Thinking of leaving the CWU

[dvbuk55]

Would that not be a hardship fund? We were all fighting for what we believed to be a just cause and you'd be wrong to suggest I voted for either of them. I would have voted for someone who had the bottle to see it through. I find your advocacy of the leadership somewhat misplaced. I'll look for the LTB.

[slave]

Contemplated leaving the union a few times before now.. Haven't, yet..

Tried communicating with those higher up to express my views but either ignorance or arrogance seems to prevail - so that just gives me more reason for saying goodbye to them! Why is it the higher up people get the more useless they become???

[BELIAL]

Change of leadership is irrelevant - that won't undo whats been done and by the time theres a change of leadership most will already be looking for other jobs anyway.

If this guy is happy with the status quo I'm seriously suspicious

[norbert]

Whenever I contemplate leaving the Union I just try to picture working for Royal Mail without a Union. That scares me enough.


Also its hard to change something from the outside its a lot easier to do it from within. Perhaps we should start a No 10 petition to have Crowe be a work place trainer for Dave and Billy.

I've met Bob Crow and he is an excellent speaker but lets put things in perspective. At the moment he gets publicity for the Tube situation. Bob doesn't just represent the Tube Drivers. RMT cover the whole train network (along with other unions) and also the buses. In most areas bus companies struggle to recruit because pay is so poor.

On pensions (a big issue for us at the moment) the rail industries schemes are in a right mess right across the sector.

The whole network was privatised by the Tories - Something that the CWU defeated!

I bet that if you ask a hell of a lot of RMT members outside the Tube tehye wouldn't have too much praise for Mr Crow!

Its a bit like Dave Ward being in total control of one area of the union whilst the rest of the country is all over the place. Surely the sign of good leadership is representating and protecting the weak as well as the strong.

The RMT is a different kettle of fish , the railway was deliberately split up to neutralize the RMT , ASLEF & TSSA , the Tory privatization backfired with ASLEF drivers just upping sticks and going to work with better companies . They got salaries that were unthinkable in BR days . After 96 the TOC's ( Train Operating Companies Association ) really went for ASLEF but eventually they left the Union alone as traditionally the golden rule is don't upset a driver or he/she will stop the job .

The bus drivers that work for the likes of Stagecoach , First Group i.e. the same firms that have the railway franchisees have the drivers tied to those companies for two years as the companies have paid for the PSV training . With all respect to the T&G , they're not a patch on ASLEF or the RMT .

People accused the late Jimmy Knapp and his "corrupt right wing old guard " of selling out but like the CWU now ( unlike 98) they were fighting too many battles on too many fronts . You will get a swing to a more militant left but not every one on the railway is too enamored with Crowe , a mate of mine was TUC Trade Unionist of the year in the 90's but he's had to kick off about disappearing Stalinist style from pictures .

Crowe is a good organizer full stop, the strikes he calls are always spot on but lousy politically , also you have to remember it's easier to deal with those privatized companies than Hayes & Ward dealing with L&C , Brown & his ministers , Postcon , the EEC et all . Also the RMT have been through all the trench warfare that the PO has been going through in the last 2 + years .

Some things Crowe gets right like Metronet PPP being a accident waiting to happen , that's cost the country a fortune but there's certain things he has done that the RMT old guard would have never done .

Don't get me wrong , I'm not one for putting the white flag up to bullies like L&C but you have to be pragmatic about some realities .

[Night Tonic]

Blimey Norbert, I don't disagree with any of that - particularly last bit. I've said this a few times, CWU are up against something way bigger. This is NOT just a fight against L&C and why CWU hit a brick wall.

[alangate]

leaving the union is not the answer WE are the union start knocking on the right doors and change things don't just give up, the biggest problem we have is communication, stupid really when that is our union. So write letters make phone calls, if you feel frustrated but don't leave it is our only voice, LETS USE IT PROPERLY.

Hi If we make a mistake as we can do and for some reason it gets out of hand,I would rather have the weight of the union behind me, rather than go in without representation.
Think about it before you or anyone resigns for the C W U . some of the reps are very good and will do what they can for you.

[norbert]

Blimey Norbert, I don't disagree with any of that - particularly last bit. I've said this a few times, CWU are up against something way bigger. This is NOT just a fight against L&C and why CWU hit a brick wall.

Word is that Ward was threatened by Brown , I'm inclined to believe it , I'll post something about Brown when he was chancellor and the new labour cabinet , it's a bit shady

I've heard from some very good Westminster sources that Brown has no control over his ministers which is "interesting ">

Leighton and his mouthpieces ie DUM's , MCM's `& SM's would soon smell blood if someone left the union and it would be exactly what the Kray twins and their Snr Mgrs would want .

Don't ever go in without representation as everything is purely to impress middle and senior management .

[jafferpants]

Stay in the union, mate. The two berks we have in charge, will stay in charge, if there's a mass exodus of members. When the time comes, I'm gonna
take great pleasure in putting my "x" against whoever it is that stands against them.

One day we'll have our very own Bob Crowe, but not if we desert the union.

I admire your sentiment mate but the reallity is that in 40 years service the nearest thing i've seen to a "bob crowe" is the wife, without the "bob" bit. Joking aside can anyone name a union leader who was not there to feather his own nest.

[mucker]

i couldnt agree with you more,best post ive seen on here for a while

[mucker]

I am thinking of leaving the CWU

I am tired of supporting the CWU in strikes only to end up with a reduction of my rights

Dispite having RM on the ropes several times in the last STRIKE, we ended up with RM getting its own way, just in gradual stages instead of all at once.

My overtime, early start time ( My Wife has had to change HER job to accomedate these changes because RM imposed these without any thought to me and my personal circumstances), driving allowance, night duty allowance, and ENJOYMENT / RESPECT have all gone

Soon to go too are my right to privacy ( spy in the van / handheld GPS signature units ) , right to walk at a reasonable speed ( pegasus walkspeeds are UP ! ) , summer lapsing , increased D2D items , RF tagging of letters to SPY on indaviduals , longs & shorts, crap footware and managers that are obsessed with " where is your HiVis jacket (yet IGNORE every other health & safety issue in the office !

COUNTLESS cost saving exercises resulting in an ever increasing workload ( everytime a job becomes vacant, its not staffed.....It has to be absorbed in the next round of savings ! )

The list goes on and on ( too many to things to type in now )

And to top it all off, there is yet another RE-sign and dispite my duty NOT changing in any way.....I am NOT allowed to retain it ( Even though the WAY FORWARD agreement clearly states that I am within my rights to keep my duty (section 16 subsection 1 &2 )- Both the DOM and the CWU rep won't let me stop on it

A change in duty will lead to yet another change in my personal childcare / homelife /wifes work

Why am I paying for a CWU that WON'T protect my rights

Why am I paying CWU political levie to a party who are damaging my employment

What more do I have that an non union member who walked over the picket line and earned money in the last strike

They are still working & getting paid the same as me for NONE of the pain of striking !

I will now have to WORK 5 YEARS LONGER & HARDER FOR A REDUCED PENSION

I thought a union was supposed to fight for more workers rights, NOT JUST SLOW DOWN THEIR REMOVAL !

WHY ARE WE ALL SUFFERING IN SILENCE OVER THIS

i couldnt agree with you more,best post ive seen on here for a while

[DirtyHarry]

Stay in the union, mate. The two berks we have in charge, will stay in charge, if there's a mass exodus of members. When the time comes, I'm gonna
take great pleasure in putting my "x" against whoever it is that stands against them.

One day we'll have our very own Bob Crowe, but not if we desert the union.

I admire your sentiment mate but the reallity is that in 40 years service the nearest thing i've seen to a "bob crowe" is the wife, without the "bob" bit. Joking aside can anyone name a union leader who was not there to feather his own nest.

Never say never, that's my motto, Jaffer mate. I'm not a historian, but I'm pretty sure there were men of real conviction leading the trade union
movement, especially during the first half of the 20th century. In this day and age, though they may be few and far between, and given we may be
witnessing the beginnings of a decline/death of Thatcherite principles in this country, I feel sure that there are men and women out there who will come
to the fore. All that's needed is a little patience.