Big Big Mistake

Grist to the mill · Post by **Grist to the mill** » 02 Jun 2007, 12:51

Hi all. Cant help thinking that this strike business will be a mistake, we'll be playing right into their hands.

Anyone remember the 1982 steel strike ? A derisory offer of 2% designed to get the steel workers to strike...break the union then dismantle, privatise and asset strip the industry.

A lot of guys went on strike a lot of guys lost their jobs and now there is no uk steel industry. Its owned by Indians (whats left)

Anyone remember the 1984-85 miners strike A deliberate ploy by the Tories to smash the mightiest trade union led by the firebrand Arthur Scargill. The ploy was to shut Cortonwood colliery on economic grounds. Fact was corton wood coal was blended with coal from other collieries and actually made a profit, but thats by the by.

The idea was to get a strike break the union and sell off, asset strip and privatise what was left. The miners stood alone for over a year, but they too were broken and most lost their jobs with devistasting effects on the local communities. (I know I was there...thanks Notts)

The same scenario has been present in Royal Mail for the last 10 years. Staring in 1997 witth a declaration from the then deputy Prime Minister Michael Hesletine with proposals to privatise. a public outrage ensude "Royal Mail was sacrosanct". The idea was dropped like a hot potato

The agenda has alway been on the table with this government too ; a steady stream of horror stories in the press, forcing R M to spend over Â£500 million on a computer system for pensions which it never intended to use. Spending vast sums of money on dead beat overseas mail companies that no one else wanted. Changing the name to consignia and then back again to Royal Mail. All design to destroy public confidence.

Closing Post Offices then when vast queues of disgruntled punters appear at the larger offices close down the services ie TV licences Road Tax etc and then say no one uses the post office any more as a pretext to close more.

The union had a bloody nose a few years ago with the NO ballot, the Government is back again praying for a yes vote to finish the job off.

A lot of guys will go on strike a lot of guys will loose their jobs Royal Mail will be sold off, asset stipped and sold to the highest bidder, probably from China.

Why not just refuse to handle TNT and UK Mail items rather than a full strike and launch a publicity campaign to demonstrate to the public that once this great indusrt has been dismantled it will never come back.

Neither we nor the union will stop it only public outrage and public pressure will halt it....In my humble opinion.

IWW Fellow Worker · Post by **IWW Fellow Worker** » 02 Jun 2007, 13:01

An overwhelming 'YES' vote will give the CWU a good bargaining hand and in all likelihood will mean no strike. However, if Royal Mail want a strike, give them one.
You obviously remember that 'NO'vote a few years ago. Local managers were walking around as if Christmas had come early. We were heading for four hour deliveries, team working and all kinds of deterioration in our conditions. Had it not been for some big offices like Oxford, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester taking unofficial action, Royal Mail would have screwed us to the floor. We've got nothing to lose by standing up for ourselves. I reckon Royal Mail are seriously worried about this vote. Why else are they sending out an endless stream of propaganda begging us to vote NO?
Time to stand up and be counted mate.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 02 Jun 2007, 13:03

Why not just refuse to handle TNT and UK Mail items rather than a full strike and launch a publicity campaign to demonstrate to the public that once this great indusrt has been dismantled it will never come back.

Can't do that unfortunately it would be classed as delay of mail and a sackable offence.

Neither we nor the union will stop it only public outrage and public pressure will halt it....In my humble opinion.

That is what we are to generate. Also I don't think the union as a whole want an all out strike straight off. It may happen but it is a long way down the line. Work to Rule, lightening 1 day strikes in selected areas, national 1 day strikes etc will be tried before an "All out" is called

Grist to the mill · Post by **Grist to the mill** » 02 Jun 2007, 14:21

Fair point True Blue, but what is strike action then?

Surely thats refusing to handle all mail, in anycase if we all refuse to handle it they cant sack the whole work force.

The arguement in my view is with the government not with Leighton and Crozier. Once again I go back in time for a parallel. Just as Thatcher appointed McGregor as an axe man first with British Steel then with the NUM, this goverment has got our two chums in to do the same carving up job...and they'll do it mark my words...strike or no srtike mandate.

We have to play them at their own game, strike ballots et al is a bit anacronistic belonging in the 60's and 70's, they will only use it as a publicity stick to beat us with; even more reason, they will argue, to stand up to the bully boy unions.

No, its my belief we can win these issues but by lateral thinking and adopting a fresh approach and targetting the real issues. i.e privatisation by stealth, this should be opened up as a public debate.

Win friends, inflence people, there are journalists out there who would be sympathetic to the cause (as there are many who aren't) to help to get the public on our side, lobby the awkward squad in Parliament as the Privateers lobby MPs, or the privateers will pirate our jobs in the end, probably using migrant workers on migrant workers pay[/url]

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 02 Jun 2007, 14:31

Good post Grist well thought out and I agree with most of what you said. I hope the national side of the union are already doing it.

However back to your first point about a strike. We are allowed to withdraw our labour in a recognised and legal strike as long as all the boxes have been ticked, (union lads will be able to say what they are). We would then not deliver any mail in an all out strike. Unfortunately there is no legal way to only withdraw part of our labour hence we cant refuse to deliver competitor's letters. We can also work to rule under the same provisos.

johnnyp · Post by **johnnyp** » 02 Jun 2007, 19:50

Hello and welcome Grist to the mill

A good intro friend with some spot on points BUT T.B.T. is is right with his reply

With a massive yes vote royal mail will have to listen as will the goverment and get round the table

,the way things should be done

Big Daz · Post by **Big Daz** » 02 Jun 2007, 21:05

Grist to the mill

As political officer for Eastern 5 branch of the CWU i truly belive that a massive yes vote will make the govermnet sit up and take notice.

GB wants a smooth ride when takes over in 3 weeks time as leader of the labour party, if Peter Hain or Jon Cruddas gets the deputy post expect even more postive interaction from the labour party and labour goverment.

bristolchris · Post by **bristolchris** » 02 Jun 2007, 21:22

Had a reply to my e/mail sent to: askjon@ joncruddas.org.uk Question to Jon Cruddas, `Royal Mail`

Answer:
Dear Christopher,

Many thanks for taking the time to email me a question.

I oppose the privatisation of the Royal Mail, and the way the service
has
been opened up to unfair competition.

Best wishes
Jon Cruddas

Perhaps a few more people can e/mail him? It wont hurt. Interestingly, He was the only `seeker of power` to reply!

Grist to the mill · Post by **Grist to the mill** » 03 Jun 2007, 13:04

Thanks for your replies fellas.

I just had to get things off my chest, having been involved in the biggest union dispute in living memory and witnessing the aftermath I'm loath to see this industry and friends go the same way as others. They are a canny bunch and once a political discision has been made I've yet to see a government be moved through industrial action or threat of same.

I have however seen governments back down through PUBLIC pressure, I'm thinking of the Thatcherite Poll Tax in particular, although having said that me and the missus walked through London with approx 2 million others in protest to the Iraq invasion to no avail.

I just think we are now on the cusp of the end of Royal Mail as we know it. I can see our two buddies inoffice walk away with huge "handshakes" share issues worth millions, pensions like a lottery win, a knighthood and possibly a peerage, we'll pay the price and get nowt. The public will suffer a 3rd world service from privateers who wont be interested in the rural and far flung communities...dividends for the boys.

We just cant let it happen

Townfan · Post by **Townfan** » 03 Jun 2007, 14:18

It is simple really, all we have to do is work to time and refuse all overtime. Every sorting office survives on overtime to get it's mail out and it would not take long for a severe backlog to occur.
And the beauty is, we would not lose any pay in the process.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 03 Jun 2007, 14:51

Townfan wrote:It is simple really, all we have to do is work to time and refuse all overtime. Every sorting office survives on overtime to get it's mail out and it would not take long for a severe backlog to occur.
And the beauty is, we would not lose any pay in the process.

Exactly the same with DOs.

ROCKY · Post by **ROCKY** » 04 Jun 2007, 18:44

VOTE YES WE NEED EVERYTHING WE CAN GET TO DEFEND THE SERVICE AND OURSELVES WE ARE UNDER ATTACK FROM MANY ANGLES AND WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE YOU WILL KNOW MORE THAN MOST,BUT WE NEED TO DEFEND OUR SELVES FROM EVERY ANGLE IF WE ARE TO AVOID THE SAME FATE