Why doesn't the C.W.U offer alternatives to strike action?

[frogger]

Why is it that whenever the C.W.U ballots it's member for industrial action, it always seems to be in the form of Strike action?,they never offer the alternative of a work to rule. With the inevitable confrontation looming over the privatisation issue, no doubt the union will be balloting again for strikes.This,as everyone probably knows,would be playing into both the Governments and Media's hands. A strike is what the Government wants, they will use it to demonstrate to the gullible how our unions are run by dinosaurs, and how militant we all are, They will put all their negative spin on it, about how R.M is trapped in the dark ages and needs to move forward,and privatisation is the only way. etc,etc. We will become this governments "Miners". They want confrontation,(this is probably why we haven't had a pay rise yet,and why our shares suddenly were worth nothing!).
Whenever we've gone on strike before,the Government always push out the same old rhetoric, "Only a small percentage voted for the strike action" and all that gumpf. What usually follows is legal action to prove the strike isnt legal etc etc.
Every postman/woman i speak to says the same thing, "I can't afford to go on strike again". So why arent we offered a work to rule? that way we all get paid, and R.M would struggle to cope,also the Government won't be given the ammunition to use against us? A work to rule would also demonstrate the fact that the job just cant be done properly in an 8 hour day.
But more important than that,a ballot for a work to rule would be unanimously supported so we all win.

[houseoflords]

What planet are you on?

[Judgee]

Don't think we are allowed to "work to rule" could be wrong but I think it may be an EU ruling or something. We can "do the job properly" Which is basically the same thing!

[martin the green]

if we did the job properly the place would fall apart.

[eric the viking]

I'm pretty sure that Maggie skewed it so you have to ballot for industrial action up to and including strike action.

[Lounge Lizard]

if we did the job properly the place would fall apart.

If we stopped doing overtime the place would fall apart, but there's too many part timers for that to work.
And I doubt if anyone's daft enough to believe that strike action would have any chance of halting privatisation.

[PostieSP1]

Pay/conditions going down no matter what we do,but so will the service,more Posties who wont giv a fuk,more thieving.So at least in the end when its too late everyone will have to put up with a crap Postal service!!Then we can all say we told you so but no fkr would listen:p

[steven100]

We could always do the job right but does anyone actually know the correct methods. So many of us cut corners (maybe not them all). What is supposed to our actual walking speed.....wait running speed. How long to get for knocking at doors with parcels and waiting. How do you have to wait to get into entry system stair.
I'm sure they is lots more.

Maybe we wouldn't need to go on strike if the union give us more information on little things like I have said above.

[clashcityrocker]

There is an alternative to strike action - it is called Do The Job Properly.
Yet there are still early starters, car users, doorsteppers, runners, ghost docketers, meal-relief skippers etc etc et bloodycetera.

What chance is there of your work to rule having any effect?

Better to have everyone out and on the picket line.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Ultimately its down to control.

The CWU don't like work to rule, as a campaign its fine, but as a form of Industrial Action its difficult to control. More importantly perhaps is that because of the nature of the job in deliveries (perhaps mitigated to some degree with P&L) its easy to isolate members and pressurise them into breaking the work to rule.

Royal Mail like work to rule as an action for many reasons but the isolation one is the main one. Also its easier for them to target individuals and suspend/dismiss them for trivial matters.

All in all as a member work to rule has the benefit of not hitting my pay packet like a strike does. However, with the increased possibility of people ignoring the work to rule, with more chances of collateral damage of colleagues being got at or dismissed and the fact that a work to rule is less sexy in Fleet street so it would be harder to get our message out, I think a strike, at least in Deliveries, is the best option in most cases.

[fishtank]

So why arent we offered a work to rule?

I take it you mean an overtime ban.
In an office of 150 staff how do you monitor it?
Does someone have to stand at the gate 3 hours before your start time to make sure nobody starts early and 3 hours after work to make sure nobody works over?
How do you know if someone is working their day off,start asking questions and you'll quickly find yourself on a B&H charge.
What would be the impact on operations....some cut offs that get prepped back into the frame the following day?
Nothing new there if you've been through a park&loop revision.

On the first day 5 people might break it.
On the second day another 10 would think f**k this I'm not watching those tossers scoop up all the overtime.
By the end of the week you would have achieved the square root of f**k all.
Your part-timers would have to live on whatever their contracted hours were while full-timers went home with a full week's wages....nice.
Since nobody really knows what a "work to rule" means members would probably end up suspended.

[frogger]

What planet are you on?

Straight forward enough question house of lords, shame it was too complicated for you to provide an answer!
I was hoping someone from the union could provide an answer as to whether or not it was illegal now to work to rule. Yes i know you will always get those runners,work for nothings, who wouldnt stick to it,but the point i was making was that an option of a work to rule would get a better response in a ballot, and at least we'd still get paid while making a point.

[fishtank]

I was hoping someone from the union could provide an answer as to whether or not it was illegal now to work to rule.

No it's just another form of industrial action therefore it requires a ballot.
A work to rule is not to be confused with "doing the job properly" which should be everybody's default position.

[frogger]

Ultimately its down to control.

The CWU don't like work to rule, as a campaign its fine, but as a form of Industrial Action its difficult to control. More importantly perhaps is that because of the nature of the job in deliveries (perhaps mitigated to some degree with P&L) its easy to isolate members and pressurise them into breaking the work to rule.

Royal Mail like work to rule as an action for many reasons but the isolation one is the main one. Also its easier for them to target individuals and suspend/dismiss them for trivial matters.

All in all as a member work to rule has the benefit of not hitting my pay packet like a strike does. However, with the increased possibility of people ignoring the work to rule, with more chances of collateral damage of colleagues being got at or dismissed and the fact that a work to rule is less sexy in Fleet street so it would be harder to get our message out, I think a strike, at least in Deliveries, is the best option in most cases.

Thanks TrueBlue,make a lot of sense,and answers my question.

[DirtyHarry]

Question is.....
Do you trust the CWU enough, to lead you to a victory you are more than capable of winning?

Sadly, after last time....I don't.

Will do anything but lose more money hand over fist.