Poll : Are we all ready for a National Strike?

[*xen*]

If you're not in the union and you go out on strike, what happens? Can RM just sack you?

[SierraOscarBravo]

Industrial action would achieve absolutely nothing. Those who advocate such a course of action are delusional. The idea that Royal Mail will simply cave in to union demands is absurd.

The job is what it is today because of the actions of our colleagues over the years - coming in early, not working their full paid hours, not using trollies, not attempting delivery to neighbour, not taking their meal reliefs etc. The list goes on.

We all must face up to the enormity of the challenges facing our industry and we must not simply bury our heads in the sand and pretend that all we need to do is kick and scream and throw our toys out of the pram and along will come Royal Mail with a blank cheque for all the demands made by the union. It is not going to happen.

Our industry must change and change fast or we risk losing business, revenue and ultimately jobs. Industrial action would be extremely damaging to us in all of these respects.

Throughout history we have seen the damage done to industries by the actions of militant trade unions and their dinosaur leaders. Like Jeremy Corbyn, they are an enormous threat to the economy and to the prosperity and stability of the country.

[aiden01]

take it then you will vote no but take all the better pension and pay that rm will offer and everything else that goes with it wake up for ffs

[SierraOscarBravo]

take it then you will vote no but take all the better pension and pay that rm will offer and everything else that goes with it wake up for ffs

I do not believe in industrial action as a matter of principle.

[Norsegold]

take it then you will vote no but take all the better pension and pay that rm will offer and everything else that goes with it wake up for ffs

I do not believe in industrial action as a matter of principle.

Then just smile as you get repeatedly shafted - sometimes you have to make a stand - and for so many reasons this is one of those times

[fishtank]

take it then you will vote no but take all the better pension and pay that rm will offer and everything else that goes with it wake up for ffs

I do not believe in industrial action as a matter of principle.

Taking a selfish position and dressing it up as a principle doesn't make it any prettier to look at.

[ernieshoe]

Industrial action would achieve absolutely nothing. Those who advocate such a course of action are delusional. The idea that Royal Mail will simply cave in to union demands is absurd.

The job is what it is today because of the actions of our colleagues over the years - coming in early, not working their full paid hours, not using trollies, not attempting delivery to neighbour, not taking their meal reliefs etc. The list goes on.

We all must face up to the enormity of the challenges facing our industry and we must not simply bury our heads in the sand and pretend that all we need to do is kick and scream and throw our toys out of the pram and along will come Royal Mail with a blank cheque for all the demands made by the union. It is not going to happen.

Our industry must change and change fast or we risk losing business, revenue and ultimately jobs. Industrial action would be extremely damaging to us in all of these respects.

Throughout history we have seen the damage done to industries by the actions of militant trade unions and their dinosaur leaders. Like Jeremy Corbyn, they are an enormous threat to the economy and to the prosperity and stability of the country.

Spot on the damage was done years ago with job and finish.
Created a selfish and lazy culture within royal mail.
In my office all of these things were a daily occuurance by many - Driving their own cars, starting up to 1 1/2 hours early, peeling recorded labels off, dumping parcels on door steps, not bothering with redirections, killing off any item they could get away with, harassing new starters to rush so they could get any missorts, running and cycling like mad men to finish as early as possible to impress others. Never ever took meal breaks. Constant harrassing of counter staff to get their Specials early.
New starters never got any help from long serving employees ( only interested in finishing as early as possible to sit on their arses for the rest of the day) and got all the s**t rounds.
Constant slagging off of others - created divide and rule - work time learning consisted of rurals slagging off town rounds, town rounds slagging off business and rural rounds etc.
Constant my rounds harder than you're round - he's slow, he's got an easy round - like being back at school.
Yet they still moaned about the job - it was a joke.
Despite constant mailings from the CWU to start on time, take a meal break, do the job properly, don't take your cars out this was totally ignored.
If you think strike action will achieve much then I think you are living in cloud cuckoo land.
A huge percentage of the population don't care what time they get their mail - they're out at work from 8am - 6pm and think of it as junk mail anyway.
People pay bills, receive bills online.
Letters are becoming a thing of the past as are magazines.
The only forward for royal mail is to become the premier parcels company and to do that things have to change.
When I hear people moaning about going on to monthly pay and having to start later it makes me despair.
If you strike at christmas you will have no public support and thousands of people will see it as the time to stop sending xmas cards and never send them again. Parcel companies will jump on it and cash in - turkeys voting for christmas springs to mind.
Many of you constantly moan on here about the job but I'd wager many of you were the ones cutting corners, rushing to finish early 10 or so years ago and its caught up with you !

[mickeymacca]

The working conditions were different 10 years ago. We were not privatised then, and nor were there the tools to do the job available (or needed as much) as they are now, such as the HCT's, LWT's etc., bullying from managers was not prevalent 10 years ago. Overtime was still regularly underpaid, but that was more a matter of incompetence rather than a concerted strategy to keep within the office budget. I'm not really sure I take your point, if indeed you have one.

I'm not sure what the timetable for negotiations and subsequent voting for strike action is, but a lot of good people are leaving in the meantime, so a bit of a wiggle-on would probably be beneficial to the retention of these leavers and for a bit of stability going forward. I appreciate talks may be going on behind the scenes, but the perceived inactivity could lead to indifference,

I would not be so quick to dismiss the 25 hour PTers as not being behind possible industrial action, there are plenty that are getting shafted on a weekly basis that are at breaking point in my DO.

[ernieshoe]

The working conditions were different 10 years ago. We were not privatised then, and nor were there the tools to do the job available (or needed as much) as they are now, such as the HCT's, LWT's etc., bullying from managers was not prevalent 10 years ago. Overtime was still regularly underpaid, but that was more a matter of incompetence rather than a concerted strategy to keep within the office budget. I'm not really sure I take your point, if indeed you have one.

I'm not sure what the timetable for negotiations and subsequent voting for strike action is, but a lot of good people are leaving in the meantime, so a bit of a wiggle-on would probably be beneficial to the retention of these leavers and for a bit of stability going forward. I appreciate talks may be going on behind the scenes, but the perceived inactivity could lead to indifference,

I would not be so quick to dismiss the 25 hour PTers as not being behind possible industrial action, there are plenty that are getting shafted on a weekly basis that are at breaking point in my DO.

I indeed have a point.
Royal mail haven't just changed the job overnight.
Cuts have steadily been able to be made by years of post people not doing the job correctly.
Seen it happen in my office.
i) The drop bag driver who gets back early because 2 postman didn't need their bags dropped off as they used their own cars to transport all the mail. Because of that he gets extra packet drop points added to his job. The car drivers leave / change rounds the extra packet drops continue on that round for the next 10 years. If those 2 people would have never used their cars then extra packet drops would never have been added.
ii) The 3 posties that tore up their rounds and got back quick for 5 years have streets added to it. They change rounds / leave - the extra streets have stayed on the round. If they didnt rush and cut corners they would never have been added.
iii) Summer savings now called absorbtion. When that started the bulk of staff still rushed their rounds, took out the extra and finished early.
Therefore telling the mangement it can be done. It stayed until this day.
If people would have done the job properly then summer savings would never have been so " successful"

[Phantom]

This message is not for the runners, strike breakers and people not doing the job properly but to the ones who are doing it properly, who do take breaks, use equipment, come in on time.

The Union want the Four Pillars - it's not as daft as you may think.

An early start would allow for more delivery of items the 7-9am window is a crucial time and at the moment RM are ignoring it but at Christmas they use this window so it works.
A 35 hour week needs to happen. 6-8 hours per day walking is going to seriously damage your health, fatigue, knee problems etc. Sick will go through the roof, but by not paying you 3 days sick will also make them a profit.
A pension you can live off, anyone below the age of 50 is looking at working till 67-70, could you really do the above till 70???
All agreements, managers breaking every rule in the book because they are told to by the DSM's who are told to from above them.

The RM facts are these:

RM want to get rid of the USO, if this happens there will be massive job losses as you could in theory have 2 people doing 10 duties 5 days a week. ( 2 different duties per day)
RM want to track you, they want to know where you are every second of everyday, even on meal breaks and toilet stops.
RM want longer outdoor delivery time anything from 6-8 hours walking, they want to eliminate all indoor working, they have sequence machines for small and large letters and a packet sorting machine so this will happen.
RM want you on an inferior pension scheme, the cheapest they can get away with so that more profit and more dividends can be paid.
RM say they have competition, THEY DON'T!, No other courier firm does what we do, FACT!. DPD, HERMES, UPS etc. do not deliver letters and leaflet material.
RM want owner duties, so you basically you buy your own duty and YOU have to find cover for it when on sick or holiday.
RM want the ability to dismiss you for so called poor performance, so if you book overtime regular on your duty, if you cut off regular, if prep or ips is not up to speed etc.
RM don't want to pay you for being off sick for the first 3 days.
RM want to take all paid allowances away.
RM want new starters on lower wages, soon they'll want everyone on a lower (minimum wage).
RM want to close as many offices/buildings as possible to asset strip and boost profits. They don't care if customers or employees have to travel further.
RM want a 5pm finish.

Is your job not worth fighting for???? - If we lose then all of the above will come in, no question about that.
Do or Die!!!

[centenaryman]

We had a meeting this morning,,,,,,DSM wouldn't allow so we had a break and in that break the union rep told us the issues.

what phantom says in the post above is virtually what we were told.
I think in our office it will a resounding yes for industrial action when asked to vote.

also told us post office have been offered a rise of 2% and there making losses.....rm are big profits and no to us.

forget a pay rise....yes there nice...albeit normally we get £4-£7 ish a week extra....the big 1 I didn't like is there stance on pensions.

yeah for some this is many years away BUT weve all gotta live when were old....these don't give a monkies about us getting old

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Industrial action would achieve absolutely nothing. Those who advocate such a course of action are delusional. The idea that Royal Mail will simply cave in to union demands is absurd.

This is where you have it wrong, if we give the Union a strong enough mandate by voting yes to a strike, we might not even have to go on strike. Its a power play by BOTH sides. Neither side will win outright, but we will lose if we don't give the union a mandate.

The idea that the Royal Mail won't change their "offer" without the threat of Industrial Action is laughable. The offer being less pay, lower pensions and a minuscule pay rise (which won't cover the losses on legacy pay) tagged to unachievable savings.

Its the threat of Industrial Action which is our biggest card, to fail to play it is employment suicide.

The job is what it is today because of the actions of our colleagues over the years - coming in early, not working their full paid hours, not using trollies, not attempting delivery to neighbour, not taking their meal reliefs etc. The list goes on.

Perhaps its is, but why should everyyone lose out on pensions, pay and bonuses if we did. Also who is to blame for the 80% pay offer for new starters (for up to 5 years) that can't be blamed on anyone currently working for RM as an OPG. Its unfair, divisive and shows the true direction RM want to take our T&Cs.

We all must face up to the enormity of the challenges facing our industry and we must not simply bury our heads in the sand and pretend that all we need to do is kick and scream and throw our toys out of the pram and along will come Royal Mail with a blank cheque for all the demands made by the union. It is not going to happen.

Of course it isn't, and I am frankly amazed you think people on the other side of the debate think that way. PS the demands this time are coming from RM not the Union. The Union are trying to mitigate the damage, they are not making new demands.

Our industry must change and change fast or we risk losing business, revenue and ultimately jobs. Industrial action would be extremely damaging to us in all of these respects.

RM and the Union know this, which is why I say its a power play by both sides. You just have to chose which side you are on, and which side offer the best outcome for you.

Throughout history we have seen the damage done to industries by the actions of militant trade unions and their dinosaur leaders. Like Jeremy Corbyn, they are an enormous threat to the economy and to the prosperity and stability of the country.

Thats a political viewpoint which I disagree with, but when you don't give workers any other option but to strike the easiest way to weaken a strike is come up with the headlines you have kindly provided "Militant Trade Union" and "Dinosaur Leaders". You may think they are a threat to the economy, prosperity and stability of the country, but if people don't start seeing the benefits of this illusionary state soon you may not have to worry about the Politicians, but the people themselves. You have to give people hope, so far Austerity has stripped them of that. Without hope no one spends and the economy suffers.

Do Corbyn and the dinosaur leaders have all the answers - of course not, but neither does May and big business. Just like Royal Mail there is an ideal middle ground, but you never get to the middle ground without opposition.

[SpacePhoenix]

RM want to take all paid allowances away.

That would result in not enough people to run the machines in MCs I wouldn't be surprised if a good few come off the machines

[DB1100]

Better for everybody to strike for a week than have an overtime ban for 2 weeks,part timers at this shitty company already have the p1ss took out of them.

[aiden01]

RM want to take all paid allowances away.

That would result in not enough people to run the machines in MCs I wouldn't be surprised if a good few come off the machines

so what happens when manager tells you to go on whatever machine you are trained on. surely you cant refuse as this may result in being suspended.