CWU SHAREHOLDERS GROUP

[pcb]

As we have now all become shareholders would it not be a good idea if the CWU created a shareholders group which could counter the hedge funds which have gained a substantial foothold?
We could even look at increasing share when premiums are paid out.
What do you think?

[arnold cheshire]

As we have now all become shareholders would it not be a good idea if the CWU created a shareholders group which could counter the hedge funds which have gained a substantial foothold?
We could even look at increasing share when premiums are paid out.
What do you think?

they are looking into that

[arnold cheshire]

ive just moved to the burnley area are there any groups i can join?

[fishtank]

As we have now all become shareholders would it not be a good idea if the CWU created a shareholders group which could counter the hedge funds which have gained a substantial foothold?
We could even look at increasing share when premiums are paid out.
What do you think?

No.

[arnold cheshire]

As we have now all become shareholders would it not be a good idea if the CWU created a shareholders group which could counter the hedge funds which have gained a substantial foothold?
We could even look at increasing share when premiums are paid out.
What do you think?

No.

im not giving up my dividends

[pcb]

On your own you will be without voice and small

[fishtank]

On your own you will be without voice and small

I'm not on my own I'm part of a union,not a shareholders club.

[fishtank]

On your own you will be without voice and small

By the way are you Yoda?

[dvbuk55]

On your own you will be without voice and small

By the way are you Yoda?

May the force be with you

[wandle]

As we have now all become shareholders would it not be a good idea if the CWU created a shareholders group which could counter the hedge funds which have gained a substantial foothold?
We could even look at increasing share when premiums are paid out.
What do you think?

Why do we need the CWU to organise such a thing? With every man and his dog having internet access the days, why not set up a Facebook page, where anyone can post suggestions as to how we best use our shares and the voting rights that come with them?
Although, if recent ballots are anything to go by, about a third of shareholders won't use their vote

Personally, I'd like to see the option to take dividend payments in shares OR cash, like most listed companies do. By my estimation, we will receive - over the 5 years that our free shares must be held - about 110p/share in payouts. If the share price were 550p when dividends fell due, someone taking the DRIP* option could amass another 145 shares, taking their free shareholding to 870 shares!

*DRIP = dividend reinvestment plan

[dvbuk55]

TBH I think the union should be less concerned about the members shares and more concerned in brokering a deal to improve the current situation.

[pcb]

I think you all missed the point, AFTER the deal has been done the next 3 - 5 years will be last in which the union will have a strategic influence on our workplace. A Shareholders group would al least have a chance to change or influence the direction of the company at shareholders meetings. come on thought you were all a bit more switched on. Sorry for bothering to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!

[fishtank]

A Shareholders group would all least have a chance to change or influence the direction of the company at shareholders meetings.

No it wouldn't.
Just supposing you could bring together all of those diverse views and just supposing you could find someone to speak for all It would undermine any influence the union has in the workplace unless you turned it into some kind of anti-shareholding shareholders group which voted against anything that might increase dividends and possibly reduce our terms and conditions and if you tried that the other 90% of shareholders would laugh at you.

If we owned 51% it might be worth a shot but we don't,As it stands it might give us a seat on the board but no control and anytime you piped up with anything that might reduce dividends you would be told to pipe back down,the adults are talking.

[pcb]

What do you think hedge funds do, where a collective comes under one who acts as their representative!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

For me - No

Main reasons

1. Clash of interests - what happens when the interests of members have a direct impact on the interests of shareholders.
2. Members or not - what about the non CWU employee shareholders could the Union represent their interests.
3. No rules in the Union's constitution currently cover it. You could have a motion at Conference, but they would need a working party to investigate it, a committee to adopt it and report their finding to the next Conference. You would then another vote to adopt it ........ My best guess is that it could be as quick as a year to adopt it. However that would mean we would already be 1/2 way to the 1st significant date.
4. The Unions structure would not be able to respond quickly enough in my opinion to any situation that could have an effect on shares.
5. The shares are given to individuals and in any vote they have a say equal to their shareholding IIRC. Can the Unions 1 person 1 vote system deal with this, and perhaps more importantly what about if the vote is split along certain lines, can the Union really represent both views equally and without favour.

In the end I think the Union could have an influence with shareholding members by making recommendations etc, but for me it has to remain apart from direct issue of shares even in a trust. I just can't see them successfully overcoming the issues outlined above.


However, there is one fundamental reason for me not to like this suggestion. Shareholders are in effect owners of a company and Unions don't represent them. They represent the workers and thats where they should concentrate their efforts even when the vast majority of the employees in a company have shares in that company.