CWU withdraws support for members who have submitted employment tribunals for unlawful pay deductions during recent periods of strike action.
• Royal Mail Group is demanding that local representatives and members must fully accept their revision proposals without any opportunity for these to be negotiated at local level.
• Royal Mail Group is demanding the CWU be removed from the workplace and will only recognise us in the future as a company union – there only to help introduce their plans.
• Ill health and sick pay slashed.
• Allowances slashed.
• Removal of Sunday premium payment.

In stark contrast, the union have tabled a proposal yesterday (Monday) aimed at making a serious attempt to resolve the dispute. We focus on:
• A guarantee on no compulsory redundancies.
• The restoration of the agreed MTSF process for any voluntary redundancies – respecting seniority.
• An improved 18 month pay deal including backpay – applied to all grades
• An alternative business strategy that would see the company leverage its competitive advantage of delivering to 32 million addresses each day rather than turning Royal Mail Group into a gig economy parcel employer.
• CWU Reps to be fully involved and able to negotiate on local revisions.
• A joint review of our sick policies.
• No agreement to annualised hours
• A review of our agreements and Royal Mail Group / CWU relationships

We believe, and we know you will too, that our proposal is fair, would give both parties breathing space to reach a full agreement and would reward you for your outstanding contributions.

We have seen the number of moves Royal Mail Group have made during the dispute – refusing to meet us, announcing 10,000 redundancies, implementing an unagreed VR process and offering desperate strike breaking payments in some areas of the company. We must expect more of the same in the coming days.

The most important thing is what we do. We must stick together. We realise how hard this is and that the employer is attempting to starve back its workforce. The choice now for everyone though is a straight one: You are either with Simon Thompson and the destruction of a 500-year-old service or you are with your colleagues, friends and union.

We need to deliver the biggest support for strike action in the history of the union. We need the employer left in absolutely no doubt how you feel about their actions.

We know you will make the right choice. Stand together and we will deliver an agreement.
Thank you as always for your outstanding support.

Solidarity
Dave Ward General Secretary
Andy Furey Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

[hantsemployee]

Secondly, we want you to ask the meeting for a show of hands at the end of your speech. The question we want you to ask CWU members in your office is “Do you support a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail Group CEO, Simon Thompson?”.
We ask you to take a photo of the office voting (hands up) and send it via WhatsApp to 07701 397351 – We will then give the images from across the UK the widest possible coverage.

This is insulting at this point. Absolutely futile.

[moonjaguar]

What is the point in doing this? Genuine question.

[toonshola]

Secondly, we want you to ask the meeting for a show of hands at the end of your speech. The question we want you to ask CWU members in your office is “Do you support a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail Group CEO, Simon Thompson?”.
We ask you to take a photo of the office voting (hands up) and send it via WhatsApp to 07701 397351 – We will then give the images from across the UK the widest possible coverage.

This is insulting at this point. Absolutely futile.

Yeah I’ll not be taking part in this stunt. Would prefer not to be in their embarrassing self congratulatory “solidarity” bullshit pictures on Facebook.

[daveyeff]

we've been talking with them since February ffs. and we've just had 15 days of 'intense' talks. they obviously don't understand how we feel. time our union leaders took the f***ing gloves off and show these bastards we mean business.

[chickenwittle]

Secondly, we want you to ask the meeting for a show of hands at the end of your speech. The question we want you to ask CWU members in your office is “Do you support a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail Group CEO, Simon Thompson?”.
We ask you to take a photo of the office voting (hands up) and send it via WhatsApp to 07701 397351 – We will then give the images from across the UK the widest possible coverage.

This is insulting at this point. Absolutely futile.

Embarrassing to be doing this nonsense so late in the day , the CWU are obviously out of ideas now.

[Sputters]

Secondly, we want you to ask the meeting for a show of hands at the end of your speech. The question we want you to ask CWU members in your office is “Do you support a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail Group CEO, Simon Thompson?”.
We ask you to take a photo of the office voting (hands up) and send it via WhatsApp to 07701 397351 – We will then give the images from across the UK the widest possible coverage.

This is insulting at this point. Absolutely futile.

Does the union seriously think this will change Simon and royal mails mind . Its all getting child like now .

[SMS1969]

Secondly, we want you to ask the meeting for a show of hands at the end of your speech. The question we want you to ask CWU members in your office is “Do you support a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail Group CEO, Simon Thompson?”.
We ask you to take a photo of the office voting (hands up) and send it via WhatsApp to 07701 397351 – We will then give the images from across the UK the widest possible coverage.

This is insulting at this point. Absolutely futile.

Absolutely pointless,futile and frankly laughable. Do you really think Simon and his cronies care about a show of hands.

[RHONE]

Our rep made a point of talking to us today 1st time since I.A to tell us NO gate meeting tomorrow
.......... Maybe he's got things to do

[dazer0070]

Correct me if I’m wrong but with all the strike dates already taken and the ones planned, it’s 20 days in total. Making it about £2000 we would have lost and we’ve at a stage of being asked to participate in this kind of pointless, desperate and embarrassing stunt. Christ almighty, what a f#%k up!!

[ninja22]

I imagine it's just to show solidarity if all members of The CWU are shown to be united against the CEO and his latest proposal.

[Surreypostie]

We had two ballots, we already got smashed on the no strings pay rise, I won't be putting my hand up, it is totally pointless. The board are backing Simon, they won't give two sh***s about us putting our hands up.

[Evenflow10]

This is what we’re paying for?! This won’t make a difference to anything at all, Simon Thompson must be pissing himself laughing at dealing with this union. Absolute nonsense.

[hazzeem025]

f***ing pointless!! You threw away the chance of the no confidence vote because you wanted to 'desculate' and now you pull a stunt like this. Bollocks! It's not the school playground. Absolutely pathetic.

[Trumanity]

Secondly, we want you to ask the meeting for a show of hands at the end of your speech. The question we want you to ask CWU members in your office is “Do you support a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail Group CEO, Simon Thompson?”.
We ask you to take a photo of the office voting (hands up) and send it via WhatsApp to 07701 397351 – We will then give the images from across the UK the widest possible coverage.

This is insulting at this point. Absolutely futile.

Our rep is having a coffee and a fag at Beeston...we haven't even got a gate meeting. We are the biggest office outside the mail centre in Nottingham!!!