Reps Online Briefing today...

[FilthyBloke]

The leadership of Thompson and his crew have brought RM to the brink of collapse. The priority of the CWU will be to protect an defend members whatever the outcome.


Yet again instead of consensus and thoughtful deliberation in bringing an end to the dispute at this late stage

Fighting talk to stir the pot again as a press release to put the backs up again with Royal Mail

It’s one of the reasons a lot of offices are toxic. The posters and notice boards are full of things like “a storm is coming” and implying that the managers are basically the anti christ. That the company is always against us.

It’s an Us vs Them mentality and the CWU feed off it.
I have a family member who works for the nhs and the union posters there are basically help line numbers and contacts for advice. Not “the war is coming. Stand by your union. Solidarity…..”

It’s like 1942 propaganda. And a lot of issues on my office are because the staff won’t budge from their ‘duty’.

Luckily I don’t subscribe to it so I can miss the gate meetings and weekly videos and letters in the post. The CWU basically ring a bell and shout “the end is nigh! Only by joining us can you be saved!”

I think If they actually did what they are good at and stopped with petty insults at the management and the twitter feed that seems to be run by a 13 year old, it would be better for all of us.

The thing is they rile everyone up, come out with empty slogans and trip over their own feet.

They should focus on the deal and not sound bites.

So filthy i take it you believe that RM have behaved impeccably? In the interest of fairness perhaps you should also mention the other board on the workplace wall and the stuff it has on it, big brother is watching you stuff and 1984 style dictat that gets everybodies backs up. Anti-union slander should always be balanced with anti-management slander to see both sides not just yours. Look i know you think the unions s**t we all get it!! Just try to be balanced in your argument otherwise we will all think you are a RM stooge and i am sure you arent.

I keep saying most of the blame for the current situation is at the door of RM.
I haven’t seen that BigBrother is watching you although it sounds more like a CWU poster to me. The only Royal Mail posters in my office are of happy people scanning properly and other people delighted they are receiving junk mail.

But either way, the union need to be better than turning the office into a schoolyard scuffle with a war zone mentality.

RM were always going to head this way once 2013 happened. All that’s happening now is RM are shouting “my dads better than your dad!” And the union reply “yeah well your mums fat.”

Iv never known so many people in my office (and on here) become so angry with the CWU as they are now. I don’t think the union have helped themselves in the past year at all and now the toxic environmental is at tipping point.

Personally I think the union posters and tweets should be of facts and figures that show that RM are at fault. All of the time. When RM come out with a statement the union should reply with the facts that disprove that statement. Plaster it everywhere. You don’t need slogans and banners for it.

The parliamentary committee meeting worked because RM had no answers to the question and they all looked like incompetent liars. That’s the approach the union need.

This solidarity and brothers in arms and your union needs you stuff is just empty. The insult throwing only suits one side and it ain’t the union.

[SpacePhoenix]

Just Googled quickly and found something interesting:

From: https://business-insolvency-helpline.co ... istration/

During this process, the administrator is required to prioritise the payment of certain debts, such as employee wages and benefits, over other unsecured debts. This means that employees of the company should continue to be paid as normal, unless the administrator determines that there are insufficient funds available to meet these obligations. It is worth noting that the administrator has the power to make changes to the terms of employment, such as reducing wages or altering working hours, in order to try to improve the financial position of the company.

That bit that I've highlighted makes me wonder if the board want RM to enter administration as could that give them carte blanche to force through loads of stuff like Sunday working not being voluntary, all delivery staff needing to be able to drive. Staff having no choice if loaned to another office, all allowances reduced or gone? There's probably other stuff that they would like to force through if they could

[jbo5066]

But I was under the impression, tell me if I'm wrong, if we go into administration the first thing to go will be the board ... After that, the next highest earners, coms (we don't need as many coms as we've got - we've got 3 - there are times when we've coped with one) ... I would imagine the government will still insist on the USO being maintained...

[FilthyBloke]

Just Googled quickly and found something interesting:

From: https://business-insolvency-helpline.co ... istration/

During this process, the administrator is required to prioritise the payment of certain debts, such as employee wages and benefits, over other unsecured debts. This means that employees of the company should continue to be paid as normal, unless the administrator determines that there are insufficient funds available to meet these obligations. It is worth noting that the administrator has the power to make changes to the terms of employment, such as reducing wages or altering working hours, in order to try to improve the financial position of the company.

That bit that I've highlighted makes me wonder if the board want RM to enter administration as could that give them carte blanche to force through loads of stuff like Sunday working not being voluntary, all delivery staff needing to be able to drive. Staff having no choice if loaned to another office, all allowances reduced or gone? There's probably other stuff that they would like to force through if they could

Which is why we need to tread carefully. The company obviously have an agenda and like you have pointed out, administration could be a quick route to their end game.

I’m beginning to think that the longer the union don’t accept a deal the worse off we will be.

[SpacePhoenix]

Just Googled quickly and found something interesting:

From: https://business-insolvency-helpline.co ... istration/

During this process, the administrator is required to prioritise the payment of certain debts, such as employee wages and benefits, over other unsecured debts. This means that employees of the company should continue to be paid as normal, unless the administrator determines that there are insufficient funds available to meet these obligations. It is worth noting that the administrator has the power to make changes to the terms of employment, such as reducing wages or altering working hours, in order to try to improve the financial position of the company.

That bit that I've highlighted makes me wonder if the board want RM to enter administration as could that give them carte blanche to force through loads of stuff like Sunday working not being voluntary, all delivery staff needing to be able to drive. Staff having no choice if loaned to another office, all allowances reduced or gone? There's probably other stuff that they would like to force through if they could

Which is why we need to tread carefully. The company obviously have an agenda and like you have pointed out, administration could be a quick route to their end game.

I’m beginning to think that the longer the union don’t accept a deal the worse off we will be.

It's starting to look like were screwed either way

[Wullie10]

Said for months were heading the same way as the miners and each week its getting closer.

[richietns]

Said for months were heading the same way as the miners and each week its getting closer.

Difference is the coalmines were shutdown almost completely to make way for gas and smokless etc,the government don't want to get rid of the uso its still needed there two different entities.

[SMS1969]

I remember saying to a work colleague last summer that they will push through executive action whatever we do, sadly it seems to be the case. I will never cross a picket line but all appears lost. We will know this week.

[Jinder]

got no money and we are STILL picking parcels up from peoples doors for nowt.

How many more times is this nonsense going to be posted? They are paying the postage! I.e. your wages!

But we make no money when no one’s home, time and time again

[Jinder]

In order to decide whether or not to take further strike action it would be useful to know what each side wants and whether any concessions have been made. We seem to be getting updates from the union which are completely and utterly pointless. Just tell us what they want and what they won’t negotiate on and what they are prepared to pay for said changes. Once this is out in the open, put it to a vote and we’ll make our choice….SIMPLE

[thebigone]

RM as asked for this
Lost £20000 allready
We carry on striking until we win

[redlen]

Win the Ballot win the dispute and pay rise no strings seems rather hollow now.

Let us not forget how this all started the attack on terms and conditions and the smoking gun

[Binsey]

Yep the CWU is in grave danger of ending up like the NUM.

Without the Working Mens Clubs…..

Where did they go?

[Foxel]

prepared to pay for said changes.

Some of us can't be bought.

[DGH]

Personally I think the union posters and tweets should be of facts and figures that show that RM are at fault. All of the time. When RM come out with a statement the union should reply with the facts that disprove that statement. Plaster it everywhere. You don’t need slogans and banners for it.

The parliamentary committee meeting worked because RM had no answers to the question and they all looked like incompetent liars. That’s the approach the union need.

This solidarity and brothers in arms and your union needs you stuff is just empty. The insult throwing only suits one side and it ain’t the union.

Yes. The union are really big on slogans and rhetoric. But as you say, they don't need them. They could just concentrate on broadcasting the facts, and I wish they would.

It's interesting that Post Office employees have been offered 9% from this April with substantial cash lump sum (c.£1500+) in addition, as well as improvements to terms and conditions (holidays, bereavement leave). Granted there are far fewer of them to pay. But it does show the CWU can get a decent deal (and also the CWU are calling this deal 'decent', none of the 'deal of the century'/'best that could have been got' hyperbole that we've had in the past).