Hi, here's the Mount Pleasant bulletin of the 31st of Jan. Comments are welcomed.
HE’S "DELIGHTED"? NO SURPRISE THERE...
Re Friday’s “negotiators agreement” between the CWU and
RM: hopefully we shall hear what’s in it after the union’s
executive (PEC) has finished looking at it. So that should
be this Thursday?
Of course, they could refer it back... But if they don’t, it’s
going to be presented at various meetings after which we
get to vote on it. (Many weeks from now?!) Terry Pullinger,
deputy union GS, said on his Facebook video that he was
“delighted” at the agreement and hoped we would be too...
But not having been born yesterday, we already know we
won’t be.
WE’LL NEVER TRUST THE “THIRD WAY”
Actually we hear that the pension scheme that these guys
have up their sleeves (collective defined contribution
scheme, where savers pool assets and share risk, a
supposed 3rd way between DC and DB), can cut your
pension due to the ups and downs in the market. Exactly
what we refuse.
NO TO PENSIONS THEFT!
Yes, there can never be an excuse to allow bosses to steal
our pensions. And that’s besides all the other past thefts -
like our Ts&Cs, jobs, work-life balance, daily wages... etc.
Pensions are our money (contributed according to
previous “agreements”!) and RM cannot be given a licence
to take it.
LET’S CALL TIME ON THEM!
Of course we do agree that all the guys on DC pensions
need DB pensions, but they don’t need to join us in a risky
“pool” either! Isn’t it time all workers called time on
companies like RM who tell us they can’t “afford” proper
pensions for all workers, but can “afford” dividends for their
shareholders?
WHAT THE...?
What’s more, this is all part of the “divide and rule” - which is
the one thing that we need to stop! Taking on workers on
lesser Ts&Cs and lesser pensions, part-time, casual,
whatever - how did we ever let this happen?
So let us be clear: any element of “risk”, shared or
otherwise, that is, forced gambling with any part of pensions
should be absolutely out of the question! What we, all of us,
want and need, are the straight, defined benefit schemes
many of us paid into for years.
OPPOSING INTERESTS
And by the way, we don't need to be told by TP to take into
account "the future challenges and changes and the
evolution that we face"… We know all about this “evolution”
already, because the future is already here. And the
changes are against our interests! But of course, TP loves
to talk about RM as “our business”. As if our interests and
the RM bosses’ interests were one and the same!
THEY NEED A BRAIN TEST
Managers seem to be looking for a fight! Our mates with
health problems are being put on stages and “hounded” out
of pure bloody-mindedness! How dare they put pressure on
us to come back to work when we’re not fit - or do they think
they know better than our doctors? Well yes, apparently
they do think so. Which is ample reason to send them off
to a doctor, to get their heads examined... Or to a vet?
WE’RE ALSO DELIGHTED...
Oh dear! We've seen Bob the Builder trying to “show the
ropes” to the manager who is replacing him on nights…
Well, we hope the new night manager realises that he
better forget everything B the B's said! (We’re sure he
does!)
But let us say how “delighted” (to steal a phrase from
TP), we are, to see the Buzzy Bee gone!
...BUT WE’RE NOT
Talking of ropes, on Lates, we’ll probably be needing one
shortly to tie the man up... How else can one keep this
hyperactive Bee still? A gag would come in handy too...
RM may think that changing managers would do some
kind of trick(?), but how did they work this one out? Even if
it had been one of those extremely rare things like a
manager who knows how to manage, it’s not changing
faces that we need - but adding hands! Simple!
SHIFTY SHIFTING
Yes, we were also wondering about the mini-fit-up, but it
seems that instead of shifting us to where we might prefer
to go - they’re trying to shift managers’ shifts first... and
leave us high and dry. And overworked and underpaid.
They’re risking a Mount Pleasant “Mayon” on Lates - the
biggest eruption this place has ever seen!
ACTUALLY IT’S THE DEAD OF NIGHT...
We also wonder about that rumour of a so-called “twilight”
shift (7pm to 3am) being instigated now that B the B is no
longer there on nights... Since when he was, no-one would
have wanted to work it.
FAREWELL AND WE SHALL MISS YOU!
Sadly more workmates are leaving this week! The
numbers here are still falling steadily - but the work isn’t
(see below...) And even if it did, we’re losing workers at a
greater rate! Not to mention the number who are off
because of doing time in HMP!
EATING OUR CASH
Hey, how can the canteen put up prices by 10p? This is
way above inflation (RPI=4.1%) and our wages haven’t
gone up...
IN THE DARK
Some of us have seen the new development plan on the
West side of MP, with luxurious gardens and unaffordable
flats… But when the construction starts and how it will
impact us, is anyone's guess… Surely we need to be
informed?
RM AND ITS FILTHY LUCRE
By the way we see from the statistics that “Parcel revenues
rose by 4% in the first three quarters of the year, offsetting
a 3% decline for letters”. Shares are up to £4.62 - even
higher than that crazy first day flotation price of £4.55!! And
let’s keep in mind that RM is regarded as one of the best
payers of dividends in the FT250... They’ve got money.
We need it.
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