Bristol vote for strike action

[fishtank]

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[POSTMAN]

Royal Mail have now been given notice for the second in the series of strikes at SEDO on 17 December 2012

[jessicarabbit]

Next one Xmas eve....they wouldn't would they?

[bigcol]

Next one Xmas eve....they wouldn't would they?

Christmas Eve is always a quiet day.

[fishtank]

If i tried to get my members to vote yes to oppose the abrogation of national agreements and procedures i would be met with blank stares,if i'm completely honest i had to google it myself.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I thought the "abrogation" one was the 2009 dispute over Phase 4 of the Pay and Mod - and look what that brought us

[dvbuk55]

If i tried to get my members to vote yes to oppose the abrogation of national agreements and procedures i would be met with blank stares,if i'm completely honest i had to google it myself.

I understood the words but I'm not entirely sure I understand the principle behind it - it would appear they are in favour of the agreement but by and large the agreement isn't working and does need to be revisited.

[fishtank]

I understood the words but I'm not entirely sure I understand the principle behind it - it would appear they are in favour of the agreement but by and large the agreement isn't working and does need to be revisited.

I do understand the union's position from a PR point of view in that it's better to be painted as the party trying to stick to the agreement rather than the dinosaur union simply resisting change however...

It's plainly obvious that whether it has or has not improved our lot,and let's be honest that argument could go on all night....the membership in general do not believe that the Business Transformation Agreement has done anything to further their terms and conditions,they blame the Agreement not the plan behind it for the increase in workload and the intimidation that has gone along with it and the whole thing has become tarnished to the point where it cannot be redeemed even by the greatest of snake oil salesman.

At some point public relations has to take a back seat to membership relations and the longer the CWU stays wedded to BT2010 the more damage will be done to the relationship between members and HQ.
It's a risky game to be playing at a time when you may be calling on the members to take some form of action.
If the members think they are being asked to fight to protect an agreement they don't even buy into the answer might be disappointing for HQ.

[Martin Walsh]

Bristol know that they have my backing and the backing of the London Divioson in their fight. Typical Royal Mail flooded the place with managers.

Now in terms of what they have been balloted on , well the abrogation of national agreements is a standard one which is cleared by the CWU employment solicitors. One of the outstanding issues was that the CWU in Bristol whilst agreeing to a new revison to put right the old one that all staff should remain on a 9 day fortnight. The national agreement allows for this but Royal Mail refused to honour this.

Quite rightly Bristol took strike action yesterday and kept the pressure on by giving 7 days notice on next Monday. I hop they get the settlement they want.

Now the question I put to you is withdrawing from the Business Transformation Agreement really what your proposing ?? Do you really think Royal Mail will stop their revison plan , their CDV plan , longer Saturdays etc by the Union withdrawing from it ??

I believe it would get worse ,all the safeguards would've gone where Royal Mail could get away with it and the benefits including the menu of options would be gone.

There is a very important meeting at National Level next Monday. The issues up for discussion include the failed revisons , bullying and harassment cases, the parcel strategy , the work plan and a range of other issues.

2013 may well decide the destiny of Royal Mail and it's workforce.

[fishtank]

Now the question I put to you is withdrawing from the Business Transformation Agreement really what your proposing ?? Do you really think Royal Mail will stop their revison plan , their CDV plan , longer Saturdays etc by the Union withdrawing from it ??

I don't personally think there is anything to be gained from formally withdrawing from the Business Transformation Agreement but i do believe that HQ has to be far more careful about the message it sends out to members by continually promoting it as the union's preferred position.
Perhaps an acceptance that BTA is flawed and a re-evaluation of our entire situation would be a position the members would accept more easily

[Martin Walsh]

I don't think the union is saying withdrawing from the agreement is the perfered option. Far from it ,the union recognises there are significant problems with the deployment of the agreement in certain areas. Eqaully clearly there are a significant amount of members being bullied to work beyond their time or for not achieieving a unagreed indivdual performance standard.

At this time if we withdrew from the agreement we would simply end up with worse terms being introduced. And probably a quickening of the sell off.

I think there is letter going out to members explaining that the union are using an independent company to help them in presenting the independent bullying and harassment cases of which there are hundreds.

[dvbuk55]

You would imagine, with PR people, the union could put across a compelling case for calling a re-evaluation to an agreement that has been proven to be flawed without resorting to looking like dinosaurs. I don't know who had this modernisation plan in mind, what model was chosen, where the saving was going to be made, what use the CSS machines are in real terms. Someones arse should be on the line for this mess and the union should take its share of the blame for its wholehearted support and going as far as pimping the damn thing.

[fishtank]

Sorry dingo i wasn't clear.
I meant continually promoting the Agreement as their preferred position,not withdrawing from it.

[dvbuk55]

I don't think anyone can realistically think that calling a halt to BT2010 is on the cards BUT what does need to happen is a realignment of hours and speeding up of revisions. What would be interesting is to find out what exactly is the hold up on revisions. 50% in 3 years points to a failing and three years on the whole thing is up in the air, as some of us predicted it would be because it was so airy fairy to begin with. What should be up for discussion at this point in time is the pay rise for 2013.

[Martin Walsh]

Fish cheers for clearing that up. I think that both the union and Royal Mail have different problems with the agreement or it's application. For Royal Mail they have promised to the government and the regulator to take hours and cash out and they have now had to 3 times down dial what they believe they would save from the agreement.

For the union , it's is clear that Royal Mail at operational management level are trying to bend and break the agreement in order to take more hours out and this inturn makes some offices collapse and then this leads to managers then bullying staff into trying to make the revision work.

Dvbuk the reasons why revisions are delayed are a combination of things , lack of planners , revisions taking up to 50 weeks in some locations instead of the 24 weeks planned and a new regional management organisation which meant planners were relocated and revison plans were changed.