CWU agrees Royal Mail strike ballot

[fishtank]

Of course I have an idea of change in delivery, I am a DOM, DIM or whatever else derogatory we are called. I have to manage the changes, the lapsing, the making people work their hours etc. I am not blind and I am fully aware of the pressures on frontline staff and the difficulty on delivery. Especially for the older members of my staff since the retirement age went up. I am not deluded and certainly not brainwashed and I don't drink coffee all morning and go home at ten on a Saturday.

I think you're a decent enough guy redman and I appreciate you posting on here knowing the stick you'll take but the position we're in is not the same as yours.

The deal as such is meaningless to us,privatisation will rob us of any gains very quickly,we are not skilled labour and can be replaced very easily so without any real long term commitment to the employment model we have now we are in real trouble.

We are frightened,the Government and our employer has made us this way,Our pensions and job security are under attack and we have everything to lose...so in a sense we have nothing to lose.
The pay rise means nothing to me,nor do the shares,like most people I just want to go to work,earn a decent wage and go home but that is under threat.

It's unlikely we'll stop privatisation but at the very least we'll show any prospective buyer that any forced changes to our terms and conditions will be met by more force than they can handle.
We won't lie down and take it...what would be the point?

[dvbuk55]

Of course I have an idea of change in delivery, I am a DOM, DIM or whatever else derogatory we are called. I have to manage the changes, the lapsing, the making people work their hours etc. I am not blind and I am fully aware of the pressures on frontline staff and the difficulty on delivery. Especially for the older members of my staff since the retirement age went up. I am not deluded and certainly not brainwashed and I don't drink coffee all morning and go home at ten on a Saturday.

Redman, if that's genuinely the case, and you would be in an extremely tiny minority if it is, then why don't you and the rest of the DOM's up and down the country grow some balls, and tell your own managers NO. It's a step too far, breaking point was reached years ago, and they're still pushing for more work in less time.
Or do you, like most others, just say yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir, and do as you're told, with the promise of an ever bigger bonus, built from the hard work and suffering of front line staff?

To have survived as long as he has as a DOM that is precisely what he has done for years - self preservation - but he is not alone, he is but one of an army of eunuchs up and down the land, following a diktat laid down by their masters regardless of right or wrong - in his defence though the union has been weak in defending the members within the agreements and in lots of cases colluded with RM in forcing change at the expense of the membership.

[daveyeff]

I shouldn't give toss what happens, I am at the right end of life to be able to go without any real money worries. I wasn't always a manager, I was a postman, a driver and have been a manager 23 years. If you think I am happy about everything and have had my brainwashed your completely wrong. I am though a realist and my post was my opinion. Even on a site like this I am entitled to my opinion- right or wrong. I don't lurk or deny my position.

if you havent been brainwashed which i very much doubt,, how can you say this is a good deal.?? its roughly about an 11 quid rise for each year. BUT they want to rob us of our pension benefits if we accept. HOW CAN THAT BE A GOOD DEAL??? its probably because as you say,,,,'' ''YOU'' are at the right end of life and be able to go without any real money troubles'' YOU. YOU ALONE. in other words f**k you jack,,,im alright. you are totally self centred in my eyes.

[daveyeff]

how many people do you think can afford to have their pensions plundered even further. even if you can afford it you should be thinking about those that cant. brainwashed.

[UnhappyGremlin]

how many people do you think can afford to have their pensions plundered even further. even if you can afford it you should be thinking about those that cant. brainwashed.

And it won't be the last attack on them either.
The pay rise (which wasn't even guaranteed in years 2 and 3), had it been accepted, would have become negligible with the losses we would have no doubt suffered in terms of the pensions reductions, not to mention agreeing not to strike, being privatised, job cuts, future pay freezes/cuts, attacks on T&C's and worsening working conditions etc.

[DavidUK]

I know I am a Manager and my views will no doubt go down like a lead balloon but .......

8.6% is a hell of a pay rise over 3yrs, many workers including public sector are taking pay cuts and will continue to do so. The public won't support this argument despite strings.

Privatisation- In my opinion ( for what its worth) if you strike the government won't float RM, it will be sold to a venture capital concern, possibly a company from the USA and these people play hardball with workers rights and you can expect a change of terms and conditions a lot sooner. Floating on the stock market might not be everyone's cup of tea but at least you have a guarantee of three years and the free shares. The shares will be worth something despite scaremongering and comparison to the valueless ones we had.

The offer under a Tory Government that destroyed the coal and steel industry is a good one.

I agree with most points. ( NB Labour closed more coal mines than the Tories by the way). I think a strike would be counter-productive to all involved since the majoirty of RM workers would not strike. There may be minor disruption, but nowhere near enough to be effective.

[fishtank]

I think a strike would be counter-productive to all involved since the majoirty of RM workers would not strike.

If you are right then it's safe to assume that the majority of RM workers would vote against a strike therefore making your thoughts about a strike being counter-productive redundant.

By extrapolating your definition of counter-productive If the majority of staff then voted in favour of a strike that strike would then be productive.

So your thoughts are either redundant or wrong.

[cloherty1976]

I think they will vote for a strike but you got to see how big the turnout is which rm and media will jump on. And if they get a majority which I believe they will from low turnout I still believe a lot will be working.

[k979aaa]

I think they will vote for a strike but you got to see how big the turnout is which rm and media will jump on. And if they get a majority which I believe they will from low turnout I still believe a lot will be working.

Most who actually work in Royal Mail are not as shallow and self centred as you are as we now know your position on this and other matters!.

[cloherty1976]

Most who actually work in Royal Mail are not as shallow and self centred as you are as we now know your position on this and other matters!.[/quote]
So what you think then it will be high turnout?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Traditionally the strike vote has a good turnout, its the agreement vote that usually has a low one.

2007 Strike

66064 for and 19100 against

77% for those that voted YES on a 67.06% Turn Out

52.02% of those that could vote voted Yes.

2009 strike


YES 61, 623

NO 19, 207

67% TURNOUT

3 to 1 YES 76.2%

[k979aaa]

Most who actually work in Royal Mail are not as shallow and self centred as you are as we now know your position on this and other matters!.

So what you think then it will be high turnout?[/quote]
65% Is good enough.

[Cut Off King]

I think they will vote for a strike but you got to see how big the turnout is which rm and media will jump on. And if they get a majority which I believe they will from low turnout I still believe a lot will be working.

Most who actually work in Royal Mail are not as shallow and self centred as you are as we now know your position on this and other matters!.

A large minoroty of CWU represented staff feel betrayed by BT2010.....Its not shallow nor self centred to face up to the fact that the deal was wrong and pushed through by CWU HQ to avoid having to confront the REAL issues that face postal workers. Its easy for the top CWU to kick the problems into the long grass for a few more years in order to buy some time......but its the members that suffer for this action.

Faith in CWU HQ is at an all time low.

[borders]

that may be the case but now is not the time. we need a strong Yes vote, simply because it puts the Union in a stronger position than a No vote would. do you believe that working for RM in the future, would be better without ANY Union representation ??

[cloherty1976]

Agree with you totally but if you go by the say2009 vote 61000 voted yes for strike so the way media will take this is 40% of workforce that's why it needs to as many as possible voting yes , say 110000 out of 115000 which would be 90% and they could then only spin it to 70% . Management and media will use these tactics as they always do..