London Dispute Update

[Martin Walsh]

As a result of the massive yes vote deliverd over a 9 day period rather than a longer period in the four sites. As a result of a further 6 distribution sites being balloted and as a result of emergency motion E6 being unanamously being carried by every Branch in the Union.

Royal Mail have agreed further National Talks on London and colleague share and a possible review of the BTA agreement which are due to take place Wednesday and Thursday with the assistance of Roger Poole and Peter Harwood from ACAS. Royal Mail will have to offer new thinking and a change to their plan if a dispute is not going to happen.

Unlike some on here , Royal Mail know that there plan will lead to complusory redundancies , they are putting profit before their staff and ACAS and Roger Poole have already confirmed that the agreement did mean that no complusory redundnacies should take place.

The next phase of work to go from London takes place on 6th June, unless Royal Mail agree to stop this from happening then we will have to action the ballot and then the full terms of emergency motion E6 comes into place.

There is no hiding place now for anyone. Its will be a critical week for both Royal Mail and the CWU.

[fishtank]

So what's the update?
More jabbering.
Have they agreed to revisit the union's alternative to the closures?
Has Royal Mail committed to NO compulsory redundancies?
Have they agreed to pay the members the colleagueshare money they have already earned in full?....now...not as part of yet another "reward package".
I thought that the BTA was being constantly reviewed with a National Deployment Group for almost every paragraph.
Roger Poole and Peter Harwood?
Weren't they supposed to be around from the start?

[gb93]

A tad harsh Fish ?
In the words of cockney geezer Bob Hoskins 'Its good to talk'

[fishtank]

A tad harsh Fish ?
In the words of cockney geezer Bob Hoskins 'Its good to talk'

Harsh on who?
I'm asking questions that's all.
What exactly will come out of these talks?
Another commitment to be broken?
According to those in the know we already had a rock solid agreement.
Will this one be steel reinforced rock solid?
Roger Poole and Peter Harwood have shown their worth already,Royal Mail have already shown how much they value their input......hoping they will save us now is pointless.
There have been months and months of talks over the London Mailcentre closures and the end result is what we see before us....can you see honest new thinking and a change to their plan coming from Royal Mail or just some more empty promises and perhaps another "interim agreement".

[dvbuk55]

A tad harsh Fish ?
In the words of cockney geezer Bob Hoskins 'Its good to talk'

Not harsh at all. The points made are quite salient. It is imperative that RM agree no compulsory redundancies was agreed - unfortunately the agreement does NOT state that - it says quite clearly will try to be avoided and anyone who puts a different slant on that is deluded. RM obviously do not think it meant that there would be no compulsory redundancies or they would not have embarked on this plan and when have they ever adhered to an agreement?

Are these meetings going to be reported on a daily basis and not held in secret.

Talk is good if it actually achieves anything if it is just a talking shop with yet more empty promises...........................?

[MrGoose]

Royal Mail have agreed further National Talks on London and colleague share and a possible review of the BTA agreement which are due to take place Wednesday and Thursday with the assistance of Roger Poole and Peter Harwood from ACAS. Royal Mail will have to offer new thinking and a change to their plan if a dispute is not going to happen.

Lets wait and see then...

Doubt any news wednesday....Maybe Thursday.....probably extended because of helpful progresss, until a few days later....then back to usual....walk away with more of the same?

[pickaname]

As a result of the massive yes vote...

In which only 54% of members voted...

[gb93]

Just a quickie as I am still doing my 5 hour delivery
What's the alternative at this very point in time.

[fishtank]

Just a quickie as I am still doing my 5 hour delivery
What's the alternative at this very point in time.

The alternative to talking or the alternative to constantly repackaging Royal Mail's wants and wishes as the aspirations of the members?

The alternative to both would be to say to Royal Mail that we have certain preconditions to talks and if these preconditions are not met there will be no talk...only action.

[dvbuk55]

Just a quickie as I am still doing my 5 hour delivery
What's the alternative at this very point in time.

The alternative? Face reality.

[baldrick]

As a result of the massive yes vote...

In which only 54% of members voted...

The main reason for a lower return was the short time span involved. Ballot papers were sent out on Friday 13 May.
Most members recieved them on Saturday 14 or Monday 16 May. The Ballot closed at 0900 on Monday 23 May.
So members only had 5 or 6 days to return them. They would have to post them by 1200 Saturday 21 May at the latest. Usually a ballot would run for 3 weeks.
I'm guessing this one was conducted quickly so that there would be a result in time for the start of CWU Conference on 23 May,
so that delegates from all Postal Branches could decide on national support. And also as RM were proposing to start moving work on 6 June.

[pickaname]

As a result of the massive yes vote...

In which only 54% of members voted...

The main reason for a lower return was the short time span involved. Ballot papers were sent out on Friday 13 May.
Most members recieved them on Saturday 14 or Monday 16 May. The Ballot closed at 0900 on Monday 23 May.
So members only had 5 or 6 days to return them. Usually a ballot would run for 3 weeks.
I'm guessing this one was conducted quickly so that there would be a result in time for the start of CWU Conference on 23 May,
so that delegates from all Postal Branches could decide on national support. And also as RM were proposing to start moving work on 6 June.

its a fact that most people eligible to vote in any postal ballot do so within 3 days.

People couldnt be arsed to vote cause they know CWU are full of s*** and lie to their members

[baldrick]

its a fact that most people eligible to vote in any postal ballot do so within 3 days.

Is it? Where did you get that 'fact' from? It usually takes time for people to return ballot papers. That is why ballots usually run for 3 weeks. I usually leave it to the last week before I return a ballot paper.
I'm sure that if the ballot had been run for 3 weeks there would have been a 80%+ return with an even bigger Yes vote.

[dvbuk55]

its a fact that most people eligible to vote in any postal ballot do so within 3 days.

Is it? Where did you get that 'fact' from? It usually takes time for people to return ballot papers. That is why ballots usually run for 3 weeks. I usually leave it to the last week before I return a ballot paper.
I'm sure that if the ballot had been run for 3 weeks there would have been a 80%+ return with an even bigger Yes vote.

And where would you get that fact from? The national ballots don't reflect that fact. I do think that your are right in saying that the ballot was rushed to get the result in time for the conference, which as I understand it, is run for the whole of the membership. I don't see that the support of the branch delegates at conference would have any reflection on the feeling of the general membership, just the branch delegates.

[gb93]

Just a quickie as I am still doing my 5 hour delivery
What's the alternative at this very point in time.

The alternative to talking or the alternative to constantly repackaging Royal Mail's wants and wishes as the aspirations of the members?

The alternative to both would be to say to Royal Mail that we have certain preconditions to talks and if these preconditions are not met there will be no talk...only action.

Action now would only leave London on their own, they are the only ones who have had a yes result ballot.
I believe you yourself have stated it will take some time & be difficult to get a yes vote for IA nationally.
These talks are taking place next week, let's see how they play out ( over a reasonable timeframe ).
It will be tricky for both sides but the union have two opportunities to get something from them.
The talks could go well and an agreement can be reached or RM act as bully boys and will not budge which can be used by the union to help secure a yes vote for IA nationally.
Of course their is also the danger of another 'sold down the river' feeling amongst members.