Post workers offer strike moratorium amid deal hopes

[k979aaa]

Yet more appeasement when will our leaders learn the lessons from history and not offer the dictators :cfo of the royalmail yet another olive branch while we are being bushwhacked and beaten down with LAPSING and cost SAVINGS week by week!. While they the CWU H/Q talk of olive branches and more time!. TIME HAS RUN OUT AS HAS THE PATIENCE OF THE MEMBERSHIP END THIS TALK OF APPEASEMENT OR END ANY HOPE OF BACKING FROM THE MEMBERSHIP!.

[fatherchristmas]

agree with previous comments RM management must think we are mugs another 'wait for it lads' 3 months later we go over the wall and the battles already lost because managment have already picked off the week and implemented their savings. I say lets hit the streets while the momentum is with us. A huge yes vote from london and more ready to come on board bring it on.

[Funked!]

Agree with fatherchristmas & K979aaa.

Appeasement has to stop WE tell Royal Mail what's going to happen !

Feel sorry for the lads in Scotland being left out to dry.

Hayes you need to try much harder !!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=18136" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

by Yuri Prasad, in Bournemouth

The CWU union met in Bournemouth this week amid uncertainty over the government’s plans to privatise Royal Mail, a wave of management attacks on the union, and a political crisis that is gripping the government.

While the formal debates on conference floor rarely captured this ferment, the coffee shops and bars that line the seafront were alive to the sound of delegates discussing and arguing over the key issues.

Many delegates were angry at Gordon Brown and his right wing policies.

This mood was coupled with a fear of what a future Tory government might bring.

Revulsion at the election of two BNP MEPs saw one of the biggest anti-fascist fringe meetings at a union conference for many years, as over 100 delegates gathered to plan strat egies for combating racism.

The question of working class political representation was never far from the surface of these discussions.

The postal workers’ section of conference, which opens as Socialist Worker goes to press, is likely to reflect the mood of resistance to Royal Mail shown in the vote for London-wide strike action against cuts and job losses.

Several parts of the country – including parts of the south west and east of England, as well as the east of Scotland – appear ready to join London in taking action. The need for nationally co-ordinated action was clear to many delegates.

Yet the union’s postal executive was set to put an emergency document to the conference which would delay any such national action.

This would offer management a crucial chance to regroup, while the head of steam for strikes that has been meticulously built up in offices that are preparing for action could be lost.

With the government weak and divided there could not be a better time for the CWU to hit back at both it and Royal Mail.

© Socialist Worker (unless otherwise stated). You may republish if you include an active link to the original.

[johnnyp]

Taken from the CWU website

Introducing the next motion, Dave Ward urged members to back the union proposals for a three-month moratorium on industrial action at a time of maximum vulnerability for both the government and RM management.
Dave outlined how talks with RM over recent months had not moved far. "RM are not bothered about what the future of the industry looks like," said Dave, who highlighted mail centres as a key area of disagreement, with the union wanting a national agreement while the company sought to deal with change in a unilateral and piecemeal manner.
The resolution offers a three month-moratorium on industrial action in exchange for a similar commitment from the company over executive action, which the union feels will provide a useful "cooling-off" period, during which both parties can talk seriously over a joint RM/CWU vision of what modernisation really means and resolution of outstanding industrial issues.
Failure to act on this agenda by July 2 will result in a timetable for nationwide industrial action ballots will follow.
Dave pointed to the recent 91 per cent Yes vote for strike action in London, arguing that this vote and others around the country indicated the strength of feeling among members should talks fail. "We are definitely upping the ante for management," said Dave.
Seconding, assistant secretary Terry Pullinger declared that, if RM rejects the proposal then the CWU have to act. "Our members built this industry and have earned the right to shape this industry in the future," he said.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Billy the Grand Old Duke Of Pork marches us up to the top of the hill, than he marched us down again!

[janitor]

London voted 91 percent in favour of IA not a 3 month moratorium, if billy hasn't the stomach for a fight he should move over and allow us to elect someone who has. It was these moratoriums that allowed RM to recover from from the 2007 IA between strikes.

[BELIAL]

So 10% participation in this years elections ,any bets against 1% next time, f***ing jokers Time to get a new representative union perhaps not some management cosy safety valve,unbelievable

[brothermagrew]

Billy the Grand Old Duke Of Pork marches us up to the top of the hill, than he marched us down again!

PRICELESS

[baldrick]

Didn't the CWU offer a moratorium earlier this year, which RM just ignored?

[weetrogg]

Billy the Grand Old Duke Of Pork marches us up to the top of the hill, than he marched us down again!

PRICELESS

Maybe this time we shouldnt come down

[left739]

"Introducing the next motion, Dave Ward urged members to back the union proposals for a three-month moratorium on industrial action at a time of maximum vulnerability for both the government and RM management.
Dave outlined how talks with RM over recent months had not moved far. "RM are not bothered about what the future of the industry looks like," said Dave, who highlighted mail centres as a key area of disagreement, with the union wanting a national agreement while the company sought to deal with change in a unilateral and piecemeal manner.
The resolution offers a three month-moratorium on industrial action in exchange for a similar commitment from the company over executive action, which the union feels will provide a useful "cooling-off" period, during which both parties can talk seriously over a joint RM/CWU vision of what modernisation really means and resolution of outstanding industrial issues.
Failure to act on this agenda by July 2 will result in a timetable for nationwide industrial action ballots will follow.
Dave pointed to the recent 91 per cent Yes vote for strike action in London, arguing that this vote and others around the country indicated the strength of feeling among members should talks fail. "We are definitely upping the ante for management," said Dave.
Seconding, assistant secretary Terry Pullinger declared that, if RM rejects the proposal then the CWU have to act. "Our members built this industry and have earned the right to shape this industry in the future," he said."
from CWU website.

Does anyone know whether by a moratorium on executive action the union means that the imposed changes and revisions are suspended and we go back to the status quo before the executive action in every office - or if it only means no further executive action i.e. those who have already had it imposed on them and were told to wait for a strike are being told to live with it for another three months?

[dvbuk55]

"Does anyone know whether by a moratorium on executive action the union means that the imposed changes and revisions are suspended and we go back to the status quo before the executive action in every office - or if it only means no further executive action i.e. those who have already had it imposed on them and were told to wait for a strike are being told to live with it for another three months?

Just so - they are going to sit on the fence for another three months whilst RM have imposed summer lapsing and introduced all the changes they like through EA as per usual - it may just be that the leadership don't want industrial strife to interfere with their summer holidays arrangements.

Someone ignores you once it may be an oversight - when they continually ignore you it means they have no wish to have any interaction with you - it is certainly time the union realised they are being sidelined - frankly RM couldn't give a toss what the CWU say because they know it is all p*ss and wind.

[POSTMAN]

This is bollox.
But lets wait for dingo for his views.

[Ahebban]

It is clear that the CWU leadership have allowed the part-privatization issue to cloud everything else. However much the CWU and the rank and file despise the prospect of being privatized, it will happen. If not during the lifetime of this Labour government then you can be sure it will be a high priority for the incoming Conservatives! The whole issue has shifted from being a commercial one to a political one.

Executive action and attacks on jobs and terms/conditions are happening on a daily basis. The CWU need to focus their attention on these issues which are threatening DOs, MCs etc the length and breadth of the country and not rubbing shoulders with MPs in Westminster. Rank and file members are looking to the CWU leadership to provide the drive, the initiative, and give people the sense that the issue is a priority. Sadly, calls for strike moratoriums and further talks give out negative signals leaving the membership disillusioned. Area Reps upwards need to be meeting with rank and file members and supporting the frustrated unit reps in their efforts to co-ordinate action in defence of the job, pension and terms and conditions.

Areas in Scotland and London have shown what can be achieved from grass roots support. The leadership of the CWU should not leave any unit, branch or area to take the fight to RM on its own. Have they learned nothing from recent history?