UPDATE 2 Interim Agreement Discussions

[Big Daz]

My concern is that despite all the crap and hassle across the country those who had a ballot paper and put a yes vote down barely numbered more than half the voting membership.

That should not be overlooked, we should be aiming to ensure strike ballots return not just a decent majority of those who voted but a decent level of majority of those ballot papers despatched.

[Lincox]

Hi Big Daz
What you are forgetting is that a large number of members never even received ballot papers. Could this have been down to interference from some managers in certain areas, poor standard of records kept by the CWU, or even the better halves binning them. Anyway, there must be some better way to make sure that everyone receives a ballot paper next time there is a ballot called.

[dvbuk55]

Just over 50% of the CWU membership in RML voted for strike action, thats hardly the whole of the union now is dvbvuk 55?

I stand corrected but I was trying to say we all went on strike, it was that action that brought RM to the table so it seems less than honourable that there are deals within deals - had no national ballot been called what would have been the chances of a deal for those who are now seemingly to get preferential treatment?

[Lincox]

Quite agree with you. There should be no differences throughout the whole of the UK. We all do the same job, and the rules and regulations should stand for all of us. I think the problem has arisen because too many areas have caved in and made agreements that some are not prepared to accept and rightly so. I am afraid that the moment we have local bargaining, the whole concept of a union collapses. The next will be local pay bargaining and we know where that is going to lead to. We must insist that any final agreement must be a national for all agreement without all of the loose clauses allowing local negotiations to undermine what should be a national template for the whole country, both workers and management to work within.

[fishtank]

Quite agree with you. There should be no differences throughout the whole of the UK. We all do the same job, and the rules and regulations should stand for all of us. I think the problem has arisen because too many areas have caved in and made agreements that some are not prepared to accept and rightly so. I am afraid that the moment we have local bargaining, the whole concept of a union collapses. The next will be local pay bargaining and we know where that is going to lead to. We must insist that any final agreement must be a national for all agreement without all of the loose clauses allowing local negotiations to undermine what should be a national template for the whole country, both workers and management to work within.

Do not assume that "too many areas have caved in and made agreements that some are not prepared to accept ".
Most of these changes came about through imposition,that is why we are where we are.

[Lincox]

I accept what you are saying Fishtank, that not all changes are due to areas caving in, but the 2007 agreement has led to a situation whereby some areas have agreed to work to RM interpretation of the 2007 agreement, and others have given in to the same procedures because they were being told that other areas had already accepted these changes.

[dvbuk55]

I accept what you are saying Fishtank, that not all changes are due to areas caving in, but the 2007 agreement has led to a situation whereby some areas have agreed to work to RM interpretation of the 2007 agreement, and others have given in to the same procedures because they were being told that other areas had already accepted these changes.

I wouldn't disagree with you in part Lincox, both you and Fishtank are right and there is also the fact that with the 2007 agreement each area was responsible for agreeing terms and in many many cases took union advice and acted on that - 4,5,6 months down the line we have the non-cooperation, no savings etc, all too late. Take for example the buy down, I took that 3 and a half years ago, but before I accepted I asked for advice as to whether it was a wise thing to do because we would have the potential for an influx of part timers - I was told to go ahead that it had been agreed.

A question I would like answered is:

Is there, has there ever been, a policy for the CWU or is it a whimsical thing depending on who is banging the drum the loudest at any given time?

[rockytony67]

Some points being missed here,the interim agreement as far as the HQ are aware because of divisional and branch reports is ok-ish elsewhere,in London IT IS NOT!!

Now that part is sorted,well for the time being,National talks can go on.

Is there a definition for OK -ish - because if 500 offices balloted for action it doesn't look like it is OK-ish anywhere - and considering the whole of the union voted to strike we deserve better! We didn't strike for cosy deals for the few

Can you point out were these cosy deals are, and what they are