It is what every union does

[sixfoottwo]

What has happened to the union mantra "the employer can't implement thier plans without the backing of the workforce, they just won't work"

I guess that's been thrown out the window along with our T&C`s

[south London postie]

I take on board what's been said here but I also have in mind Daniel Kretinsky's puppet (Simon Thompson) doing what he can to drive down the share price. Anyone who knows anything about accounts knows they are art as much as fact, and that's how I feel about the company 'losses', especially in the context of driving down the share price (as best they can), dividends and board bonuses. It wasn't that long ago the last Board said the same while asset stripping (closing offices) and 'massaging' annual accounts as well. Boards come, Boards go, they will always say things are always going from bad to worse - all the while the company is a sitting financial duck in a growing parcel market.

Ask yourselves; why would a billionaire want 20% - now 24%, apparently - with a view to all of it?

With the billionaire#'s puppet (Thompson) leaving and the possible the firm will be renationalised in 18-months, there is much on, and just over, the horizon. Internet parcel and packages are not going away. A year and a bit from now things will look very different.

[RTP]

RTP, we are working through this we have up to 90 and now working up to 60. We would also want to show you what Royal Mail’s up to 3 hours proposal did for your unit.

Martin we really need these finish times of each delivery office before the ballot otherwise we are voting blind.

I have been ok lately, just cracking on and turning a blind eye to certain things, but had a bad day today with the piss being taken out of me and tbh have gone from being a "yes sod it they will just bring things in anyway" to a "enough is enough".

Please don't take us all for granted. It will be the worst mistake the CWU could make.

[Mr Rush]

Martin we really need these finish times of each delivery office before the ballot otherwise we are voting blind.

The company loves to seize upon a technicality. What chance of their lawyers having the ballot halted on those grounds?

[RTP]

Martin the longer this goes on the more I get to look, watch, take things in, think about things and get to change my mind.

It's not good and things are getting worse even before the ballot and you know that anyway..

I have 5yrs until retirement and after all my years of service to this company including covid instead of the flightpath to 35hrs, the flightpath is from 37hrs to 40hrs. Yes I can book the overtime and yes I can just work my hours, but then we all know what is coming next and that is pressure from performance targets no matter what, so I just get on with it. I also actually still quite like my job. The banter inside has all but gone, but outdoors we are still appreciated and valued a lot more than a lot of posties realise and I like working outdoors in the fresh air.

Yes things move on and changes have to happen, but lets just look at a few things here. When I started this job if a lot of new builds came to an area the office had extra hours put into that office for the new builds. Now that just seems to be totally ignored and it's a one size fits all. X amount of hours have to be taken out of each office and the workload put onto all rounds in that office and divided between all the rounds in that office. No ifs no buts, it is what it is.

We had the so called "retirement rounds". Older workers coming to the end of their careers. They gave their working lives to a public service, but the joints go, they inevitably slow down and can't run around like they could in their 20's or 30's. Everyone including the Doms understood this. What happens now though.? It's a one size fits all again and more and more work is put on them as well as everybody else.

So lets get on to sick pay and IHR. Well I have had less sick days than the actual years I have worked for RM. A lot less, but there may come a time when I need it along with a decent IHR benefit now that in my final years of work I am being tasked with more and more work, but the union have agreed to cut both even considering all the above.

I can get starting an hour later and have finally got my head around that, but that is only because my kids are not kids anymore. Feel sorry for the younger workers in that respect. Seasonal hours though? Dear me.

The work plan and agreement is looking more and more flawed as soon as day turns to night and that is without even going into the 10% payrise over 3yrs in the current climate.

[Dorset Plodder]

Well put RTP

A "Realistic" assessment of our problems in Deliveries. The indoor atmosphere has definately worsened, most posties just saying, "Fcuk It .. I'm finishing on time and bringing back what's left"! Which is OK at present but we're already feeling the pressure coming through from Management to start prioritising Tracked again, and questioning why you're bringing mail back. You can tell they're going through the motions knowing that it's not doable but they've been told to sort it!

I've had a look at the new Performance Management tool that the COM was getting excited about and if it's a YES vote I can see him using it more. Anyone complains and they'll simply say, "Well your Union agreed to it, and you lot Voted for it"!

[Cedar_Room]

Martin the longer this goes on the more I get to look, watch, take things in, think about things and get to change my mind.

It's not good and things are getting worse even before the ballot and you know that anyway..

I have 5yrs until retirement and after all my years of service to this company including covid instead of the flightpath to 35hrs, the flightpath is from 37hrs to 40hrs. Yes I can book the overtime and yes I can just work my hours, but then we all know what is coming next and that is pressure from performance targets no matter what, so I just get on with it. I also actually still quite like my job. The banter inside has all but gone, but outdoors we are still appreciated and valued a lot more than a lot of posties realise and I like working outdoors in the fresh air.

Yes things move on and changes have to happen, but lets just look at a few things here. When I started this job if a lot of new builds came to an area the office had extra hours put into that office for the new builds. Now that just seems to be totally ignored and it's a one size fits all. X amount of hours have to be taken out of each office and the workload put onto all rounds in that office and divided between all the rounds in that office. No ifs no buts, it is what it is.

We had the so called "retirement rounds". Older workers coming to the end of their careers. They gave their working lives to a public service, but the joints go, they inevitably slow down and can't run around like they could in their 20's or 30's. Everyone including the Doms understood this. What happens now though.? It's a one size fits all again and more and more work is put on them as well as everybody else.

So lets get on to sick pay and IHR. Well I have had less sick days than the actual years I have worked for RM. A lot less, but there may come a time when I need it along with a decent IHR benefit now that in my final years of work I am being tasked with more and more work, but the union have agreed to cut both even considering all the above.

I can get starting an hour later and have finally got my head around that, but that is only because my kids are not kids anymore. Feel sorry for the younger workers in that respect. Seasonal hours though? Dear me.

The work plan and agreement is looking more and more flawed as soon as day turns to night and that is without even going into the 10% payrise over 3yrs in the current climate.

[ted_e_bear]

Well put RTP

A "Realistic" assessment of our problems in Deliveries. The indoor atmosphere has definately worsened, most posties just saying, "Fcuk It .. I'm finishing on time and bringing back what's left"! Which is OK at present but we're already feeling the pressure coming through from Management to start prioritising Tracked again, and questioning why you're bringing mail back. You can tell they're going through the motions knowing that it's not doable but they've been told to sort it!

I've had a look at the new Performance Management tool that the COM was getting excited about and if it's a YES vote I can see him using it more. Anyone complains and they'll simply say, "Well your Union agreed to it, and you lot Voted for it"!

What's the performance management tool ?

[Dorset Plodder]

The COM gets a readout on his laptop ... Surprise Surprise with horizontal "Bars" for whoever in the office has been a naughty postie.

It covers such things as customer complaints, time keeping, Failed Tracked, Failed Specials. And ranks all the posties in a kind of League Table ... Naughtiest at the Top! I wasn't paying too much attention as he was trying to Gaslight me about failing Tracked Items at the time.

I believe at the moment it's one of those things that they're not allowed to use (but they're gathering data anyway). He was getting pretty excited that once everyone's kissed and made up it'll be full steam ahead and he'll finally be able to sort out those Lazy Posties. Perhaps someone further up the Totem Pole can be more helpfull?

[milly]

I take on board what's been said here but I also have in mind Daniel Kretinsky's puppet (Simon Thompson) doing what he can to drive down the share price. Anyone who knows anything about accounts knows they are art as much as fact, and that's how I feel about the company 'losses', especially in the context of driving down the share price (as best they can), dividends and board bonuses. It wasn't that long ago the last Board said the same while asset stripping (closing offices) and 'massaging' annual accounts as well. Boards come, Boards go, they will always say things are always going from bad to worse - all the while the company is a sitting financial duck in a growing parcel market.

Ask yourselves; why would a billionaire want 20% - now 24%, apparently - with a view to all of it?

With the billionaire#'s puppet (Thompson) leaving and the possible the firm will be renationalised in 18-months, there is much on, and just over, the horizon. Internet parcel and packages are not going away. A year and a bit from now things will look very different.

Why would Royal Mail be nationalised in 18 months?
You think the Red half of the UniParty are going to re-nationalise us, hilarious ?

[denhamhoop]

The COM gets a readout on his laptop ... Surprise Surprise with horizontal "Bars" for whoever in the office has been a naughty postie.

It covers such things as customer complaints, time keeping, Failed Tracked, Failed Specials. And ranks all the posties in a kind of League Table ... Naughtiest at the Top! I wasn't paying too much attention as he was trying to Gaslight me about failing Tracked Items at the time.

I believe at the moment it's one of those things that they're not allowed to use (but they're gathering data anyway). He was getting pretty excited that once everyone's kissed and made up it'll be full steam ahead and he'll finally be able to sort out those Lazy Posties. Perhaps someone further up the Totem Pole can be more helpfull?

We already have this at our MC(Probably unagreed much like most bad aspects of Agreements Greenford like to be ahead of the curve) The manager has you sit in what we now call "The Mastermind Chair" and discuss how you can "improve your performance" and with the whole new use of PDA's in the SD Locker fully expect at least 3 or 4 of the normal Locker Staff will become quite familiar with this Chair. This system suits me down to the ground take your time don't cut corners and do the job the way you are meant to do and go home on time. If there is work left to do at that time that is Management's problem not yours

[Momo90210]

We won nothing.

Not a flaming thing.

You were told by members time, and time again, it wasn't pay that worried them most, but the amount of more damage you might allow Royal Mail to inflict on our jobs, and our ever-shrinking T&Cs.

The in-road you have given those utter bastards to cut our sick pay is, quite frankly, the most astounding turd I've ever seen a union hurl at it's workers. They will be back demanding more, and get it, too.

Absorbtion. Remember agreeing to that?
It'll only be on the lightest day of the week, they whined. Remember?
Now look at the absolute f***ing state of it, and the members you threw under the bus by agreeing to such an awful proposal, that have to endure the daily pressure that f***ing piece of shite brings.

Those bastards you've let tickle your tummy, do not fear you, Ward, Fury, the CWU.
They know that with experienced full-timers coming towards the end of this f***ing sorry road, and I, along with 2 others at my very understaffed office, being among them, and with very angry members who have supported this union, losing pay even during Christmas, quitting the union because, well, because why not? They know they have you on the run.
Your presence in the workplace isn't going to worry RM bosses, not anymore.

You bloody, stupid, fools.
Sick pay cut.
Below inflation pay rise.
Later starts.
Deliveries anything up to 6 hours long.

Longer deliveries will see an increase in sickness.
Just as it did when you allowed the bastards to inflict 4 hour deliveries on us.
The company's answer to this, is the inhumane one, cut their sick pay to deter them from taking the time they need off.

I can't f***ing believe any union man worth his salt would condone that shite.

We won nothing, f**k all, nada.

Absolutely superb post. Don't forget the cut to IHR. Utter shambles

[sweepster70]

We won nothing.

Not a flaming thing.

You were told by members time, and time again, it wasn't pay that worried them most, but the amount of more damage you might allow Royal Mail to inflict on our jobs, and our ever-shrinking T&Cs.

The in-road you have given those utter bastards to cut our sick pay is, quite frankly, the most astounding turd I've ever seen a union hurl at it's workers. They will be back demanding more, and get it, too.

Absorbtion. Remember agreeing to that?
It'll only be on the lightest day of the week, they whined. Remember?
Now look at the absolute f***ing state of it, and the members you threw under the bus by agreeing to such an awful proposal, that have to endure the daily pressure that f***ing piece of shite brings.

Those bastards you've let tickle your tummy, do not fear you, Ward, Fury, the CWU.
They know that with experienced full-timers coming towards the end of this f***ing sorry road, and I, along with 2 others at my very understaffed office, being among them, and with very angry members who have supported this union, losing pay even during Christmas, quitting the union because, well, because why not? They know they have you on the run.
Your presence in the workplace isn't going to worry RM bosses, not anymore.

You bloody, stupid, fools.
Sick pay cut.
Below inflation pay rise.
Later starts.
Deliveries anything up to 6 hours long.

Longer deliveries will see an increase in sickness.
Just as it did when you allowed the bastards to inflict 4 hour deliveries on us.
The company's answer to this, is the inhumane one, cut their sick pay to deter them from taking the time they need off.

I can't f***ing believe any union man worth his salt would condone that shite.

We won nothing, f**k all, nada.

I agree with the majority of what you say apart from quitting the Union. We the members are the Union and if we dwindle then we're truly f****d.

[guardianangel]

I have been a contributor on here from the very early days ,had names like Dingo , The Truth and now under my real name. I am as entitled to post as any other poster to explain the deal and context.

I am always happy to debate things. However if you simply slag off or abuse a post or poster your not winning any debate , your simply shouting the loudest and you have lost the argument.

We balloted on pay and change two separate ballots but Royal Mail made it clear that pay would have to be linked to strings.

The reballot was pay and changed combined.

I never once thought that we would reach an agreement by stopping everything Royal Mail wanted to change.

It was never going to happen. Royal Mail needs to change or it is finished.

The decision for the union is how could we reduce , or change what Royal Mail wanted to introduce.

In addition how much pay could we get in a company which will announce on 17th May record losses and with an estimated further loss next year to stump up on pay.

13 years after privatisation we were always going to have this kind of dispute. Every other privatised company has faced it from British Airways , British Gas and British Telecom.

The business plan was to slash costs , try and introduce owner drivers and an alternative workforce to do the growth work ie parcels and then to make the existing workforce work harder and faster by introducing performance standards which if you did not achieve you were managed out the door. They also wanted to introduce compulsory redundancies to reduce the workforce.

This agreement is night and day away from that plan. Some on here gloss over what Royal Mail’s original proposals actually were and try to say they were never going to happen. Very easy thing to say now they are off the table but it took strike action the union refusal to agreement to take compulsory redundancies , compulsory Sundays , no finishing times and the first 7 days of sick at SSP rate off the table.

All union’s negotiators get to a place where they have run out of road, which means there are no more concessions to be had and no more pay to be got.

In our union rule book and in most of unions is written you then consult the membership and they along with Branch’s will decide if the agreement is good enough.

The RMT did this and got heavily criticised by its members for not putting a recommendation to the proposed agreement because the signal workers wanted the agreement.

The RCN put the deal to it members who rejected the deal even thou they recommended it to their members. The Government are refusing to negotiate further as other unions have accepted the same deal.

The CWU have done the same. However the serious financial position of the company must be a major factor in anyone’s final decision. The accounts don’t lie and when they announce it on 17 May we all might shout to record profits they made and the payment of the bonuses and dividends to shareholders. However that does not change the fact they are now band in trouble.

But we cannot change Royal Mail’s original plan and argue let’s stay the same. That is pie in the sky stuff.

Unfortunately things like coming off planes cannot be stopped whether you go on strike forever.

Start times cannot stay the same and delivery the mail which needs to go out on that day.

Instead the choice is do you want Royal Mail’s plan of up to 3 hours later start or do you want the agreement commitment which will mean 63% of units will finish before 15:30 and 93% before 16:00 and we have 9 months to try and reduce the later start impact via the joint working groups reviewing the inward mail centre.

Again on seasonal variations the choice is not that there will be no change but whether you want Royal Mail’s annualised hours approach with no finishing times and payroll linked to Siso.

Or you want seasonal variations where you know a year ahead what your working hours are and your not committed to work past your time.

Remember Royal Mail have employed a number of senior directors from Land Rover jaguar and they have been pushing annualised hours and flexi bank approach in a massive way.

They argue traffic is between 10% and 20% less in the summer but most units have got the same number of duties and hours across the year.

So this is another area where there was never going to be no change.

On sick pay , this is a difficult one as again if it was a pic and mix we would not agree this section but it was not Royal Mail made it clear that any agreement had to include all parts of their business plan.

Again around 25% normally come under the terms of the attendance procedure. It is not an area where if this was the only issue they would necessarily take strike action over.

Royal Mail say they sick pay is costing them circa 250 million on sick pay and absence costs.

They had threatened to impose it , instead we have got a number of changes which includes SSP being reversed if sick comes down to 5.5%.

So there is no sheep , there are two views , one who believes that this is the best deal which can be negotiated and the rejection will mean things get worse in the workplace and those who want to vote no which is Theron right to do so but they have yet to explain what they want to do then ?

"THE ROYAL MAIL made it clear" there is the unions 1st mistake bowing down to dictation ,we will never get what we truly deserve if our union is on the back foot from day 1. Lack of strong leadership is where we are going wrong and if anybody in their tiny mind thinks any of these changes will be reversed you're as mad as our union leaders,and before you say what would i do well i say it "VOTE NO and call strikes"

[freespeech]

I take on board what's been said here but I also have in mind Daniel Kretinsky's puppet (Simon Thompson) doing what he can to drive down the share price. Anyone who knows anything about accounts knows they are art as much as fact, and that's how I feel about the company 'losses', especially in the context of driving down the share price (as best they can), dividends and board bonuses. It wasn't that long ago the last Board said the same while asset stripping (closing offices) and 'massaging' annual accounts as well. Boards come, Boards go, they will always say things are always going from bad to worse - all the while the company is a sitting financial duck in a growing parcel market.

Ask yourselves; why would a billionaire want 20% - now 24%, apparently - with a view to all of it?

With the billionaire#'s puppet (Thompson) leaving and the possible the firm will be renationalised in 18-months, there is much on, and just over, the horizon. Internet parcel and packages are not going away. A year and a bit from now things will look very different.

Renationalised! Not.....a........chance........in........hell.