The CWU have announced a 48 hour strike or after 11:00am on Thursday 19th October 2017 and before 11:00am on Saturday 21st October 2017 : All updates in 1st post!

[LaggyBand]

Ok reading these comments, I'm now starting to believe theres covert games being played on both sides, seems bloody obvious to say it now.

Only thing to hope for is that the man in the middle comes straight. Lots of eyes watching. Whichever way it goes there's going to be a lot of material points to explain away.

I think it's unreasonable to doubt the union's foresight here. Neither side are stupid. It was going to go this way.

Interesting point now is, can the union really lose?

Think about it.

They were getting nowhere. All meaningful talks denied. So they come to you let's say, and they ask, what do we do?

Get the ballot. Notify of strike. Get the injunction, even. Force the mediation. And then they talk.

They wanted to talk, right?

And it's likely either the strikes go ahead...or they talk.

Plus, if RM get the injunction, it fuels the fire, workforce are more onboard, more support.

Seems like the obvious strategy now, no?

Someone break the train of thought for me here, maybe I'm wrong.

Seems like this boils down to, do you want to strike cos you're pissed, or do you want to make a deal? Deal's gonna be made whether the mediation is forced or not. Strikes can be called if the deals no good, and now there's no clause to hide behind..


Edit:
Whilst I eagerly await a response from someone, anyone, to see if I've gone utterly bonkers, I'll add this question to be considered in isolation: Is it even a bad thing for the union should ACAS get forcefully dragged into this? They're chaired by union folk, aren't they? If RM are acting so unreasonably, wouldn't it be handy having that type of mediator knockin' about? Was this clause even a bad thing?

[LouBarlow]

Hold I have not said that at all. Why would we lose any bargaining power there was just as many parcels delivered during Boxing Day and January sales as there were on Black Friday and cyber Monday.

The union is fighting the injunction as we feel we are in the right.

Let’s be clear Royal Mail have used the courts whenever they can. It has never stopped us from fighting.

Let’s see how this week develops ?

Dingo ....my whole point is if Royal mail get a (stay) injunction ....the public will know they have a window to do ALL they`re business sending / buying within the mediation window , i know i will be .....this stinks mate , why for the love of god ...if we call a strike it should stand ...and we will be on the gate on the dates stated ! ... it`s baloney that we will lose this ...why ..why ..why did the CWU not allow for the dirty Shite that RM would play !!??

I'm not entirely sure how you can blame the union for this. Royal Mail are able to challenge the legality of any strike - this isn't the fault of the union. The only question I would have, is why the strike wasn't balloted for earlier, as the motivation has been there for months now. That would have allowed for mediation, if the court demands it, while giving us a better window for action i.e. November time.

[robbiejob47]

The most successful strike we had in the 70s was when the Processing centres and distribution were on strike one day and us delivery posties were on strike the next day. We still got paid for the days we were there but nothing was moving as the distribution had not brought any mail across

[gary1975]

I would hope when this plays out that the cwu will insist on offices to resource up and no longer run on overtime indoor or outdoor to complete delivery

[templar]

I don't think there's any need for us to panic over this injunction application, even if the judge finds in RM"s favour. The battle for the workforce, a battle they threw everything at, is lost. I suspect a deal will be reached under mediation as it seems that they are making concessions already according to dingo.

Whether it be next week or early December we will get our chance to legally strike if no progress is made. They are obviously playing for time and using all options available to then, it's not unexpected, just a bit of an annoyance to us as I'm sure we'd rather they put all they're efforts and resource into trying to get that deal that is acceptable to all parties.

These things often take time. Don't panic, chill out, keep putting a bit of money aside for a fighting fund in case we are out for longer than expected and keep faith with the union head honchos, who seem to me, are doing a fine job.

[wannabeek]

It was possibly just big male bravado but there has been plenty of talk about this at work and not one colleague has said to me that they would not strike on those days because of a judge telling them not to.

We're not a militant office normally but I've a strong feeling that we're not working on those dates no matter what any judge in the land says.

I think RM management in the high echelons have underestimated the strength of feeling on the floor.

[UrbanPirate]

It was possibly just big male bravado but there has been plenty of talk about this at work and not one colleague has said to me that they would not strike on those days because of a judge telling them not to.

We're not a militant office normally but I've a strong feeling that we're not working on those dates no matter what any judge in the land says.

I think RM management in the high echelons have underestimated the strength of feeling on the floor.

Sounds like a great plan. Here are some links that you and your colleagues will be interested in.

https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/JobSearch/Browse.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[awesomepenguin]

It was possibly just big male bravado but there has been plenty of talk about this at work and not one colleague has said to me that they would not strike on those days because of a judge telling them not to.

We're not a militant office normally but I've a strong feeling that we're not working on those dates no matter what any judge in the land says.

I think RM management in the high echelons have underestimated the strength of feeling on the floor.

Sounds like a great plan. Here are some links that you and your colleagues will be interested in.

https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/JobSearch/Browse.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[fishtank]

Sounds like a great plan. Here are some links that you and your colleagues will be interested in.

https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/JobSearch/Browse.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's a bit of advice, take it or leave it.
Don't post anything on the internet you obviously wouldn't have the courage to say face to face, it just makes you look like a sad little teenage keyboard warrior surrounded by used Kleenex.

[wannabeek]

Aw bother! Please don't quote Urbanpirate's posts because now I've seen that stupid comment.. unless you also want to get onto my ignore list. It is a troll. Please don't feed it.

[UrbanPirate]

Sounds like a great plan. Here are some links that you and your colleagues will be interested in.

https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/JobSearch/Browse.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's a bit of advice, take it or leave it.
Don't post anything on the internet you obviously wouldn't have the courage to say face to face, it just makes you look like a sad little teenage keyboard warrior surrounded by used Kleenex.

Id quite happily say that to your face. You lot are tragic.

[fishtank]

Of course you would sweetheart.

[UrbanPirate]

Of course you would sweetheart.

Brilliant. Where do we go from here? Perhaps acknowledge that if the big man and his colleagues fancy striking against an injunction they will indeed be in need of a spot of job hunting?

[UrbanPirate]

Aw bother! Please don't quote Urbanpirate's posts because now I've seen that stupid comment.. unless you also want to get onto my ignore list. It is a troll. Please don't feed it.

The fact this guy thinks that my comment was stupid in the face of his. Thats the real tragedy.

[BeamishStout]

Aw bother! Please don't quote Urbanpirate's posts because now I've seen that stupid comment.. unless you also want to get onto my ignore list. It is a troll. Please don't feed it.

Good advice for all and followed many days ago by this poster.