This will not be a popular post

[SpacePhoenix]

If a customer is waiting for an important letter should we just tell them we will get it to you some time.

Specials and packets will stay 6 days a week.

A limited number of Tracked could go 7 days a week done by the LAT hubs

[Sugar]

I did warn you

I'm a postie with many years in the job

we are being balloted yet again ( yes it feels like that sigh), my first point is, have the union got their s**t together this time? Personally I'm getting pretty fed up with delivering a yes vote only to see it overturned by RM lawyers - personally I need to know if I vote to go out on strike that it is legal - my worry is eventually RM will let us go out - then drop the bombshell that it is not legal and only allow us back in on inferior contracts ( am I paranoid maybe, but any experts out there could it happen?)

Rico has allegedly broken the unions in Europe when in charge of GLS so expect the same to happen here if true.

my next point, letter volumes are falling, we have all seen it day to day - so what do we do? We all want our jobs to continue and our pensions be safe - and at the end of the day this is all we really care about - yes we can bang drums and big up our union, but if things are bad what should we do? Do we strike in the hoe the union have made things legal this time?

They are falling but if people don't start wising up and do the job properly, stop all this crap "I'm faster than you" bullshit to get finished early or show up a colleague then even more hours will be cut and more jobs will go. Those left will be left with workloads far beyond what they currently do.

There's no need to strike people need, for once, to think about their own actions and how it's just about killed off the job and could cost a lot of other people their jobs. Too much "I'm alright Jack" in this company.

My third point - so many people rely on overtime - is a strike really a realistic?

If the job had been done correctly a lot more people would have ended up on F/T contracts

Let's face it all RM have to do is offer us a 3 year deal with a grand attached and telling us we could do a 5 day week ( despite the day we lose probably being Tuesday not Saturday) and the masses would lap it up and vote for it ( rightly or wrongly)

It'll always be the same, we saw it with the managers pay offer, to many fall for the golden carrot and can't think the long game. Generally they're the ones who moan and slag the union off the most.

They'll never drop Tuesday's, not whilst businesses are getting letters and flats. It's not that hard to move Saturday's mail to a Tuesday once they've given customers enough notice that that's what's going to happen. Then it's just a case of when taking on new contracts they plan it into a rolling 5 day week. It would be bonkers to have people come in to work Monday then get the next day off to then work the next 4 days.

What I can see happening is a bigger separation of packets and letters over the next few years.

[Gasman11]

Hmm, bend over and give management carte blanche to impose whatever detrimental changes they so desire or continue to support the union in the fight to defend our terms and conditions, its a tough choice

[Dorset Plodder]

None of us know what's going to happen .... we can all play "Project Fear" and scare the shite out of each other. I personally believe there's a lot of problems with mental health within the Business (despite RM's campaign to help out) . Everyone's Anxiety issues are not helped by all the rumours. Yes I'm sure we'd all like to know what's "Really" going on but that's not the way Big Business works. I worked at a Business that was bought out.... nobody knew anything for sure until they gathered us all in warehouse and gave us 3 months notice! I'm hoping we never get to that point, but let's not stress too much over every little rumour.

If you're in two minds over what to vote.... Vote "YES" wait to see if there's even a need for IA (often the vote is just a negotiating tool) .... and if you then feel so strongly about it that you don't want to take IA then go into work. That's your choice... there's no check list to say, "You voted "YES" so you're not allowed in to work. I personally wouldn't do that, as it's against my principles, but it may help you out if your in doubts over the vote.

[chickenwittle]

Feduppostie

Everyone is allowed their own views. That's the point of this website. I don't agree with you for the reasons below.

The CWU is far from perfect but life without a strong union will not improve things.
The reason the strike was overturned was due to people taking out mail out of the fitting before it reached the home address. This led to an allegation that there was pressure to open and vote in the office. Sounds like the Employee Opinion Survey being locked in a room and forced to fill one out.

If the next strike is not legal then Royal Mail will have to inform us before we go out on strike. Therefore they cannot say that that is illegal and impose a inferior contract. The CWU would be sued 1st.

They are already trying to change our contracts via shift pattern changes, ie later start times or getting rid of 9 day fortnights, Wallingtons.

Letters are declining, however parcels are increasing. we all want a job and a good pension. Remember 18 months ago Royal Mail was going to change our pension for the third time and only the CWU stood up and said No to the original proposal Without the CWU making Royal Mail changing their plans we would be on a worse pension, including Managers. If we do nothing we are giving Royal Mail to do anything they want and be grateful for anything they decide to throw our way. Remember Rico was paid £6 million just to swap duties.

For the time being we are required to deliver to every address in the country 6 days a week. I don't now how easy that would be and remember all those voters who demand a delivery every day. Their local MP will do something about it or run the risk of losing votes.

If we get a strong yes vote it may be enough to avert a strike. The ones that rely on the overtime will end up losing the most, every duties axed will reduce the overtime opportunities.

The final point is that their are plenty of crap jobs out there, it may be the case that they didn't have a union to back them.

My thoughts exactly, back your union , failing to do so will leave us in an even worse situation.

[grchpo]

Why not tell us what strike action will be before we vote

[Rumple]

Why not tell us what strike action will be before we vote

The first point of achieving a Yes vote is not to actually go on strike, it is to have a better hand in negotiating a better deal than is currently being offered.

[daveyeff]

I know this. if we vote no, we are giving RM the go ahead to do whatever they wish. they will walk all over us because they know we aren't backing our union. compulsory redundancies with absolute minimum 13 weeks pay. change hours, do away with paid breaks. no pay rise. and that's NOT project fear. its a reality!!. vote yes. back your union.

[Dorset Plodder]

I know this. if we vote no, we are giving RM the go ahead to do whatever they wish. they will walk all over us because they know we aren't backing our union. compulsory redundancies with absolute minimum 13 weeks pay. change hours, do away with paid breaks. no pay rise. and that's NOT project fear. its a reality!!. vote yes. back your union.

I agree with you Daveyeff. Better to use your vote and send RM a clear message. My "Project Fear" comment was aimed more at those who worry over EVERY little change that's hinted at coming down the pipe line. Most of these ideas fade away in the bright light of reality, and nothing ever comes of them. In the meantime someone's given themselves a few more Grey Hairs

[Jpro747]

Support the union. Mail decline means f*k all - we make our money from parcels now. RM made a tidy profit at xmas, they make enough to keep us on the same T&Cs. We’re busier than ever in our office so what’s changed?

[clashcityrocker]

If the job had been done correctly a lot more people would have ended up on F/T contracts

It doesn't matter how many times this nonsense is repeated it still won't be true.
Offices are not and never have been resourced according to "runners"
Full time jobs have gone because letter traffic has fallen and automation has increased.
There is no longer the indoor work to sustain the old levels of full time employment unless you go for an unrealistic duty span and no amount of using a trolley is going to change that.

[LouBarlow]

It takes two seconds to tick the yes box and pop your voting form back in the envelope. Hardly exhausting to vote again to support the union who is defending your job.

Also only takes 2 seconds to vote no.

Why would you vote yes last time and no this time?

[wacko74]

I can't support the unions blanket opposition to all and any job losses, especially via a reduction in the USO.

Mail volumes are dropping and it's now only a very small percentage of letters that are genuinely 'important' and time sensitive.

There is scope for the business to be 'streamlined' and for jobs to go via a reduction from 6 days to 5 days and I think the union should acknowledge and accept this fact and instead be using it's power to agree to the best possible VR terms for those who are willing to go whist ensuring that those who stay retain their current levels of pay and T&C's

How can you accept a 5 day week, which day would you have off. If a customer is waiting for an important letter should we just tell them we will get it to you some time.
And the best way to strike is an overtime ban, not 1 day out & then back in to catch up & then 1 day out then back in & so it would continue. RM cannot cope without overtime, they can cope with 1 day out, also can you cope with losing a days pay each week, four days less pay each month at least, oh well maybe the bank will wait for the mortgage payment this month & next month......

We won't be losing a days pay, we work a 5 day week now.

As for the 'important' letters, they could still be delivered next working day if they're stamped/franked First Class... We have so few of them now they could still be delivered alongside the pkts on the 'non-letters' day.

[aiden01]

It takes two seconds to tick the yes box and pop your voting form back in the envelope. Hardly exhausting to vote again to support the union who is defending your job.

Also only takes 2 seconds to vote no.

Why would you vote yes last time and no this time?

Cant see any point after the last 2 shambles we've had totally lost all faith in union and can say im not the only 1 thinking that way. if it comes to a strike will i go into work absolutely NO.

[Yamr1]

Cwu 100% and all my office with the sounds of it