London Dispute Update

[bunkerland]

The trouble we have Drb is that the hard core union members are a minority and trying to convince the rest is going to be a difficult job. You know the ones "they will do it anyway"

I presume you include Dave,Billy and Dingo in the "they will do it anyway" brigade,that's the argument they used for giving away our d2d payments anyway! Perhaps that particular club has a bigger membership than you think?

[steven100]

I've not read through all the pages but when have London posties supported other parts of the country????

[BT2010]

I've not read through all the pages but when have London posties supported other parts of the country????

every time they walk out of the door it is usually to do with RM breaking agreements.

is that not the good of us all?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I've not read through all the pages but when have London posties supported other parts of the country????

2007 and 2009 - in 2009 they and Scotland led the way. During the Way Forward dispute (IIRC) London had wild cats when the rest went back. Apparently, and I cant say this with authority as I was not in RM at the time, because of London's wild cat strikes RM came back with a better offer.

Although I have to say this question of what area was out longest, which went out first and who supported who is pointless and divisive. One of Unionisms pillars is "An injury to one, is a an injury to all" and to say that a certain area did more or less than another area does not really tie in with that quote, and in the end only causes bad feeling and resentment. I just wish people would not do it.

[Martin Walsh]

I've not read through all the pages but when have London posties supported other parts of the country????

During my time in the job , Milton Keynes dispute London did not do the work and were out unfofficially. SAWN dispute London out unofficial.

Liverpool dispute when Watford went out then the whole of London which led to the Sawyer Report.

In 2003 Southall dirvers and Greenford were out unofficiallly along with Dartford. London went out unofficially , places like Southend , Covertry , Warrington , Postmouth joined in and this led to the 2003 National agreement which meant a £26.28 pay rise and a 5 day week for deliveries.

In 2007 Liverpool went out unofficially along with some other London offices which help get a solution in the 2007 pay and mod dispute.

Previously to this London has always helped out other areas of the Uk by not doing their work. Why because it is the right thing to do. We have principles.

[drb]

I am still trying to figure out why we are arguing the point on compulsory redundancies. It should be a dead cert "no". Anyone voting to ballot to strike should be given our FULL support.

[pickaname]

I am still trying to figure out why we are arguing the point on compulsory redundancies. It should be a dead cert "no". Anyone voting to ballot to strike should be given our FULL support.

Havent Royal Mail given assurances that redundancies will be volutary?

[fishtank]

Anyone voting to ballot to strike should be given our FULL support.

...because there is a difference between should be and will be and underestimating the feeling of apathy and disengagement of the general membership could be a fatal mistake.
It's not enough to engage the militant and those directly affected drb...you have to reach out to the moderates and the disaffected if you want to carry a national ballot and so far...that isn't happening.
A rejection or piss poor turn out in a national IA ballot at this moment under these circumstances would more or less finish us off as an effective industrial union.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I am still trying to figure out why we are arguing the point on compulsory redundancies. It should be a dead cert "no". Anyone voting to ballot to strike should be given our FULL support.

Haven't Royal Mail given assurances that redundancies will be voluntary?

Didn't they do the same about Final Salary Pensions, Job and Knock, 2nd Delivery etc the list is endless.

[mr deeds]

we lose london and we lose everything it's simply the ace in the pack the disruption london can cause will bring royal mail loads of political and financial preassure . i'm from the north and will back them all the way...if they crack london they will steam roll all the rest of us all over again..again..again

[drb]

Fishtank. There have always been more moderates in our membership then "die hards". We see it more now as we have forums such as this and the ability to see local ballot turnouts. Yes there is apathy out there. However I remember 15 - 20 years ago in which turnouts for local ballots where not that good either.

It is the "die hards" that normally get the message out there in a language that our membership understands.

If,(for example) , I put a thread on this forum with the title "bsi", I guarantee that some reply s will be "Whats bsi?". Perhaps a title called "Political Officer",(thats right! The answer will be, "I didn't know we had one" or "Whats that?"). It would normally be put across better by the local reps,(if there are any in a office!).

[dvbuk55]

we lose london and we lose everything it's simply the ace in the pack the disruption london can cause will bring royal mail loads of political and financial preassure . i'm from the north and will back them all the way...if they crack london they will steam roll all the rest of us all over again..again..again

Well it isn't like me to disagree mrs deeds BUT even with London we have been steamrollered for a number of years. London has a high concentration of union members close to and with the ear of HQ.............the rest of the country consisting mainly of delivery offices and 160,000 members are spread far and wide run by a local branch. Now what needs to happen to get any "yokel" support is to persuade those of us who have had quite a turbulent time over a number of years that there is sufficient advantage in taking industrial action in support of a well documented agreement on redundancies.

[fishtank]

It is the "die hards" that normally get the message out there in a language that our membership understands.

Trust me drb....there are not too many "die hards" left.
VR has eaten them.
Even the ones left are struggling with on the one hand a very,very unpopular agreement endorsed and defended by the union and on the other hand that same union asking them to fight to defend the terms of that agreement.

A lot of reps went against there own better judgement to sell this agreement to their members just to have the whole thing blow up in their faces.
You yourself posted on here that the revisions wouldn't be savings/budget driven...well they were and still are,now more than ever that they have been downgraded to self-starters with little or no delivery methods to help with the "open ended" delivery span.
The members in delivery are angry and frustrated drb and rightly so but the real worry is they will wrongly take that frustration out on the London members....through the ballot box.
If that happens a few "die hards" aren't going to stop it.

[pickaname]

Well im not afraid to say it...

Ill be voting No of theres a national ballot

Im still fuming about the last 'agreement'.

My whole office feels the same way and ill be actively campaigning for a no vote in my office.

We should have stayed out last time instead the union bottled it which is partly why were here today.

[labbloke]

Our rather large Midlands DO reps will be pushing for a YES and considering the anger of members in the aforementioned office, we are confident of a good turnout.

Oh an bythe way Pick, we would be more than happy to provide a couple of pickets for your line.