New relationship trial is a failure

[MinisterofCucumber]

I work in a POL cash centre and we are used as a testing ground for initiatives. The new relationship between management and union reps that is stated in the agreement has been in place where I work for some time.

Our rep tells us very little and gives weasel answers to any questions. His main role is to address staff meetings as a spokesman for the management who never speak to the staff as a group.

This trial has failed spectacularly.

Why? For the simple reason that nature abhors a vacuum. Members pay a union to protect them from being shafted by management. The need exists for a rep that will protect them. When the protector turns out to be a shafter a void is created that has to be filled. The need for protection is a real thing that neither the management or CWU have the power to destroy. They can't make it disappear.

I am the unofficial rep at my workplace and I have taken back all of the gains made by the enemy. Success has been achieved by using the grievance procedure and not having to follow the IR framework. I am free to write to senior management and MPs and I will go to Employment Tribunal. If the case warrants it, I will even go to the police.

I have had my character assassinated by the union, management and their collaborators. They portray me as a clown who can't be trusted to keep a secret. Nevertheless, it has been a pleasure to help my workmates get their money back and I have been given quite a few bottles of malt whisky. I highly recommend becoming the unofficial rep and if anyone needs any help in drafting grievances, please get in touch.

I don't know why they are trying to push through this agreement when the trial shows that the new union-management relationship can't work and the Chief Executive has had to walk because of the failure of his plan.

[wf]

i totally agree with everything you say here .something seriously wrong when youre reps are becoming the enemy ,standing alongside the management.exactly the same in our office.no point even trying to be a rep as you will no longer get the same perks as the a**slickers.everything you tellthem is passed on to the dom before you know it.they wont even try to win a case and try and brush over everything we tell them.time to stand up the way you have .i applaud you!! seems this could be the way of the future to be an unofficial rep. .its them reps who are making clowns of themselves not you!!

[hantsman]

I work in a POL cash centre and we are used as a testing ground for initiatives. The new relationship between management and union reps that is stated in the agreement has been in place where I work for some time.

Our rep tells us very little and gives weasel answers to any questions. His main role is to address staff meetings as a spokesman for the management who never speak to the staff as a group.

This trial has failed spectacularly.

Why? For the simple reason that nature abhors a vacuum. Members pay a union to protect them from being shafted by management. The need exists for a rep that will protect them. When the protector turns out to be a shafter a void is created that has to be filled. The need for protection is a real thing that neither the management or CWU have the power to destroy. They can't make it disappear.

I am the unofficial rep at my workplace and I have taken back all of the gains made by the enemy. Success has been achieved by using the grievance procedure and not having to follow the IR framework. I am free to write to senior management and MPs and I will go to Employment Tribunal. If the case warrants it, I will even go to the police.


A person after my own heart, sometimes you have to stand up and be counted and do the right thing.

I have had my character assassinated by the union, management and their collaborators. They portray me as a clown who can't be trusted to keep a secret. Nevertheless, it has been a pleasure to help my workmates get their money back and I have been given quite a few bottles of malt whisky. I highly recommend becoming the unofficial rep and if anyone needs any help in drafting grievances, please get in touch.

I don't know why they are trying to push through this agreement when the trial shows that the new union-management relationship can't work and the Chief Executive has had to walk because of the failure of his plan.

[smartbhoy]

" To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards out of men."

[gideon 60]

why not stand as a official union rep? you and your mates are the union.

[MinisterofCucumber]

why not stand as a official union rep? you and your mates are the union.

The problem is we are not the majority in our workplace. More members benefit from the current regime than suffer. The winners get cushy duties, extra annual leave as reward and recognition and are favoured in the allocation of overtime while the losers are worked like donkeys. Sackings and other atrocities have been hidden under a cloak of 'confidentiality.'

Our branch secretary, an extremely clever strategist, is very loyal to our rep. For a local rep to be effective, he needs the support of his branch and area rep. I don't have that support and so I attempted to get nominated as an area rep under the new POL IR framework. I wrote to my branch secretary about this several times but did not get a reply. Yesterday, I spotted a notice on the union board saying the committee meeting to decide on the full time union positions was to be held last night at 7pm in a pub. I finished work at 8pm but when I got to the meeting they had already chosen their candidate. A very charming Labour councillor was chairing the meeting although he is not listed as our branch chairman.

Their argument against nominating me seemed to be that I hadn't 'paid my dues' and that I was jumping the queue. My argument was that I had recovered money where a TCR had failed and I really enjoyed it and wanted to do it full time.

They were a nice bunch of venerable gentleman but I felt like I was in a meeting of the Pangbourne cricket club rather than a union branch of the CWU in East London. They were generous,they bought me a couple of pints and offered me a place on their committee. I'm just afraid that if I take their advice and 'wait for my turn', then the war will be lost before I can do anything about it.

[gideon 60]

Don,t give up the fight. there,s always clique,s and vested interests in any branch, start at the bottom, make alliances, then you can win a few victories,s and move on up.