NATIONAL TALKS - THE FUTURE OF THE ROYAL MAIL GROUP

[Cut Off King]

Why would anyone want to strike again fully knowing that when RM & CWU go into negtiations the result will be the same as last time - " the deal of the century "

Spin Spin & more Spin

I for one am fed up with supporting the union & getting wet standing on a picket line - Only for talks to conclude with a CR*P deal for the members

The CWU can't keep having a love in with MOYA and ask for members support

Joint Statement my arse

[Toby Tyke]

Too little, too late.
Sadly we have no alternative but to back the call for strike action.
If we do not the management will see it as a green light to steamroller us from top to bottom.
Just imagine what comes next. It's scary.
Even larger rounds, no more pay rise,more people forced to work past there time and not get paid for it, anyone who stands up and says "no" will be gone like a shot (performance issues etc)
It may be a pi** poor union but its the only one we have and needs to be backed on this issue.

[dvbuk55]

We are torn between a rock and a hardplace. This is not the time economically to take strike action, however we do not have any choice if we wish to protect any sort of future working for Royal Mail.

Wasn't that the issue last time though, a future with the BT 2010 modernisation plan? It seems to me we are on a hiding to nothing.

[Godric]

On the subject of strikes calling a national action would bring all of us out whether we want to or not
we as a group of people now have to be strong but those at the top (no plan b remember )should fall on their swords and go
they have let their membership down badly and still appear in unison with the company in videos and joint statements.
xmas doesnt matter its the main period public use us
not big business who use all other companies via dsa
if we go out we also cripple tnt,uk mail all the competition would suffer more than us
thats still the power we still hold over everyone else for now USE THIS

nail on the head Hans ...

[steven100]

Its a case of we are dammed if we strike and dammed if we don't. Striking will lead to privatisation quicker and no striking the b & h will just continue and get worse.
If we do strike it should be 1 week all out strike, none of this 1 day here rubbish. Everyone could go on holiday that week . Plus RM would be back around negotiating very quickly.

[dvbuk55]

You're going to hear the same old cry "the membership wasn't really up for it" in 2009 when really it was the leadership that wasn't really up for it - I just wonder about the financial dealings that went on behind closed doors and if that is in jeopardy now that the end of the agreement is nigh.

[billyboy123]

if push comes to shove and we do strike forget the idea of mailcentres 1 day and delivery the next we should all be out together

[whatamess!!]

The people at the top can be changed!!! I have over 30 years left in this business, I can't carry on the way it is, it's time to make a stand and unite against the employer and the people at the top.

[fishtank]

There are major problems ahead for all of us.
I have little faith in HQ's ability to remove it's head from it's arse long enough to co-ordinate a campaign to re-engage the membership.
Without membership engagement first there will be no action.

At no point in the last 3 years has anyone at HQ taken any responsibility for the shambles we find ourselves in.
The delivery side of BT2010 was a mess from day one,it's far too vague and at the same time too complicated to protect anyone which was pointed out at the time.
Some Branches have done their best to support members,others have been pathetic and in some cases have helped Royal Mail achieve what they wanted at the expense of members.
Nothing has been done to pull those Branches into line...nothing will be done,they are bulletproof protected by a flawed democratic process and an old pals system.

You can only blame Royal Mail to a certain extent,the union offered itself up for the treatment it got and the business duly obliged.
How many "Royal Mail are f***ing us about" LTB's do you have release before you get the message?
The membership got the message a long time ago.

Having said all that i'll do what's asked of me again,not because i believe it will achieve much but because i believe not doing it will hurt us even more.

[Budfrog]

Whilst IA should always be the last resort the last strike was like death by a thousand cuts to the membership. It was too easy to manage from RM's perspective and the customers were not badly affected so media coverage was poor.

[dvbuk55]

Whilst IA should always be the last resort the last strike was like death by a thousand cuts to the membership. It was too easy to manage from RM's perspective and the customers were not badly affected so media coverage was poor.

If we had staged an outright strike in 2009 and didn't go back until the problems were resolved would we have still been in the same position now? I don't want to hear we went out for 15, 16, 17 days because that was immaterial the national strike brought RM to the table and because some had been on strike for those days they were only too eager to accept the interim agreement after only 2 days of national action, that is the problem with the CWU. It is fragmented, there is no cohesive strategy and minorities are allowed to dictate terms that affect the whole membership and yet want to make local agreements outside of nationally agreed terms. Whilst the strategy of local agreements is holding the field and is actively encouraged and even the elements of a nationally agreed structure are flouted and ignored how can you expect a united front?

[Budfrog]

Whilst IA should always be the last resort the last strike was like death by a thousand cuts to the membership. It was too easy to manage from RM's perspective and the customers were not badly affected so media coverage was poor.

If we had staged an outright strike in 2009 and didn't go back until the problems were resolved would we have still been in the same position now? I don't want to hear we went out for 15, 16, 17 days because that was immaterial the national strike brought RM to the table and because some had been on strike for those days they were only too eager to accept the interim agreement after only 2 days of national action, that is the problem with the CWU. It is fragmented, there is no cohesive strategy and minorities are allowed to dictate terms that affect the whole membership and yet want to make local agreements outside of nationally agreed terms. Whilst the strategy of local agreements is holding the field and is actively encouraged and even the elements of a nationally agreed structure are flouted and ignored how can you expect a united front?

Fair point - but if EVERYONE did the job as it should be done ie work your hours, use the correct methods and tools for the job, adhere to safe systems of work, take your meal breaks and RA allowance, work at a pace you can maintain for your attendance span (75Bs), only work overtime if it is authorised and paid for, then pressure would be brought to bare without the loss of ££££s in wages. PLUS report every instance of bullying and harassment or undue pressure by management.

[Lincox]

Anybody know the percentage of permanent contracts to those on fixed term contracts? It will be very difficult to expect FTCs to take strike action. How many FTCs are cwu members? Our position of strength must have been dimished dramatically since 2009. However with the knowledge that Royal Mail has insufficient workforce to cover the work as it is, I would have thought it would not take long to bring the business and ultimately the business community clammering for a settlement.

[RedRich]

Someone should be carrying the can for the way we are being forced to work in delivery offices. We have 10% of our staff on anti-depressants due to the bullying and harassment from managers including our excellent rep who was forced to stand down on health grounds. In the four months he was off sick no one from the union showed any interest in our plight despite numerous calls. It finally took a letter to Ward threatening a mass pull-out from the union before anything happened. We in our office would like a vote of no confidence in our current leaders. What is the point of sending these same people back into talks after they have failed us time after time!

[fishtank]

if EVERYONE did the job as it should be done ie work your hours, use the correct methods and tools for the job, adhere to safe systems of work, take your meal breaks and RA allowance, work at a pace you can maintain for your attendance span (75Bs), only work overtime if it is authorised and paid for, then pressure would be brought to bare without the loss of ££££s in wages. PLUS report every instance of bullying and harassment or undue pressure by management.

No offence Budfrog but i think that's what they call in business terms a straw man proposal since although in principle it's a wonderful idea it could never work in practice.
It is however a very good starting point for ideas that might.