VOTE NO - Think of yourself!

[Ossie From Preston]

I have filled my ballot paper in and its a NO simply because the union SOLD us down the river before when we supported them through thick and thin now they want our support again.
Plus the fact of the last strike when we had the one day strikes on a Thursday say those that had that day off got paid and lo and behold the strike was Friday the week after where the same personnel got paid once again and you tell me that's fair?

Where is the colleague shares the union said they would fight for us after Royal Mail making massive profits?
Two posties in my office retired through ill health they got their colleague shares where is ours?
The Union agreed a up to six and seven door to doors for the posties without even asking the posties views on it.
The Union have agreed us working longer hours on a Saturday?
The Union should be telling members to TAKE BREAKS - DON'T COME IN EARLY - STOP OVERTIME- WORK TO RULE before jumping the gun on one day strikes that are neither here or there then we will have to work harder to play catch up.
The Union are still allowing managers to bully and intimidate posties.
Only Hayes and Ward making big money out of this they don't care about me or you we all have bills and family's unlike the the top union men earning a massive crust.
They say Royal Mail chief's won't be around in their latest leaflet neither will they play it safe VOTE NO.
Who pays your wages Ward and Hayes or Royal Mail?
And no I am not a manager dangling the carrot we have been on our own over the past x amount of years so a few more won't matter....

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

The Union should be telling members to TAKE BREAKS - DON'T COME IN EARLY

take it you didnt hear the do your job properly campaign that the union has been trying to get posties to do for the last few years??

The Union should be telling members to STOP OVERTIME- WORK TO RULE

Cant tell us to do that without a ballot, Work to Rule is industrial action and to tell us to do it without a ballot is illegal

If the ballot was a Work to Rule Ballot would you vote YES instead?

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

One word - IDIOT

is it not better to try and point out the errors in his argument rather than simply resorting to name calling?

in the near future we are going to have a lot of disagreement on this board and last time there was a lot of name calling and stuff, it left a few with bad feelings so lets not resort to it again, if someone has a point of view which is different from you, please respect their right to have it, but remember you do have the right to challenge it with informed discussion which may in the end encourage a few who would have voted NO or have crossed a line to stop and think and maybe vote yes or join the picket instead, thats a lot more satisfying than simply calling some one an idiot

[fishtank]

So your argument is basically..the union is weak as piss so let's vote NO and make it weaker and pissier.
Sounds like a winner all round.

[Cornishpostie44]

From past postie experience I wouldn't recommend anyone to admit to even thinking about not crossing the picket line. I debated this (under a different name) back when due to possible financial obligations and it was infuriating to say the least. The majority here are hardliners and will not tolerate any dissent so why waste your time?
I've never crossed the line myself and I'll support 'us' yet again despite the obvious lack of union balls but a RM discussion forum alas is not the place to discuss this openly...and that speaks volumes. There are obvious arguments for and against striking and I personally find it hard to believe that we'll better the agreement offered. My opinion is based on the fact that the government obviously does not give a flying feck. Imho it would be refreshing to be able to discuss this openly without the usual level of intolerance. I dare say if we do physically strike a few more from the office will refuse to speak to anyone who dares to think and act differently.

Still, I'm off to a local union meeting this very evening, people will listen then moan and bitch and as always nothing much happens. Why do we bother? (that was a rhetorical question).

[TrueBlueTerrier]

1 Comment deleted - name calling

[RobertT]

To be honest I'm not the biggest fan of the union and have had a period of non membership due to many of the reasons the OP gave, aswell as the ex-rep at my office being solely interested in himself. However I rejoined a few months back partly as we now have a new/better rep and as I suspected privatisation, pay, pensions, etc have become a big deal. Which I want to have my say on in the form of the ballot.

I appreciate some might not like the fact that I've 'dipped in and out' of the union but as Ossie From Preston suggests, I will be thinking of myself and trying to secure my pay and my pension. I've voted YES!

[tpost]

To be honest if you vote NO RM will have carte blanche to what they want, if you vote YES you will put RM under pressure to settle quickly. Although the union is not perfect we are well paid compared to many in outside industry and I for one am willing to go on a picket line to maintain my lifestyle and my union representation. VOTE YES

[BernardBresslaw]

There are obvious arguments for and against striking

There are arguments against striking? Because we will see an 8% increase in pay over 3 years? (which just squeaks us alongside the rate of inflation) After 3 years pay will plummet as there will be no union, at least in it's current guise, to fight for our terms and conditions. It really is last chance saloon, as even hard-liners, will abandon the union, if they balls this up this time, and ultimately, that will lead to us all taking massive pay-cuts down the line.

You will still have a mortgage to pay in 3 years, I'm guessing, could you do that on £100 less a week?

[marlboroman]

I hate going on strike and losing money but you have to look at the facts if we just give in we will just get walked over. Its time to stand up fight for our future. If there was no union we would be on lower wages now as it is. FACT. Nobody likes this but there is no other option but get behind your union.

[sharky0308]

So your argument is basically..the union is weak as piss so let's vote NO and make it weaker and pissier.
Sounds like a winner all round.

Now I want someone to enlighten me and explain how the union has made my life better over the 9 years that I've been a postman. Yes, I've been a member since day one, and I'll be voting the way we all should in the ballot, but to your comment, then yes, I really do believe they're weak as piss as you eloquently put it. I think they are inept, weak or maybe something more sinister, how else can you explain the mistakes they have been making day after day after day in the past few months,because personally I'm baffled by it all.

[pinstripe]

I'm going to think of myself. I'm going to think of what is in the best interests of my family. Sod the lot of you, I don't care that much about you, only myself.

Still voting YES though.

[Pat Ostman]

I would respect you more if you voted yes and scabbed than vote no and scabbed. That may seem arse round but the YES vote in this case is more important than any subsequent action.

Vote YES and at least see what happens.

[cloherty1976]

To be honest I'm not the biggest fan of the union and have had a period of non membership due to many of the reasons the OP gave, aswell as the ex-rep at my office being solely interested in himself. However I rejoined a few months back partly as we now have a new/better rep and as I suspected privatisation, pay, pensions, etc have become a big deal. Which I want to have my say on in the form of the ballot.

I appreciate some might not like the fact that I've 'dipped in and out' of the union but as Ossie From Preston suggests, I will be thinking of myself and trying to secure my pay and my pension. I've voted YES!

We are very alike i think although I am no longer a union member I would have given the union a YES vote.

[k979aaa]

The original poster WE ALL ARE the UNION it is better to change policy and direction from within than set up another union or party I know things will happen if you get involved in the process. Vote YES get involved and change things for the better for everyone.