fishtank wrote:This motion was allowed to pass unopposed because as far as some are concerned the agreement is already in place,it's as good as a done deal and any real threat of withdrawal will not be necessary.
Is that not the case with all things these days? It's shovelled in through the back door in various places, agreed in principle and the problems "ironed out" over the next two years
To be fair there is an in principle agreement on World Class Mail's and Job security including MTSF. The talks which will be taking place over the next few weeks will be hard as it will include issues that all the money has to be paid prior to March even thou the revisions will be extended to 2014. Plus a resolution to colleague share , pay and of course what happens further.
This will be subject to the policy briefing where amendments can be agreed from Branch's. After which it is the intention to make this a legally binding agreement. The first time ever we have gone down this road.
Those are really interesting words "legally binding" - now you may call me cynical but the level of negotiating has hardly engendered any faith in going so far as to make them legally binding. I mean how will that effect the structure of the union? Are the members going to be able to vote on the agreements, on if they think that anything legally binding is in their best interests or will it be a case of big brother knows best.
Shame on those who didn't oppose this. How can any true trade unionist allow this to go unchallenged. WCM will be the straw that breaks the CWU back. RM must be laughing their b***s off at this. The members of the CWU deserve so much better, than the clowns that lead us and proof of this is the low turn out at every election. When will our leaders start representing their members. Totally pissed off.
dingo wrote:
This will be subject to the policy briefing where amendments can be agreed from Branch's. After which it is the intention to make this a legally binding agreement. The first time ever we have gone down this road.
Will be an interesting few weeks.
So that will be decided by branch officials then ,some elected, some not ,without any membership consultation . Somewhat lacking in transparency and inclusion don't you think ,hardly tailored to promote membership engagement . Beginning to feel like I'm paying subs for the Groucho club that will never let me in.
Dvbuk if we had legally binding agreements then the wording would have to be clearer and The union could take Royal Mail to court if they were breaking any section to court , the catch is so could Royal Mail. However the reality is that Royal Mail would not be allowed to get away with enforcing offices to move to 100 BSI , rolling world class Mail's without an agreement or not giving 1 in 4 Saturdays if the Business and Transformation agreement had been legally binding.
Pink Panther the reality is that under Mark Higson World Class Mail's is here to stay , now the unions policy of not getting involved in any world class Mail's iniatives after the phase 2 offices has been mixed, some offices have managed to hold the line and some not. The CWU have now got an in principle deal on world class Mail's which I have not seen but those who have argued it does change the focus of world class Mail's and does stop them running away with it. But I will hold my judgement till I see the agreement.
Belial the way Branch's should consult members is when the agreement comes out they should hold a meeting and get input from offices and should be mandated to either amend the agreement , support or reject it. in addition it is likely if the PEC has not done it that at the special policy forum that there will be an amendment that the new agreement should be subject to an indivdual members ballot.
dingo wrote:Dvbuk if we had legally binding agreements then the wording would have to be clearer and The union could take Royal Mail to court if they were breaking any section to court , the catch is so could Royal Mail. However the reality is that Royal Mail would not be allowed to get away with enforcing offices to move to 100 BSI , rolling world class Mail's without an agreement or not giving 1 in 4 Saturdays if the Business and Transformation agreement had been legally binding..
The wording would indeed have to be made clearer and in such terms that the CWU understood what it is they are agreeing to and if they could afford any court cases that ensue. Do you seriously believe that the Union would go to court over every little glitch in the agreement? Of course not! To me it looks like a ticket to abdicate from any responsible representation of members.
As for WCM................well how would you tie RM in to a legal obligation for a system that has no basis. WCM can be anything and everything RM decide and that's the truth.
dingo wrote:
Belial the way Branch's should consult members is when the agreement comes out they should hold a meeting and get input from offices and should be mandated to either amend the agreement , support or reject it. in addition it is likely if the PEC has not done it that at the special policy forum that there will be an amendment that the new agreement should be subject to an indivdual members ballot.
Key word being "should".
Maybe your input could help ,put yourself in my ,and others position . You pay your subs , you support collective decisions , you stick your neck out on a daily basis to fight for the agreement terms ,and yet year in year out your branch AGM is held in secret. I kid you not our branch seems to be run like a private members club ,open only to the "inner circle". Now you can argue we are at this point because of membership apathy, but that does not ring true if committed members are actively excluded from the democratic process. Something is rotten in this union ,this is a situation that should never be permitted to occur,and the consequences are clear.
Any suggestions?
dingo wrote:
Belial the way Branch's should consult members is when the agreement comes out they should hold a meeting and get input from offices and should be mandated to either amend the agreement , support or reject it. in addition it is likely if the PEC has not done it that at the special policy forum that there will be an amendment that the new agreement should be subject to an indivdual members ballot.
Key word being "should".
Maybe your input could help ,put yourself in my ,and others position . You pay your subs , you support collective decisions , you stick your neck out on a daily basis to fight for the agreement terms ,and yet year in year out your branch AGM is held in secret. I kid you not our branch seems to be run like a private members club ,open only to the "inner circle". Now you can argue we are at this point because of membership apathy, but that does not ring true if committed members are actively excluded from the democratic process. Something is rotten in this union ,this is a situation that should never be permitted to occur,and the consequences are clear.
Any suggestions?
You know the response though B, get involved BUT not everyone has the time nor the inclination. What is needed is the branch to be run at the behest of the members BUT like the union itself they appear to think they know best and the exclusion runs right through the organisation. I requested the information for the details of the AGM once - I received the reply AFTER the meeting had taken place but on the same day!!!. In my time in this union there has never been an AGM held at the location of my office nor the two adjacent offices - they are always 20 - 30 miles away local to one or another official.
