Postal workers plan new day of mass gate meetings

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/45594 ... e+meetings" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The CWU postal workers’ union has warned it could end negotiations early if Royal Mail bosses use talks simply to delay strikes.

And it has called for gate meetings next Tuesday.

CWU union officials entered fresh talks with Royal Mail bosses last week after a high court ruling forced them to postpone a planned 48 hour strike last month.

But as talks began last Thursday CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger said the union would try to end the process early if bosses dragged their heels. “We are not going to just sit things out if we know it’s just a cynical ploy to stop us taking industrial action,” he said.

The CWU says Royal Mail will have to make “an early and significant move” towards their demands to avoid action.

They include a pension deal for all postal workers, a pay rise not linked to productivity deals and a shorter working week without loss of pay.

[borgpicard]

if Royal Mail bosses use talks simply to delay strikes.

Of course thats what they are doing, anyone with half a brain realises this.

[Lincox]

They must already know by now because if Moya Greene was true to her word then a considerable offer would already have been made via the arbitration process.

[General Mannerheim]

Good luck with the ending negotiations early.

[greengiant]

Surely neither party can "end negotiations early" while the mediation is taking part?

[Lincox]

The cWU can end negotiations at any time if they believe that Royal Mail are just playing a game. They do not have to abide by the findings of the arbitrator. They do have to comply with the schedules laid down in the 2013 Agreement, but as soon as these have expired they can give 2 weeks notification of strike action.

[Rommagic]

A gate meeting on the 8th would make more sense,update on the talks on the 7th.

[LouBarlow]

The cWU can end negotiations at any time if they believe that Royal Mail are just playing a game. They do not have to abide by the findings of the arbitrator. They do have to comply with the schedules laid down in the 2013 Agreement, but as soon as these have expired they can give 2 weeks notification of strike action.

How can they just ignore a court ruling?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The cWU can end negotiations at any time if they believe that Royal Mail are just playing a game. They do not have to abide by the findings of the arbitrator. They do have to comply with the schedules laid down in the 2013 Agreement, but as soon as these have expired they can give 2 weeks notification of strike action.

How can they just ignore a court ruling?

How will they be ?

[Lincox]

All the court ruling says is that the process of the arbitration must take place before the CWU can actually call its members out on strike. Within the 2013 agreement is a time schedule in which the process must take place unless there is an agreement between the two sides to extend that period. If the union are of the opinion that Royal Mail have made insufficient moves towards an acceptable agreement and are just using delaying tactics then the union can reject what offer if any has been made and at the end of the time schedule can then give notice to Royal Mail that strike action will take place following a further two week notice period.

[cloherty1976]

Good luck with the ending negotiations early.

you are right but the union do have to show they are banging there fists on the table and spitting there dummies out to the workforce.
Wonder if they want to pay for another expensive court case which they have lost before they enter?

[fishtank]

The union has signed up to an agreed process, that process has been confirmed as being legally binding by the court, that process must be completed to exhaustion whether Royal Mail are pissing about or not in order to comply with the legally binding agreement.

None of the parties can end the process unilaterally before it is completed without being in breach of the legally binding agreement. That includes the two week cooling off period. The union is attempting to look as if they won't be messed around, it is nothing more than playing to the crowd and personally I would rather they concentrated on getting the best deal available rather than underestimating the intelligence of the membership.

You can't stand up in court and say we're walking away because the other side aren't playing nice, the law isn't interested in nice or fair or even anything that goes on in the talks, just that you follow the process you signed up to.

[LouBarlow]

The cWU can end negotiations at any time if they believe that Royal Mail are just playing a game. They do not have to abide by the findings of the arbitrator. They do have to comply with the schedules laid down in the 2013 Agreement, but as soon as these have expired they can give 2 weeks notification of strike action.

How can they just ignore a court ruling?

How will they be ?

Of course they would be if they ended mediation early.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The cWU can end negotiations at any time if they believe that Royal Mail are just playing a game. They do not have to abide by the findings of the arbitrator. They do have to comply with the schedules laid down in the 2013 Agreement, but as soon as these have expired they can give 2 weeks notification of strike action.

How can they just ignore a court ruling?

How will they be ?

Of course they would be if they ended mediation early.

Correct. But I assumed from the context of you quoting Lincoxs post that something he suggested was in effect ignoring the judgement.

I think my reading of the situation matches Fishtanks quite closely and I think the CWU and RM will come to a resolution acceptable to both and then we will decide if it is or not.

The tub-thumping by the Union and the overt and badly judged storm of propaganda by RM, ultimately were and are just a bit of grandstanding and stage dressing. The play will continue, leaks will be made, updates will be on message and the main actors will position themselves in the best possible light. In the meantime, the negotiations will grind on and a deal will eventually be made as both sides need to come out looking like winners to their own audiences.

National Industrial Action is in my opinion fairly unlikely now, the threat of it was enough, hopefully, this time.

[cloherty1976]

The union has signed up to an agreed process, that process has been confirmed as being legally binding by the court, that process must be completed to exhaustion whether Royal Mail are pissing about or not in order to comply with the legally binding agreement.

None of the parties can end the process unilaterally before it is completed without being in breach of the legally binding agreement. That includes the two week cooling off period. The union is attempting to look as if they won't be messed around, it is nothing more than playing to the crowd and personally I would rather they concentrated on getting the best deal available rather than underestimating the intelligence of the membership.

You can't stand up in court and say we're walking away because the other side aren't playing nice, the law isn't interested in nice or fair or even anything that goes on in the talks, just that you follow the process you signed up to.

such a fair and honest point