National ballot delayed

[Martin Walsh]

The National industrial action ballot has been delayed by a week due to 18 branch"s not returning their membership records in order for the union to serve notice in line with employment laws.

Measures have been taken to ensure those branch"s are contacted and the membership is confirmed.

Frustrating or what !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ahebban]

Frustrating is putting it mildly! I can hear the moans and groans tomorrow, questioning HQ, their compentence etc irrespective of whether it is their fault or not.

If one could guarantee a 'Yes' vote from the remaining branches I would be tempted to exlude the 18 branches from taking part in the ballot, thereby resulting in any industrial action they take as unofficial!

It is difficult enough to keep members focused on the issues as it is without seemingly shooting ourselves in the effing foot at times like this. It just makes the CWU look incompetent and hardly inspires confidence.

Is there no way the majority of members can go ahead and vote leaving the late branches to catch up?

[Stormproof]

Why was'nt this addressed sooner, surely someone at HQ's could've gone to the offices or got the Area Reps on to it sooner. Shambles!

[springs]

i hate to say it but are these 18 branches actully up for the fight

[Martin Walsh]

The simple answer is no . You can only have a national ballot where you can aggregate votes across the uk. If you choose to ballot all the other branch"s without the 18 then you have to ballot each workplace indivudally which also adds time. Of course if you go down this route you dont have to ballot those of us who already have yes votes.

This time it is not CWU HQs fault but the branch"s who have not returned them in line with the timetable.

[springs]

dare i ask who these 18 branches are who have let the side down ?

[dvbuk55]

The simple answer is no . You can only have a national ballot where you can aggregate votes across the uk. If you choose to ballot all the other branch"s without the 18 then you have to ballot each workplace indivudally which also adds time. Of course if you go down this route you dont have to ballot those of us who already have yes votes.

This time it is not CWU HQs fault but the branch"s who have not returned them in line with the timetable.

Well who was responsible at HQ for seeing that the branch returns were in? What's the hold up? The ballot isn't due to start until the 9th - we are in the age of electronic communications - ever heard of the fax? Lets get full time union officials round to the branch and get their ars* in gear. It's a worrying sign delaying the ballot on what is in truth a flimsy excuse. Let those branchs' be named and shamed.

[Martin Walsh]

Dvbuk the problem is that you have to give 7 days notice to the employer prior to ballot papers going out. This notice has to detail what grades your balloting and the numbers of people your balloting.

The CWU cannot do that without those Branchs checking the infomation. Look I couldt be bothered who"s fault it is the fact is that its delayed and after this thursday London would have taken 10 days strike action so far in this dispute with another day agreed for next week. . Of course other members around the country are making scarfices on behalf of all us as well.

But the point issurely those Branch"s could have managed to stick to the timetable and yes they were prompted or at least should have been.

[mandelsons_toenail]

well its not my office as I checked the members off the list!

[brothermagrew]

The National industrial action ballot has been delayed by a week due to 18 branch"s not returning their membership records in order for the union to serve notice in line with employment laws.

Measures have been taken to ensure those branch"s are contacted and the membership is confirmed.

Frustrating or what !!!!!!!!!!!!

And that's putting it mildly.

So what is the likely schedule of events now then?

Notice to employer issued 9th September 2009
Ballot papers issued to members 16th September 2009
Ballot closes 30th September 2009

Or what?

[donut]

ROYALMAIL WORKERS UP FOR A FIGHT .....130,000.

TIMETABLE FOR THE NATIONAL BALLOT.......30 DAYS.

THE FACT THAT CWU HQ COULD`NT GET IT RIGHT AGAIN ......PRICELESS !!

THERE`S SOME THINGS COMPETENCE CAN`T BUY.......
FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THERE`S BILLY HAYES !!

[Martin Walsh]

The PEC is due to meet next tuesday. Biily has written to those Branch"s who have not returned the membership listings and regional secretaries and PEC members will contact them tomorrow. Hopefully all will be sorted by next tuesday and notice can then be served by Weds.

[pinstripe]

On the plus side, at least we are doing it right. Remember any mistake, however small and RM will be in front of a judge. I don't know what the cost of conducting a national ballot is, but at least we'll save the expenditure of a failed ballot. Yes it is disappointing, but it's only another week, which is even more time for RM to further reinforce the memberships resolve with their usual antics, increasing the likelihood of an even more resounding Yes vote.

[dvbuk55]

I just wonder who the CWU is being funded for - the membership or the leadership.

We have a Labour Party which is hell bent on privatisation sooner or later, being funded by this membership without the benefit of a ballot promised months ago, a Government which supports the management tactics and an organisation which is an absolute shambles and despite excuses does not deserve to be exonerated from blame, it is time for change and the sooner the better.Billy should be taking time out from his busy schedule on other matters to RING these branchs not writing letters. To me it is a total cop out - I'm not sure it is the Branch's that aren't up for the fight.

The rank and file are a little bit weary of the never ending faux pas that seem to dog the organisation as it stands and IT IS TIME to start apportioning blame, it is not good enough to say "Oh yes another cock up but lets move on" someone is being paid to organise these things and they should be sacked.

[Martin Walsh]

The Labour party ballot is a fair question and one we are on the same page on. We have wrote to Billy asking for E6 to be activated.

In the meantime all the London membership will be balloted on whether they believe we should fund the labour party from next week . We will announce the result the week before the Labour party conference and will use it to put pressure on the labour governement and the labourites within our union.

we would encourage others to do the same. Our members deserve to have their say on the labour party and we in London will allow them that from next week,