GESTAPO TYPE MANAGEMENT

[two-tired-feet]

dsa was the turning point, things got worse, no longer the relaxed place it was and billy hayes must be loving his salary

http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/busi ... 63.article

[dvbuk55]

There would have to be a massive and organised response by the membership to withdraw funding and that certainly isn't going to happen.

Those who sit at the table are not about to rock the boat and would defend any action or more to the point inaction the union decides to take. Perhaps the leadership are just poorly advised by those anxious for kudos, position and advancement. Who's going to gainsay when there's a share of 133,000 at stake.

As for the reason any branch doesn't report back...................they are too far removed from the shop floor.

[tommyrep]

We've lost a good few staff with years of service because of bullying and the stress put on them ,it's constant day in day out So why not pull out the union for a while then? They might listen for a change.

Spoodoo

I fail to see your logic in pulling out and how that would influence change ?
Far better to try and influence from within I'd say. RM would drive through their evil deeds even sooner !
You do realise a Union is only as strong as it's members and if our colleagues were to follow the sound advice on the most basic tool at our disposal - our only weapon in our armoury at the present time ¬ that is " doing the job properly ", things would improve almost overnight.
Unfortunately RM exploit this basic failing in our membership to THEIR advantage, and despite this fact they still have the desire to drive us into oblivion.
We really are taking a stick to our own backs and blaming our union for our own failings. The job and finish syndrom just cannot be banished from some peoples mentality I'm afraid and RM are encouraged by that simple fact !!!
You will see this every day no doubt with the issue of meal breaks ? One easy way to STEAL 40 mins from each person, but still they try and squeeze out more ! The Union fights for a shorter working week, while some colleagues gladly give RM 40mins x 5 days = 3hrs 20mins of free work back into RM coffers !!
Strange how management will argue tooth and nail to apply the minimum of hours for office operation ( an example is the application of duty time to part time employees on skin flint hours !! ) yet never accept this happens on a daily basis - RM ostrich management !!!!!

[fishtank]

You do realise a Union is only as strong as it's members and if our colleagues were to follow the sound advice on the most basic tool at our disposal - our only weapon in our armoury at the present time ¬ that is " doing the job properly ", things would improve almost overnight.

As much as i agree with you in principle tommy let's be completely honest.
If you were an ordinary member in a D.O. would you "do the job properly"?
Facing intimidation,bullying,harassment daily,perhaps on a temporary contract,with maybe ineffectual local representation,poor branch support and nothing of meaning from HQ,probably being denied overtime as a result,having your job security threatened and watching the flyers fly.
It might be the right thing to do but it's asking a lot and if the union and colleagues are going to leave these members to fight their own battles...it's taking the piss.

As for changing the Union from the inside,although i agree that leaving the union is pointless you will not change anything in this Union while the present version of democracy is in place and since that version suits the bums already in the seats it's unfortunately not likely to change anytime soon.
This is not a criticism of your post,just the cynicism of someone who has seen branch and union democracy at it's worst.

[tommyrep]

Fishtank

I accept your reservations and your own reasons for being " disillusioned" by the union system of the sitting incumbents.
The point I am trying to make is that if the current situation at DO's is allowed to continue unabated or unchallenged we are really up the creek without a paddle.
I realise part timers and those on short term contracts are at a disadvantage when dealing with a smug management who hold all the aces and I find that abhorent, their behavior and attitude is truly shocking and it should not be allowed to continue unchallenged ! and that is the very minimum expectation that any member should expect from our union leadership. I also realise that there are some " old soldiers" ( I'm all right Jacks ) who care very little about the treatment many staff have to endure, but this attitude should not allow managers to continually intimidate weaker willed individuals and build an ever stricter regime at the staffs expence.

[fishtank]

I agree with you tommy,i just think we might already be beyond the tipping point.
I've warned about the dangers of growing member apathy for years,it suited those who wanted to manipulate the union for their own means but my honest opinion now is that we are so far down this road that it's unlikely the union will ever fully recover.

It is unlikely to implode immediately unless the financial position is even worse than reported but the postal side will decay slowly with stronger areas becoming isolated and picked off and members gradually drifting away or sticking around for "insurance" purposes but little else.

The number of activists is decreasing at an alarming rate and a lot of offices can't even find a volunteer willing to take on the local rep responsibilities,this increases the danger of having people take on the role for the wrong reasons which of course feeds the whole cycle of apathy and disengagement again.
You might see the odd drive to recruit giving levels a boost but the overall trend will always be downwards.
The end result will probably be a merger.

It's a gloomy picture and it didn't have to be this way but the decision to disengage the membership was taken by those who put their own short term gain over our long term security...but no doubt according to them it will be all our fault.

[dvbuk55]

Fishtank

I accept your reservations and your own reasons for being " disillusioned" by the union system of the sitting incumbents.
The point I am trying to make is that if the current situation at DO's is allowed to continue unabated or unchallenged we are really up the creek without a paddle.
I realise part timers and those on short term contracts are at a disadvantage when dealing with a smug management who hold all the aces and I find that abhorent, their behavior and attitude is truly shocking and it should not be allowed to continue unchallenged ! and that is the very minimum expectation that any member should expect from our union leadership. I also realise that there are some " old soldiers" ( I'm all right Jacks ) who care very little about the treatment many staff have to endure, but this attitude should not allow managers to continually intimidate weaker willed individuals and build an ever stricter regime at the staffs expence.

Ft makes more than sense and it may have gone unoticed that I keep pressing for a figure on the 75/25 split because that really is crucial to an understanding of the tacit acceptance of management behaviour. In areas where there is almost 100% FT and union membership it is far easier to refuse revisions than an office with 50/50 splits and a similar allegiance to the union.

[CORTINA]

The union is not worthy of my financial input so I stopped my subs...and put the money saved to better use.......

The union top brass is only as good as the results they achieve and the respect they get from their members.... why give your money away for no return, if you are not happy with the service you are getting for the money you are wasting.

Making top brass union officials wealthy at your expense, seems plain stupid to say the least with the poor value we get in support......

Every year it becomes more and more obvious that you are on your own...... or posties would not feel such utter contempt for management and top union officials alike.......

If on mass you stopped your subs for 6 months maybe the union top brass would get their arse kicked and wake then up....

To just keep paying you subs blindly is admitting your own failure to try and change things.... and just happly suffer in silence and just moan amongst yourselfs... and on this forum

To do nothing ..is to acheive nothing ..plain and simple..... as least you will be financially better off each week stopping your subs..instead of feeding top brass union wages...for their own benefit...... action always speaks louder than words..

[TrueBlueTerrier]

If on mass you stopped your subs for 6 months maybe the union top brass would get their arse kicked and wake then up....

6 months - that would destroy the Union utterly. Its a bit like that American Major who told Arnett ""It became necessary to destroy the town to save it'.

Yes the Union needs changing top to bottom, and the only way you are going to get that is to reverse the apathy and disengagement. The structure is also at fault, to me the log jam for information and action up and down is at Branch Level. Its run like a fiefdom, with Barons doing everything to stay in power and to centralise that power. None of this can be done if we destroy the Union by not paying subs for 6 months.

There may be a case for withdrawing for a more limited period as even a week of just delivery staff withdrawing would be a significant hole in the Unions finances. The figures are very assumptive - but lets say 75k in deliverys and 75% FT/PT ratio and 75% union membership, so an average of £2.50 in subs would equal a hole in the accounts of £140, 625 - more than Billys salary. If we withdrew for 6 months that would be £3,656,250 no Union could survive that.

[Nikellie]

Well here's an idea to start with, our great leader William "Haymaker" Hayes has a Twitter account in which he tweets all about his lovely life in the union. Lots of fabulous socialist rhetoric and a diary of how he spends the £29,560 he trousered.

@BillyHayes_CWU

At the moment he's busy making hayes whilst the sun still shines, so get tweeting and give him some rank and file opinion (not slanderous or libellous of course )

[tommyrep]

Cortina

So what have you personally achieved in your " isolation " ? Have YOU negotiated better terms than you would have got via the union ? Possibly, yes as managers do have a talent " to use and abuse " without the individuals even being aware of it -ignorances bliss !!
In my experience YOU are exactly the type of person the "bully boy " managers target for more attention, that is unless they are exploited as office spy's or treated like a teachers pet !!

[DM66]

just for the record i pulled out of our non existent union last year when we didnt even have a rep for nearly 2 years . Now we do and I see no changes..all he tells us is the management think we haveit easy and will continue to put their changes in. I dont want to start looking for a new job but for the first time in 8 years i am really thinking about it. I uprooted my whole life for this job and wanted a job for life but the stress is too much at the mo. We are all compliant because there have been sackings and we are all just s**t scared of losing our jobs.

[dvbuk55]

Cortina

So what have you personally achieved in your " isolation " ? Have YOU negotiated better terms than you would have got via the union ? Possibly, yes as managers do have a talent " to use and abuse " without the individuals even being aware of it -ignorances bliss !!
In my experience YOU are exactly the type of person the "bully boy " managers target for more attention, that is unless they are exploited as office spy's or treated like a teachers pet !!

Well I would presume that "personally" he gets some satisfaction from the fact that he is no longer prepared to support an organisation which is falling way too short on results. A little like buying rotten fruit from the market stall - you wouldn't would you. As for isolation................sadly not all that isolated in terms of union membership these days, many people particularly part timers see little point in joining as they do not see any tangible return on the money they are expected to pay. Of course recent revelations only add fuel to the furnace when they see reports that union funds are allegedly being abused.

[CORTINA]

Cortina

So what have you personally achieved in your " isolation " ? Have YOU negotiated better terms than you would have got via the union ? Possibly, yes as managers do have a talent " to use and abuse " without the individuals even being aware of it -ignorances bliss !!
In my experience YOU are exactly the type of person the "bully boy " managers target for more attention, that is unless they are exploited as office spy's or treated like a teachers pet !!

I have joined many who have been out of the union for a year or more and new posties who do not join the union ....Pointless paying for something you regard as poor value and just making some people in higher positions far better off financially than you......from your lower salary....like feeding a charity and you end up worse off.

Many would say looking back 10 years, things have gone from a happy job to a hated job. The trade union movement in general has so much power collectively but never use it to better the workforces they represent and from the money the extract from.

The RM trade union over the past 10 years has been shameful and remains so to this day...

Sick pay being one example ..and posties walking up to 2,000 miles a year in all weathers is a good reason to to have a far better sick scheme...instead of threats and clap trap from management ...an inside office job is not so demanding and in the warm and dry.... outside is totally different situation and if the union top brass earned their money a far better sick scheme will be in opperation in the next few years....... for working outside... more so in winter having more sickness flexability.

But any expectations on a better sick scheme being achieved, is a good a chance of being treated with respect from the management .....

Taking more mail out than you cannot deliver and bring some back..... is to many the height of stupidity as it was not the case 10 years ago and the public know fully well this goes on weekly.... just shows how bad the RM has been run and the mess the regulator has imposed on running of RM the past 5 year...... and where was the union in allowing this all to happen...someone tell me..

Its like having your car service 5 years ago and it would be ok...and now after the service it runs poorly and you pay more now for that service... or union subs.....

I know other industries have problems.... but the top people are getting rich and have a far better deal off of the backs of their workers..so unions need to wake up from their slumber a open their eyes to reality...more people are earning 250k plus each year.... and the internet is closing 4 shops a day in lower shop sales...in a recent report.... fight for a better deal...or at least retain what you have..would be a good thing......

Is the future of free house mail deliveries as we know it... limited.....or will local pickup points to collect you mail be just a decade away and 25% less posties needed....... a serious thought as this is looking like reality...... and a massive saving for RM...MORE SO IF SOLD OFF.

So if myself and the public realise all this....where is the union top brass stance with their lack of forward thinking towards the posties jobs and finances stack up...... if they have the same impact and leadership as the past 5 years....we are on a hiding to nothing....

[BoltonPostie]

The union does feck all even when they know about a problem.
http://equalitylinda.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... mment-form

The last comment is off the branch sec who is defending the union,firstly both members were subjected to bullying and harassment from management,it is still going on very much in our office even now,they where bullied into taking IHR but for some reason he and the union seem to want to `just` make it into a reasonable adjustment case,kind of like when Royal Mail turn your bullying and harassment into just a grievance.

Oh and this is just the tip of the iceberg at this office it must be costing Royal Mail a small fortune in ET defending claims.
And yet NOTHING gets changed and the bullboy in charge has even been promoted after losing a tribunal case in which he was named...ROYAL MAIL DOES NOT CONDONE BULLYING OR HARASSMENT...what a load of s**t!