What was this dispute really about?

[buzzer]

Was this dispute about pay, pensions, working conditions etc etc. Ever so slightly i think! More likely it was about the union flexing it's muscles, like saying "we are here in the room with you so don't ignore us."
The TRUTH IS that the business probably is in financial difficulty. The TRUTH IS that the government are not going to invest anymore money in RM. I feel that the union leaders knew these truths, but they led us into a strike anyway. That is why we haven't gained very much, because there was nothing to be gained in the first place.
There is one other TRUTH, and that is that the leaders of Royal Mail are making a lot of money on our behalf. If the union want to do something useful, they should address this issue, because i think that this was a major catalyst for the strike.

[Night Tonic]

My guess is the union didn't have enough knowledge to start with. Once they'd sat down and looked at the facts and figures, it was clear they werent going to make any progress but didnt want to lose face. I agree, lot of it was about losing power and members.

[plodsie]

If the business really was in financial difficulty why didn't they tell the likes of TNT where to go? Face the wrath of the regulator, and FORCE a judicial review of what exactly competition actually was? They didn't and infact allowed the regulator to walk all over RM with a groveling whimper, positively encouraged TNT and their ilk to undercut RM and subsidise their service. The Government supposedly wants RM to be a business, what business is forced to subsidise another? It is nothing but commercial suicide on behalf of the RM. For me, the strike was about defending the last bits of public service we have, and to protect what we have. We all know what will happen if RM get their way, and although the public may not understand the full facts now, they certainly will if their plans go through.

[Night Tonic]

Narrow view though. This is right across Europe not just blighty.

[gunner]

one of the outcomes of this dispute is that their will be a goverment review of liberalisation in the uk postal market
i doubt that this would come about without the political pressure of the dispute

[Tall Guy]

one of the outcomes of this dispute is that their will be a goverment review of liberalisation in the uk postal market
i doubt that this would come about without the political pressure of the dispute

Don't hold your breath, they're quite happy with how it's going. There will be no review.

[weetrogg]

one of the outcomes of this dispute is that their will be a goverment review of liberalisation in the uk postal market
i doubt that this would come about without the political pressure of the dispute

Don't hold your breath, they're quite happy with how it's going. There will be no review.

It started as a pay deal,but then rm turned it into an all out attack on the union, we have been victorious in the sense that the union is still intact and this was due to the determination and unity shown during this dispute by US, the MEMBERS, cos WE are the union

Now i will personally be voting no, but im almost sure it will be a yes vote,if thats the case its vital we stay strong locally. Delivery workers you MUST do your job properly, by doing this it rules out flexibility and puts your union reps in a much stronger position when it comes to negotiating with the local dims

We also need to capitalise on the support thats been shown, we can do this by making sure all union positions within your unit are filled, we must aim to have representation in ALL offices up and down the country, so if your office has no repsits time to stand up and be counted its the best protections against the sh**tiest parts of this deal!!!


Im proud to be part of a workforce that showed such strength and loyalty To all you strike breakers, we will never forgive or forget, your shame is life long




WE are the union

[Lounge Lizard]

Well if the business is in financial difficulty they might have welcomed saving £32,000,000 in pay for the eight days we've all been on strike !

[dogfood]

Well if the business is in financial difficulty they might stop paying :lfo :cfo millions in bonuses.
kin'ell they make millions in bonuses when they create financial difficulties wtf will they make if they ever become successful at their jobs?

[pickaname]

Delivery workers you MUST do your job properly, by doing this it rules out flexibility and puts your union reps in a much stronger position when it comes to negotiating with the local dims

Yea, until doing you job properly entails bowing to flexible working...you know RM will shift their position on what 'doing the job properly' is.

[gunner]

to see what the dispute was about you just have to look at the original offer
the lump sum with no pay rise and the 22 strings
all to be imposed without union involvement

the deal looks considerably different from that only because of the negotiators backed by the members and the action

the business still has there shopping list ive got no doubt of that
but they wont get it using this deal to get everything they want

[andy2007]

Was this dispute about pay, pensions, working conditions etc etc. Ever so slightly i think! More likely it was about the union flexing it's muscles, like saying "we are here in the room with you so don't ignore us."
The TRUTH IS that the business probably is in financial difficulty. The TRUTH IS that the government are not going to invest anymore money in RM. I feel that the union leaders knew these truths, but they led us into a strike anyway. That is why we haven't gained very much, because there was nothing to be gained in the first place.
There is one other TRUTH, and that is that the leaders of Royal Mail are making a lot of money on our behalf. If the union want to do something useful, they should address this issue, because i think that this was a major catalyst for the strike.

First of all, dispite what the Press wanted everyone to believe, this dispute was always about the pay DEAL, not just the pay AMOUNT!

Because there were so many strings. You will find a variety of different reasons why people were so passionate about the strike. Because different people are angry about different aspects of the deal.

There are some important improvements in the new version of the deal. But it is still basically the same, and the safeguards (such as they are) won't apply to new starters. I have already been more specific (in answer to one of Lovejoy's posts) elsewhere, so I won't go into it here. But please, READ THE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE DECIDING WHICH WAY TO VOTE!

The irony is, that had they not tried to include so many strings. They could potentially have sorted this out quite some time ago. It's even possible (though unlikley considering RM's attitude) that they could have avoided a Strike in the first place.

After all, it's a lot easier to get an agreement on a few issues, than 23 at once (including the pay amount).

As far as RM loosing money is concerned. WE ONLY HAVE THIER WORD FOR IT!!!!! Has ANYONE seen the illusive accounts? I think not! They are hiding them for a reason!

The most worrying thing about your post. Is that you actually think that the CWU were looking for a Strike..... Didn't you know, that it was RM, NOT the CWU who were looking for Industrial Action, and had even made plans, months before we even knew there was trouble brewing.

[Yahoorsur]

Was this dispute about pay, pensions, working conditions etc etc. Ever so slightly i think! More likely it was about the union flexing it's muscles, like saying "we are here in the room with you so don't ignore us."
The TRUTH IS that the business probably is in financial difficulty. The TRUTH IS that the government are not going to invest anymore money in RM. I feel that the union leaders knew these truths, but they led us into a strike anyway. That is why we haven't gained very much, because there was nothing to be gained in the first place.
There is one other TRUTH, and that is that the leaders of Royal Mail are making a lot of money on our behalf. If the union want to do something useful, they should address this issue, because i think that this was a major catalyst for the strike.

The truth Buzzer,whats the truth?it's your spin on it,

'the govt are not going to invest more money in RM',
has Alister Darling told you that?

This dispute for me was about being treated as a equal,not a serf,contracts should be honoured, and debts should be paid,I will not sit back and watch folk,being impoverished in their old age

Oh and before I forget, I dont remember Hayes and Ward talking in July that this was going to be like 'The Miners strike and Longbridge'
Crozier did so before you start talking about people being led into a strike do please remember 'IT WAS A SECRET BALLOT'

And in the words of one of the posters here


PROUD TO BE ONE OF THE 77%

[mailman71]

this dispute was about the working man standing up for their rights after being forced into a corner by the most right wing labour goverment in recent histoty

[DGP1]

this dispute was about the working man standing up for their rights after being forced into a corner by the most right wing labour goverment in recent histoty

I think what you meant to say was MOST RIGHT WING GOVERNMENT IN HISTORY.