How can this strike be won?

[LondonUNISON]

I'm a UNISON rep in local government and have been following the CWU strike. We went on strike over pensions last year and basically after a one day strike our leadership (Dave Prentis who has his head shoved up Blairs/Browns arse) sold us out and we now have to work 5 years more before we retire.

I just wondered what people on here thought of the tactic of one day/two day strikes as again that's what UNISON is proposing in terms of striking against our 2.4% pay offer. I just think they don't work, you just end up going back to work and catching up the work before services really get disrupted. It was the same in the FBU strike a few years back when the on off action just took momentum away.

I've gotta say that I'm not sure disputes where the management/government wants to really dig in can be one with out long term/all out action and as the Royal Mail look like they wanna really take on the CWU I really worry about how on off action will work out.

Is there much support in the CWU for all out action or longer action than one or two days? Can this strike be used to get longer strikes?

Also what is your union leadership like? UNISONs is terrible. Why is that they always end up with a seat in the Lords after they take £80,000 a year in wages. Personally it makes me sick.

[NWpostie]

the big issue is Pensions, that can't be ignored as wel as wages being one of the issues.

[britwrit]

I don't know. This is just my opinion but I thought the rolling one-day-a-week strikes we had earlier this summer were fairly effective. They didn't shut down the system but they sure as heck clogged it up with a lot of excess mail. If we'd kept at it, I think the culmulative effect would've been pretty damaging. On the other hand, you can get all sorts of opinion about it on this board - from it didn't work at all to it was the second storming of the Winter Palace.

Support for this strike? Again, you get all sorts of opinions. I think it's going to be pretty solid, especially because of the pensions issue. People say that most posties aren't that much into math but most of them can tell you to the exact penny how their pension is going to be worth (and to the day how much time they have left until they hit 60). Royal Mail management took a 17-year pension holiday and now they're giving us some sob story about how we're all living longer? No one wants to be pushing a trolley around at the age of 63 just to get a worse deal than the one they had before.

Union leadership? Sorry. Above my pay grade. Anyway, that's my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

[Herodotus]

Although a bit of a play on words we have to concentrate on 'How can this strike be lost?' Yes ..... the Royal Mail are mighty, strong & rich & are going for 'broke' this time! It is good that a member of another Union takes notice of our plight as ..... if our fight is lost ..... it will path the way for the total smashing of the Unions & conditions will revert back to 'Pre William Wilberforce' times! Slavery was abolished in the 1800's! The 'Powers that be' ..... including a 'so called' Socialist Government ..... want a return to the days when workers 'knew their place' & had no job security whatsoever! The Royal Mail can be ground to a halt & 4 x 48hr strikes will cause the initial 'back-log' of mail necessary to effect this aim. 'Rolling' strikes will then stop the 'catch up' & Royal Mail will have to negotiate & think again. We know that our job will change ..... that is inevitable ..... but this relentless drive to ruin what was the finest postal system in the world ..... must be halted NOW!

We can very easily lose this strike ..... if we do not totally back our N.E.C. NOW! The lack of communication & information to the work-force ..... has been appalling. This we address at a later time! We cannot let the Royal Mail sit back gloating ..... while we rip our Union apart ..... in the middle of a fight that ..... if lost ..... will set the Trades Union movement back 200 years!

Short term loss = Long term gain!

When we salvage as much as we can ..... from the downward spiral caused by mismanagement ..... then THAT is the time to address the problems 'at the top' of our Union.

We cannot roll over & say, 'There ya go ..... the brown is just behind the two pinks ..... ram it up as far as ya like!'

[freespeech]

the big issue is Pensions, that can't be ignored as wel as wages being one of the issues.

I'm not sure the CWU want the pensions drawn into pay negotiations.............

"Pensions is obviously a key issue in the dispute and the CWU will not run away from this, however the national union will not allow pension talks to take place in a national pay / conditions dispute".

The above is from the News Forum "National Briefing Report".

[NWpostie]

the big issue is Pensions, that can't be ignored as wel as wages being one of the issues.

I'm not sure the CWU want the pensions drawn into pay negotiations.............

"Pensions is obviously a key issue in the dispute and the CWU will not run away from this, however the national union will not allow pension talks to take place in a national pay / conditions dispute".

The above is from the News Forum "National Briefing Report".

yet that is whats put in the management final offer to offer to the Union by Crozier, so it does become part of the dispute on a take it or leave it basis, when presented in that way, we have no alternative to treat as a clear and present threat to our Pension and long term Employment condition.

[LondonUNISON]

Thanks for the replies. I can tell you that people in lots of other unions are following the CWU dispute with a lot of interest and you've got a lot of support among other unions members because as someone said above this dispute won't just affect postal workers but everyone. The last dispute like this was the FBU strike and unfortunately that dispute was basically lost but I really believe that if it had been won you would have seen a revival in the union movement. The CWU dispute is absolutely massive for trade unionism as far as I'm concerned.

As with the RMT it's great to see a fighting union. You've got a lot of support out there whatever the tabloids might say.

I think that you might really hammer blow them if you go all out and it that could be a spring board to push other unions to join in. We're getting balloted for a two day strike so hopefully we can link together.

I've always wondered why don't reps from different unions go to monthly meetings where we can discuss all our different issues together?

[Havelock]

as far as i am concerned any rep from any union is welcome at one of our meetings and i would encourage reps from other unions to visit picket lines on fri sat mon and tues to get the feeling for the level of support that we are offering the cwu, we are all brothers!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Herodotus]

Thanks for the replies. I can tell you that people in lots of other unions are following the CWU dispute with a lot of interest and you've got a lot of support among other unions members because as someone said above this dispute won't just affect postal workers but everyone. The last dispute like this was the FBU strike and unfortunately that dispute was basically lost but I really believe that if it had been won you would have seen a revival in the union movement. The CWU dispute is absolutely massive for trade unionism as far as I'm concerned.

As with the RMT it's great to see a fighting union. You've got a lot of support out there whatever the tabloids might say.

I think that you might really hammer blow them if you go all out and it that could be a spring board to push other unions to join in. We're getting balloted for a two day strike so hopefully we can link together.

I've always wondered why don't reps from different unions go to monthly meetings where we can discuss all our different issues together?

Good to have your support & input L.U. There is a terrific evil emerging in the way that all employees are being treated ..... it will only get worse if we do not stand up & be counted NOW!

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil ..... is that good men ..... do nothing!

Good luck with your own battle & keep in touch!

[LondonUNISON]

Will definately keep looking at this board, it's great. It's ashame there isn't something like this for UNISON but I'm not IT savvy enough to get one going!

Love these by the way:

:cfo :lfo

I think the upcoming disputes are a great way to make more links between the unions, I think at a grass roots level we're far too divided. The only time unions seem to get together is at the TUC and what a bunch of self-serving bastards the leadership of the TUC are.

Also I could add an icon with a fist punching Dave Prentis if we had a UNISON board. What do you think of Billy Hayes and the rest of your leadership? I have to say that I'm a bit sceptical of them from stuff I've read, seem too close to the LP leadership and don't seem to carry out everything conference tells them to. But to be fair, I don't know enough.[/quote]

[F0zziebear]

An all out strike is required. It will either bring down the government, the management or the unions. This is the last real fight prior to the competition providing their own E2E services. Once that happens you the postie will begin to feel volumes declining by about 20-30% in total. You will mainly get hit in urban areas versus rural ones. This means every item you deliver will become more expensive and means more job losses.

I worked for the senior mgmt in RM and also a rival so I know what is going on.

I am not saying I am either pro or anti, just saying if you want to protect your livelihood then now is the time, as someone said higher up on this board short term pain long term gain!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The rolling strikes worked for us and IMO will work again as we deal in 10s of millions items per day so not sure it would work in an office biased work force. However, anything that puts pressure on managers and ivory towers gets my vote.

As a general point why is it that under a Labour Government the gap between rich and poor is getting wider and wider. The poorer end of British society pays more tax as per £1 earned than do the highest, and what does Brown want us to do accept that Managers will get huge wages and bonuses where we get a real pay cut (based on loosing D2Ds and SA/Overtime) in exchange for a basic rise of £8 per week.

LU - D2Ds for a walking postman can earn us up to £30 per week on average, they still want us to deliver them but they want to stop the payment for it. (Bet it does not become cheaper for the users), so based on just my earnings the pay offer is a £22 reduction in weekly take home pay.

We have also been hearing all summer that various unions would be striking at the same time, but its come to naught, I hope that those who feel that they have to strike to be heard, join us fairly soon otherwise they will just pick us off Union by Union.

[pickaname]

I'm a UNISON rep in local government and have been following the CWU strike. We went on strike over pensions last year and basically after a one day strike our leadership (Dave Prentis who has his head shoved up Blairs/Browns arse) sold us out and we now have to work 5 years more before we retire.

I just wondered what people on here thought of the tactic of one day/two day strikes as again that's what UNISON is proposing in terms of striking against our 2.4% pay offer. I just think they don't work, you just end up going back to work and catching up the work before services really get disrupted. It was the same in the FBU strike a few years back when the on off action just took momentum away.

I've gotta say that I'm not sure disputes where the management/government wants to really dig in can be one with out long term/all out action and as the Royal Mail look like they wanna really take on the CWU I really worry about how on off action will work out.

Is there much support in the CWU for all out action or longer action than one or two days? Can this strike be used to get longer strikes?

Also what is your union leadership like? UNISONs is terrible. Why is that they always end up with a seat in the Lords after they take £80,000 a year in wages. Personally it makes me sick.

Two words....

CHRISTMAS PRESSURE

Sure to send a shiver down the spines of :lfo and :cfo

Delivered direct to you door in time for Xmas...or not.

Tee Hee...

[F0zziebear]

If you strike now/soon then it will hit hard.

As for D2D and weekly payment sin general. This increases the payroll processing overhead considerably. I reckon going to monthly payment would reduce the amount of paperwork and processes, thus being about to cut central overheads.

As stated before most of you have no idea how big the support network in RM is. RM has one of the largest call centre operations in the country, it's legal department for example would be considered a medium sized law firm in it's own right.

It's a shame so many of the changes to working practices are rolled into one, as some of them really could make a benefit without impacting on your lives :-(

Go get 'em

[socialistneLDN]

As stated before most of you have no idea how big the support network in RM is. RM has one of the largest call centre operations in the country, it's legal department for example would be considered a medium sized law firm in it's own right.

It's a shame so many of the changes to working practices are rolled into one, as some of them really could make a benefit without impacting on your lives :-(

You cannot reform Capitalism, it can't be done like that, what must happen is an economic win for all RM workers - that they at least keep existing pay conditions and that there is a toning down of harrassment from management.

We need some solidarity strikes and many more mass meetings to improve confidence in this action, independence of the CWU is completely preferable.