It's time to go out for a week or longer!

madelin4 · Post by **madelin4** » 13 Jul 2007, 19:21

OUT for a week it has to be folks!!!!!No one is really notice this !!!! :lfo

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » 14 Jul 2007, 13:39

I think the union missed an opportunity when they only balloted for strike action and not industrial action which would have enabled us to work to rule. Going out for a week would not get the support that the one day strikes have had. A lot of people would face real financial hardship with the loss of a weeks wages and I think we could lose the strike because of the divide it would cause amongst members. I agree that the two one dayers don't seem to have had much impact yet and another strategy may be needed.

I believe we should be working to rule and think this would have a much greater impact. Royal Mail would struggle to operate if there was an overtime ban. How many people will be working OT next week to deliver those damn Harry Potter books? I work about ten hours a week OT ( I don't work my day off incidentally ) and sometimes our office is so desperate that posties are getting offered eight hours to do four. How would collections get done if we didn't work OT? Ours are done by the manager going round at the end of the week asking for anyone interested in doing next weeks collections . If we all said no they would be up the creek.

There was a time in our office a few years ago when the rounds were so big that most were impossible except on a quiet day to get finished on time. People came in early, ran in the next days mail and sprinted round to get finished at a half decent time. We complained about it until we were blue in the face but were always fobbed off by the management. Then one day we had a meeting and decided we weren't going to do it anymore and started cutting off our deliverys. Most people followed the agreement, you will always get one or two who don't, and within a few weeks the management had agreed to a full review. The management could not cope and agreed to test the duties resulting reduced calls for most of them. I believe this is the way to go.

ruralpostie · Post by **ruralpostie** » 14 Jul 2007, 14:23

Yes I totally agree Rowdy, an overtime ban would put a spanner in the works more than one day strikes. The only problem i could see is a lot of AGs are on 20-23 hour contracts and depend on overtime for a sustainable wage. But in theory it should work well an O/T ban. The best way at the moment would be to go for weekend strikes over 2-3 days every 2 to 3 weeks. That would be the same as losing one days pay a week, viable and would still retain the full support of the members. If it was a week long strike I truly believe member support would fragment and result in a collapse in total support for the strike.
Royal mail 1 - CWU 0 mmm Not good!

johnnyp · Post by **johnnyp** » 14 Jul 2007, 16:47

The best way at the moment would be to go for weekend strikes over 2-3 days every 2 to 3 weeks. That would be the same as losing one days pay a week, viable and would still retain the full support of the members. If it was a week long strike I truly believe member support would fragment and result in a collapse in total support for the strike.
Royal mail 1 - CWU 0 mmm Not good!

Sounds good to me friend

goinpostal · Post by **goinpostal** » 14 Jul 2007, 16:59

nelson wrote:I have to agree with you Bloke7 but will the membership be willing to come out. 2 have gone in today their excuse" I do not think 1 day strikes are enough" . Thats a poor excuse for being a scab but they would not come out for any strike. I hope they :cfo

every good idea always starts with a few people fighting for it, we will get a hearing with more and more of the membership as the strike bites. if we connect an all-out strike to coordinateing ballots with other public sector workers we can win (what the leadersihp wouldnt do in teh 70s they just ran it like a sectional dispute).

OT bans won't do it, in summer esp the traffic isnt there unless we up the strikes too, then an OT ban on top of that would really hit them even if a minority did it.

South East Postie · Post by **South East Postie** » 14 Jul 2007, 17:08

agreed. id go out for as long as neccesary. although i appreciate some have worries over extended walkouts.

Bloke7 · Post by **Bloke7** » 14 Jul 2007, 17:15

Some sensible and well informed replies :) I just suggested a week as it seems these 1 dayers just leave us with a Saturday and the rest of next week for the docket fiends to catch up...nothing against anyone doing OT by the way.

And yes work to rule would have been better; yet that usually leads to unofficial walkouts due to suspensions. It is a fine line I admit, but I think we need to contact our reps, local, area, divisional and branch and let them hear what we feel about what should be done next. From what I've heard from the staff I work with, they'd like to be able to be heard a bit more by the CWU regarding what should be done next.

Maybe time for me and others to email Dave Ward again :D

ROCKY · Post by **ROCKY** » 14 Jul 2007, 17:17

a lot of people live week to week and could not do a full week strike but a week of dispute as in del/mc/lates etc all rolling over could be interesting

ruralpostie · Post by **ruralpostie** » 14 Jul 2007, 17:21

Yep another great idea rocky, The s**t should hit the fan then i'd imagine...

tasam · Post by **tasam** » 14 Jul 2007, 18:17

Rolling action, properly co-ordinated will cause total havoc.

I wouldn't be surprised if there's a few ballots relating to the later starts (due in 13th August)

Is those ballots result in overtime bans (or other action) the havoc would be complete.

bigsharkboy · Post by **bigsharkboy** » 14 Jul 2007, 18:40

rather than a week long strike

how about 2 regions going out every day for a week that way the IA would last a week the managers will be pushing mail all over the place and running round like headless chickens

and on the WTR idea

i think its easier to make the strike days more effective than WTR in my office the day after the 1st strike after being told not to come in early ,no cars,take meal breaks,go slow
only a few cut off and the mail cleared
WTR would mean a handfull of guys doing the job proper in my office the others would still do there own thing and its hard to enforce once the guys leave the office
WTR in my office would be a joke
striking is the only viable option but i agree the 1 days are not working BUT today over half the office cut off and there was more chaos and as far as my office is concerned the 7pm -7pm option caused more chaos than 3am-3am 1st strike day

and as for going out for a week then prob 50% of the staff in my office would cross a picket line and that would play right into :lfo :cfo hands