Is The Union Doing Its Job?

Bromhamhatter · Post by **Bromhamhatter** » 11 Jan 2008, 17:10

I work on earlies on the LSM`s at Milton Keynes.We were told back in November last year that the 2nd class mech that we do is to be transferred to Watford.It seems like the union at MK have become mouth pieces for the management,and nothing else.Before our rep went into a meeting with our shift manager,he was told by the area processing rep that going to disagreement was a waste of time as he wouldnt win.And yet on our shift there is over 800 hours of S/A`s which could be made into duties,as the hours they propose to cut are just over 400.Is it now a fact that the CWU are more worried about peoples earnings potential,than peoples duties?

lovejoy · Post by **lovejoy** » 11 Jan 2008, 17:29

Did you support all the strikes in the end?......... Just remember you having second thoughts

Bromhamhatter · Post by **Bromhamhatter** » 12 Jan 2008, 05:23

Yes I did support the strikes,but I am very much of the thought that its time to drop out of the union as they are taking money under false pretences.Or maybe I could sue them for misrepresentation.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 12 Jan 2008, 12:09

There is only one way to ensure that the Union is holding up its end of the bargain, stay a member. If you think any CWU officer/rep in your local area (or even above)is not doing the job correctly or anyone thinks they can do better, then challenge them at the next election, or become more active in the Union. I have and I am now on our local committee.

Post by **evilc** » 12 Jan 2008, 15:00

Bromhamhatter wrote:Yes I did support the strikes,but I am very much of the thought that its time to drop out of the union as they are taking money under false pretences.Or maybe I could sue them for misrepresentation.

If your rep has any balls he will go into the meeting and get the best deal for his members/colleagues, if not then his area rep will have to negotiate but i suggest that he attends any meeting the area rep has with area managers.

Bromhamhatter · Post by **Bromhamhatter** » 13 Jan 2008, 01:04

I`m afraid this was a done deal before it ever really got to our early rep at MK MC.He was told that even if he went to disagreement he wouldnt win.We were all given preference letters on the mech,and were told that 2 MTT duties were to be kept.Surely this should be done on seniority,but it appears that seniority has gone as well,as our shift manager said it would be alloted to the persons who best need to stay on earlies.

Bromhamhatter · Post by **Bromhamhatter** » 14 Jan 2008, 10:29

Thanx for that one evil,I thought once it went to area rep,it was in his hands to sort out,and our rep had nothing more to do with it.As to our early rep having any balls,I cant comment on that one.All I know is we have people with over 20 years of senioriy,and that seems to have gone out of the window.They say 2 MTT duties will stay,and it will be up to us to give them good reason to choose 2 of us for those duties.Trouble is everyone of us would say we had a good reason to stop on the shift,so what criteria are the going to go by?In the end result we all know it should be done by seniority,but it wont.

DirtyHarry · Post by **DirtyHarry** » 14 Jan 2008, 19:39

Is the union doing it's job? .................. The CWU should be, not only, protecting our terms and conditions of work, but, actively seeking to enhance our
terms and conditions of work, and although it pains me to say this, the CWU is failing badly. It's not the job of the CWU to "understand there needs to
be change", whether it be conditions of employment, or pensions, it's the CWU's job to protect what we have at present, and when that's done, to do it's
utmost best to improve upon what it's members have at present. There seems little doubt to me, that when the dust has settled on this debacle of an
agreement, we're all gonna be worse off, either through worsening conditions of work (flexibility), or the thousands upon thousands of pounds we'll all
have stolen off us when the great pensions raid is completed, or a combination of both.
No, unless a change in attitude from the union top brass comes about, this union will do nothing but fail at doing it's job.

Bromhamhatter · Post by **Bromhamhatter** » 14 Jan 2008, 22:18

I hate to say it but the union in our office at Milton Keynes has become a mouth piece for management.When management want something done,they ask the union in our office to smooth the way for them.I dont mind paying for a union who are fighting my corner,but not for one that isn`t!There is a lot of people in our office threatening to stop their union subs,maybe its about time the union at Milton Keynes did their job and protected our pay and conditions,and not peoples S/A`s.

DirtyHarry · Post by **DirtyHarry** » 15 Jan 2008, 17:35

linkinpark wrote:
At the risk of being boring. Bloody well said and another thing to thank Hayes and Ward for! The weak Turds. If you put yourself up against them you get my vote!

Cheers mate.

Whatever stitch-up, Hayes & Ward agree with Leighton & Crozier, over our pensions, every local unit rep has to hammer
home the message to members, vote NO, there must be no complacency on the part of the membership, the 40% who cannot take a few minutes out
to vote on their futures, must be whittled down to 0%. Let's not give up the fight, let's get a massive thumbs down from the membership with regard
to having their pensions robbed by these two twerps :lfo :cfo
And when the time comes, kick Hayes & Ward out of their cushy positions. And remember, NO MORE MEMBERS OF NEW LIEBOUR VOTED INTO
POSITIONS THAT REALLY COUNT. This has to be the mantra of the CWU at local level, in other words, YOU & ME, the workers on the shopfloor, it's time
we took back OUR UNION.

DirtyHarry · Post by **DirtyHarry** » 15 Jan 2008, 17:43

Bromhamhatter wrote:I hate to say it but the union in our office at Milton Keynes has become a mouth piece for management.When management want something done,they ask the union in our office to smooth the way for them.I dont mind paying for a union who are fighting my corner,but not for one that isn`t!There is a lot of people in our office threatening to stop their union subs,maybe its about time the union at Milton Keynes did their job and protected our pay and conditions,and not peoples S/A`s.

Bromhamhatter mate, I would rather be in this union, with a decent level of protection from managerial scumbags, than out of it and completely at their
mercy. You and your colleagues ought think long and hard before making yourselves completely defenceless. Weak and corrupt leadership from the
union top brass will not be forever. We all have a vote, when the time comes we can all use that vote to great effect.

johnnyp · Post by **johnnyp** » 15 Jan 2008, 17:53

Bromhamhatter wrote:I hate to say it but the union in our office at Milton Keynes has become a mouth piece for management.When management want something done,they ask the union in our office to smooth the way for them.I dont mind paying for a union who are fighting my corner,but not for one that isn`t!There is a lot of people in our office threatening to stop their union subs,maybe its about time the union at Milton Keynes did their job and protected our pay and conditions,and not peoples S/A`s.

When are your local elections?If you guys are not happy with the current reps stand against them and get people elected to fight your battles,coming out of the union is not the answer,change in union reps is the answer.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 15 Jan 2008, 18:47

Bromhamhatter wrote:I hate to say it but the union in our office at Milton Keynes has become a mouth piece for management.When management want something done,they ask the union in our office to smooth the way for them.I dont mind paying for a union who are fighting my corner,but not for one that isn`t!There is a lot of people in our office threatening to stop their union subs,maybe its about time the union at Milton Keynes did their job and protected our pay and conditions,and not peoples S/A`s.

Whatever you do don't all leave the Union for 2 really big reasons:

1. Its what RM want across the board as no Union means they can ride roughshod over any agreement with nothing to stop or slow them down.

2. If a strike is called and most of you are out of the Union you may be on dodgy ground as you will not have been able to vote on the strike. TBH not sure about this so I may be wrong but I cant see RM not trying it on if you do walk.

lovejoy · Post by **lovejoy** » 15 Jan 2008, 19:02

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
Bromhamhatter wrote:I hate to say it but the union in our office at Milton Keynes has become a mouth piece for management.When management want something done,they ask the union in our office to smooth the way for them.I dont mind paying for a union who are fighting my corner,but not for one that isn`t!There is a lot of people in our office threatening to stop their union subs,maybe its about time the union at Milton Keynes did their job and protected our pay and conditions,and not peoples S/A`s.
Whatever you do don't all leave the Union for 2 really big reasons:

1. Its what RM want across the board as no Union means they can ride roughshod over any agreement with nothing to stop or slow them down.

2. If a strike is called and most of you are out of the Union you may be on dodgy ground as you will not have been able to vote on the strike. TBH not sure about this so I may be wrong but I cant see RM not trying it on if you do walk.

Maybe its time that instead of people saying they will leave the union they put themselves forward instead as reps???

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 15 Jan 2008, 19:13

lovejoy wrote:
TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
Bromhamhatter wrote:I hate to say it but the union in our office at Milton Keynes has become a mouth piece for management.When management want something done,they ask the union in our office to smooth the way for them.I dont mind paying for a union who are fighting my corner,but not for one that isn`t!There is a lot of people in our office threatening to stop their union subs,maybe its about time the union at Milton Keynes did their job and protected our pay and conditions,and not peoples S/A`s.
Whatever you do don't all leave the Union for 2 really big reasons:

1. Its what RM want across the board as no Union means they can ride roughshod over any agreement with nothing to stop or slow them down.

2. If a strike is called and most of you are out of the Union you may be on dodgy ground as you will not have been able to vote on the strike. TBH not sure about this so I may be wrong but I cant see RM not trying it on if you do walk.
Maybe its time that instead of people saying they will leave the union they put themselves forward instead as reps???

Beating my own drum but that's why I am now on my local DOs committee. This new agreement means that the local reps will need a lot more support from their own members. I would suggest to anyone in any small or medium size unit to start a committee and back their reps up, they will need it.