Serious question. Historically at RoyalMail what has striking actually achieved?

[POSTPERSON50]

Have we ever got what we wanted? Or did we just have a few days unpaid, go back to a backlog, then find out the CWU had negotiated a middle ground barely acceptable resolution with a load of future promises that things will get better?

With those dicks in charge, will we be in the same position next year?

[Woody Guthrie]

If you walk into a negotiation you have to have bargaining power, if you don't you get nothing.

Not middle ground.
Nothing.

It's that simple.

[POSTMAN]

Every thing you have now, most good, some bad-ish

[POSTPERSON50]

Workers ain't gonna strike for weeks on end anymore, we're out a couple of days, then all of a sudden we get told the strike is on hold pending negotiations.

We have major issues year on year because of the endless string of fools that we are dealing will

[Celtic warrior]

Well for a start, if you didn't have a union presence fighting for our rights you would still be in the 70's as the management would want it.

43hr week 6 days a week working on minimum wage.

Without the union fighting on our behalf, do you think Ricky and his pals would give you a free pay rise and reduction in hours because he thinks your worth it or do you think Simon would just screw you into the ground to get more out of you.

What about the protection of our conditions?
If you think they are bad just now just think what they would be like with no union protection!

You say that no-one wants to go out on strike for weeks on end!
I haven't seen the union propose that in the last few years, mostly maximum disruption with minimum strike days by having a rolling function strike i.e., one day distribution, next processing and then delivery.

If you are not prepared to fight this one out to the end then I am afraid the job will be finished as we know it and will be a race to the bottom.

[Wolf91]

What would be your/our circumstances top to bottom if there had never been any previous strikes -
should be the way to look at it IMO.

[derricksmyth]

Well for a start, if you didn't have a union presence fighting for our rights you would still be in the 70's as the management would want it.

43hr week 6 days a week working on minimum wage.

Without the union fighting on our behalf, do you think Ricky and his pals would give you a free pay rise and reduction in hours because he thinks your worth it or do you think Simon would just screw you into the ground to get more out of you.

What about the protection of our conditions?
If you think they are bad just now just think what they would be like with no union protection!

You say that no-one wants to go out on strike for weeks on end!
I haven't seen the union propose that in the last few years, mostly maximum disruption with minimum strike days by having a rolling function strike i.e., one day distribution, next processing and then delivery.

If you are not prepared to fight this one out to the end then I am afraid the job will be finished as we know it and will be a race to the bottom.

Great Post,and so True !!!

[Clappedoutpostie]

Ffs

[POSTPERSON50]

This isn't how working is supposed to be. It's a perpetual daily battle. I've worked at a lot of places, but nothing compares to this firm. Its like being employed by children. All we do is take s**t year after year and people think it's normal

[xPandabear1992x]

Collective Bargaining.

Key is in the terminology.

You’ll never get exactly what you want but you can barter your employers down to get the best for both parties or you withdraw your services until you get the nearest offer.

[Whinealot]

All I would say is if we don’t have the deterrent of strike action our bosses will walk straight over the top of us. The terms we have right now are as a result of those who stood up and took strike action in the past. The way things are at the moment in big companies is to shaft the workforce and work them harder for less in T&C’S all to feed shareholder and executive greed. It’s as simple as that!!!

[Jack1960]

If you take an extreme left point of view unions are a barrier to class progression.
Bismark recognised the danger back in the 19 th century and developed a welfare system for the working classes to dampen socialist appeal.
We all know that we need collective bargaining and every major employer knows that it's easier to deal with representives than putting out fires every day.
But this time seems different , The CEO says there will be a big announcement st the AGM tomorrow.

[gunho]

We’ll settle for about 5% with conditions knowing our glorious union. They’re in it together.

[SMS1969]

At the moment, there is a very good sickness policy- albeit you have to work a year to ‘qualify for it’. The pension amount RM pays in is one of the best out there, not as good as it was but still better than most. You have a right to cut off when it’s necessary. You don’t need to work on a Sunday. The ill health retirement benefit is very good.
There are no doubt other benefits,all of which would be taken away without a union.
I have worked many years for a company without a union, believe me you don’t want to be working in that environment.
Hopefully they can get us a good deal

[Zicomurphy]

At the moment, there is a very good sickness policy- albeit you have to work a year to ‘qualify for it’. The pension amount RM pays in is one of the best out there, not as good as it was but still better than most. You have a right to cut off when it’s necessary. You don’t need to work on a Sunday. The ill health retirement benefit is very good.
There are no doubt other benefits,all of which would be taken away without a union.
I have worked many years for a company without a union, believe me you don’t want to be working in that environment.
Hopefully they can get us a good deal

Yep we have all those things and the union are the only thing stopping us losing them all, with the exception of the pension, right now. Everything else you list are all the things the company want to take from us right now. Sick pay, the right to cut off, no Sunday working and the terms for IHR are all under threat.