I cancelled my union subscription

[SpacePhoenix]

So how does the Union respond? By appealing the decision??? We need to re-ballot the members and get things done in the right way and ASAP before Xmas. I don't believe in the conspiracy theories that the CWU leaders didn't really want us to strike because if that were the case then why spend precious time and money building up the campaign to strike in the 1st place?? They were caught out by Royal Mail in court before and they have been caught out again. Whoever runs the legal side of things in the CWU really needs to up their game.

There was a mention of 6 weeks in another thread that the ballot process takes so unless the appeal is won any strike will be after xmas

I think the Union should now announce a strike for a date that would be immediately after the appeal has been heard(and won I hope) whatever date that is.

That would be risky, my gut feeling is that if that were to happen, RM would challenge it in the courts

[rogersh]

I have chucked in my CWU membership because:

5. ..... Although the appeal should already have gone in, citing "our strong" and "clear cut case", they have failed to do so to date. ...

The CWU have 14 days in which to appeal the decision. So imminently this will happen.

True! Then we will have to wait for a hearing date. After that, the union is required to give 14 days notice ahead of any planned strikes. Clearly if they really had the intention to take this unique opportunity to make our voices heard, they should have announced the date/s of the strike straight after the ballot results. That would have put us in a much stronger position and would have enabled us to carry out our threat. They were never really going to call for a December 2019 strike, were they?

The ballot results were announced in the final week of the mediation talks which ended on the 18th October. The following week was for consideration of the report & two further weeks as a final opportunity to reach agreement. As part of a 3 week protection period.

The mediators report stated;
(5) As regards the length of the period during which strike notice would not be given, it should be not less than that already offered in mediation (until 13th November) and ideally should be longer.

You will know the union had arranged to meet senior reps & the executive on 13th November. The high court injunction was announced subsequently to be heard on the 12th.

[wacko74]

I've got to admit I do struggle to fully back the unions stance in this dispute... it does sound a bit ridiculous for them to be going on about ''protecting the public service''... What ''public service'' is that? Delivering junk mail and ebay tat mostly.

Also their refusal to accept any changes that would lead to job losses, mainly through a reduction in the USO... I can't help thinking this is more about the union wanting to keep it's membership numbers (and income from subs) as high as possible rather than acting solely in the best interests of it's members.

I'm almost certain there are many thousands of posties that would jump at the chance of VR and many more who would like to reduce their hours... the union should be accepting that there is scope to ''streamline'' the business and should instead be fighting for the best possible deals for those who do want to leave, whilst also fighting to protect the pay and T&C's for those who wish to stay.

[Subman]

It's like being at a football match.

In front of me are a group of supporters singing in full voice. They have been here before, this is their team and they will always be there.

To my right there are more supporters ready to recognise the flaws in their team and recognise a mistake or an own goal when it happens. These supporters know the team has given them many good times, this is not the time to be giving up, and the whole team is worth supporting.

To my left there are others some new, some have been unfortunate and been to a few bad games and then there are few looking for an excuse to save themselves a few bob and get the early train home.

One of these guys is leaving,I look up at the clock, ten minutes has gone. I'm thinking, we will probably score by the time he gets out of the stadium, never mind by the time he gets home. I'm also thinking my team may lose but somebody has definitely lost already.

[rogersh]

Also their refusal to accept any changes that would lead to job losses, mainly through a reduction in the USO... I

https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... 47#p858147" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The following is an excerpt from the above link by Martin Walsh.

The last part of their strategy is they want to increase productivity to around 5% per year over the next 5 years which is hours will mean the equivalent of 20 thousand full time jobs.

[westham000]

Goodbye

[Dorset Plodder]

It's like being at a football match.

In front of me are a group of supporters singing in full voice. They have been here before, this is their team and they will always be there.

To my right there are more supporters ready to recognise the flaws in their team and recognise a mistake or an own goal when it happens. These supporters know the team has given them many good times, this is not the time to be giving up, and the whole team is worth supporting.

To my left there are others some new, some have been unfortunate and been to a few bad games and then there are few looking for an excuse to save themselves a few bob and get the early train home.

One of these guys is leaving,I look up at the clock, ten minutes has gone. I'm thinking, we will probably score by the time he gets out of the stadium, never mind by the time he gets home. I'm also thinking my team may lose but somebody has
definitely lost already.

A Very Good anology Subman .... very apt.

[Dorset Plodder]

I have chucked in my CWU membership because:.

That's a shame mate. I think you should just have some confidence in the final outcome of this situation. We know we're up against not only the RM Management, but also the Establishment.

As the chuggers who knock on my door are always telling me, "For the cost of less than a sandwich and a cup of tea ....." you get Union Membership. On a personal note the CWU have helped me personally in the past (which seems to be the criteria by which most people judge the CWU). Simply by the Area Rep visiting my DO and explaining to the DOM certain "Irregularities" in his Management Processes (basically Favouritism) I managed at last to get a Regular Duty.

If you're not in the Union then you're all on your own. Better to have the support of your fellow Union Members, you never know when you're going to need them.

[wandle]

Very good point, DP, about how people form their opinion of the union’s abilities.
Makes me think that cancelling CWU membership is like cancelling home insurance on the grounds that you’ve never needed to claim.
If someone stops their CWU subs, it’s almost inviting fate to bring a bullying manager or chronic ill-health into your working life....

[Phantom]

I have chucked in my CWU membership because:

1. At times I feel the union is run by incompetent and self serving dinosaurs.
2. The uploaded footage during the recent ballot gave grounds and ammunition to RM to remove our democratic right to withhold our labour.
3. The union showed time and again that they are incapable in protecting and safeguarding the interests of their paying members without compromising our fight to preserve our jobs and work rights?
4. I have only needed their help once after years of paying my member's fees and the rep sided with the management. I had to involve a solicitor at my expense and the matter was then resolved instantly.
5. The union had no intention of calling their/our bluff of a pre Christmas strike. Although the appeal should already have gone in, citing "our strong" and "clear cut case", they have failed to do so to date. Not a chance in a million for a postal strike happening now this side of Christmas even if an appeal is eventually lodged and upheld in our favour. The CWU are not truthful with their members in this respect.
6. When asked, live on Sky News, Dave Ward refused to give any reassurances whatsoever that the union would not postpone the 'planned' strike if asked to do so by Jeremy Corbyn and he also failed to confirm that the CWU would disregard the instructions of the Labour party on that matter, thus focusing only on the interests of its members instead.
7. At the current rate for the sub fees, it costs £135.20 annually. Multiplying that by so many years, it becomes a serious amount of money down the drain.

I am not encouraging or discouraging anyone to cancel their membership. This is entirely their decision based on their needs. However, as the union have a habit of not showing much interest in its members and they did not ever bother to ask if there's anything they could do to help me change my mind, I'm putting my reasons here.

So you're letting the millionaires/billionaires WIN, they've broken you, your choice to be divided and your choice to fall and fall you will, like you've never fell before. Good luck on your own.

[barcajr]

Just hope you don't find yourself with a health issue or get into trouble (for whatever reason) with management

[Schiff]

I have chucked in my CWU membership because:.

That's a shame mate. I think you should just have some confidence in the final outcome of this situation. We know we're up against not only the RM Management, but also the Establishment.

The problem is that we are currently up against an incompetent union leadership. The reason that Royal Mail won their injunction was due to stupidity from the union HQ.

I'll fully support the union, but expect resignations from those at the top who have cost us the chance to strike at the most advantageous time. It is a bit like going to war when the top brass in the army have just shot every single one of their troops in the foot.

[RTP]

Are you still going to take future pay rises negotiated by the union?

[clashcityrocker]

Are you still going to take future pay rises negotiated by the union?

How exactly could you refuse them?
It is a ridiculous question.

[rogersh]

I have chucked in my CWU membership because:.

That's a shame mate. I think you should just have some confidence in the final outcome of this situation. We know we're up against not only the RM Management, but also the Establishment.

The problem is that we are currently up against an incompetent union leadership. The reason that Royal Mail won their injunction was due to stupidity from the union HQ.

I'll fully support the union, but expect resignations from those at the top who have cost us the chance to strike at the most advantageous time. It is a bit like going to war when the top brass in the army have just shot every single one of their troops in the foot.

This newspaper gave the primary reason that the judge reached his verdict was because of interference to the general election. I know this point has been raised several times since the outcome, but you have to wonder why the need to mention the GE if the main reason, interception of ballot papers, was in itself adequate for the injunction decision.

"The Royal Mail has won a high court injunction preventing a mass postal strike planned for the run-up to Christmas after a judge raised fears that a mass walkout could interfere with the general election"

"The judge agreed with the company's lawyers that members were “encouraged” to intercept their ballot papers at work and vote immediately for the 'yes' option, rather than at home away from any pressure."