dingo wrote:If every branch had stepped forward and showed unity we would have got an agreement quicker. Now I have been critical of CWU Hqs not going to ballot quicker enough but they conducted opinion polls in all areas in June , July and August and based on them we would have struggled to get a big yes vote. Branch`s started to do the work and then in Septemeber things were looking better and we got the ballot vote right. Talks however were well advanced and at one stage not far from agreement on an interim agreement then the Panorama Royal Mail document came out and the union issued notice on the first strike.
We had a meeting there after which every region reported the effects on the ground and the dispute was not as well supported as in 2007 and there were areas with more in work than out.
On November the 5th the union achieved the interim agreement which paved the way for negotations on the exective action and on achieving an agreement on Royal Mail`s business plan.
Now lets get one thing straight Royal Mail wanted to change the workplan which was based on their automation plan. This was never negotatiable. There are only two options with walk sequencing one is to sequencing all the mail at 0600 which would be cheaper for Royal Mail and would lead to everyone started later and a lot less full time jobs and the removal of all improved attendances ie the Dutch delivery model.
And all the effort to keep as many members as possible in the dark about what exactly was on the table, had nothing to do with that situation eh?
It's too late now, to argue about how, and why it happened. But it is
VITAL that HQ and the negotiators don't make the same f**k ups, they've made in the past. Particularly when RM are likley to offer short term financial incentives. Which as we've all seen, numerous times. Encourages a large number of people, to vote for almost anything put before them.
Perhaps if people actually knew what they were voting on, rather than a short summary from HQ, then we might have a chance of getting some results in the future.
