Why we might have to work to rule in the longer term

[Marshamp11]

Feel a bit dissapointed that we have no instructions as to what we are supposed to do when we come back from a strike?

some guys will work overtime and clear the back log and some will say no work to time, maybe if we had some direction from our union we will be more united.

Thats a rather excellent point. We could all walk back in after strike number 1 or 2 and/or face extra work and many of us will be wanting to:

- start and finish on time
- take our breaks
- work to our time


And if many of us get our heads together and all work this way then we might get suspended or unpaid as managers will tell us that we have been working to rule. That same "work to rule" that managers themselves were proposing to do??

I have worked this way for the last 4 years and will continue to do so after any strike action.

[Woody Guthrie]

If workers decide to do their job as per their contract - start and finish on time,take your breaks,work to your time then that is their choice under their legal contract.

It's the act of organising itself that can be unlawful not the action that's being organised.

Organising practically anything in a workplace is considered industrial action and any industrial action has to first be balloted.

As I've said before if an entire office decides to do something on the same day it's difficult to argue that it hasn't been organised.

[Hyrrokkin]

If workers decide to do their job as per their contract - start and finish on time,take your breaks,work to your time then that is their choice under their legal contract.

It's the act of organising itself that can be unlawful not the action that's being organised.

Organising practically anything in a workplace is considered industrial action and any industrial action has to first be balloted.

As I've said before if an entire office decides to do something on the same day it's difficult to argue that it hasn't been organised.

Ok i get that now

[postslippete]

If workers decide to do their job as per their contract - start and finish on time,take your breaks,work to your time then that is their choice under their legal contract.

It's the act of organising itself that can be unlawful not the action that's being organised.

Organising practically anything in a workplace is considered industrial action and any industrial action has to first be balloted.

As I've said before if an entire office decides to do something on the same day it's difficult to argue that it hasn't been organised.

However, Royal Mail are allowed to organise thousands of agency workers and use them as ....strike breakers!

I know. The balance of power has shifted towards businesses rather its workers. But many posties are angry with Royal Mail's proposals and the school dinner money they are offering us in return.

So how likely do you think it is that posties en masse might just decide for themselves to start working in a way of doing the job properly as the CWU has always advised? The company will believe that its been organised, but its not, its just posties communicating how they are feeling as individuals. Organised industrial action surely has to involve a meeting either in or outside the office.

[Cucumber]

Drastic changes in any office or workplace causes a drip effect of people working to rule.
It's not an organised effort, it's simply a gradual realisation a person at a time often, that management will move from staff member to staff member pushing them as far as they think they can.

[yellowbelly]

You come in early - you are an idiot.

You don't take your break and work for free - you are an idiot.

By doing that you are probably actually earning minimum wage.

What mug would work for free when this company already treats you like a mug with a 2% pay rise while the people at the top took half the profits for themselves.

As per Woody's response, IIRC your posts indicated you were in that very boat right
at the very beginning of your RM career. Glad you've seen the light.

[postslippete]

I didn't create this topic to argue amongst ourselves, I just wondered if the CWU had covered all its bases.


I know the argument between doing the job properly and job and finish will still continue. However, its probably common sense if you walk into 2 or 3 days worth of mail and packets to decide that you won't be taking the lapse and/or might want some work taking off the duty as well. This is happening now, never mind before a National strike! So offices that have had a previous backlog in the past are likely to get a backlog in the future. Some posties really don't want to be doing their overtime in the dark.

[sindba]

I didn't create this topic to argue amongst ourselves, I just wondered if the CWU had covered all its bases.


I know the argument between doing the job properly and job and finish will still continue. However, its probably common sense if you walk into 2 or 3 days worth of mail and packets to decide that you won't be taking the lapse and/or might want some work taking off the duty as well. This is happening now, never mind before a National strike! So offices that have had a previous backlog in the past are likely to get a backlog in the future. Some posties really don't want to be doing their overtime in the dark.

There is no goodwill towards Royal Mail under the current incompetent management, so posties won't want to go the extra mile unless they want the money.

But there will be no official IA. What aren't you understanding?

[postslippete]

There is no goodwill towards Royal Mail under the current incompetent management, so posties won't want to go the extra mile unless they want the money.

But there will be no official IA. What aren't you understanding?

I'm glad I raised this topic because I know Royal Mail will use everything against us - just like they did the last time we called a strike

[sindba]

There is no goodwill towards Royal Mail under the current incompetent management, so posties won't want to go the extra mile unless they want the money.

But there will be no official IA. What aren't you understanding?

I'm glad I raised this topic because I know Royal Mail will use everything against us - just like they did the last time we called a strike

Who is "we" - you said in another post that the CWU is no better than RM - are you a member of the CWU?

[postslippete]

Who is "we" - you said in another post that the CWU is no better than RM - are you a member of the CWU?

Yes I'm a member of the union. This other post, I don't recall explicitly saying that.

I did say that the union were like a distant friend though and I'm referring to a period last year when no one heard from them in weeks. If that got you riled, apologies, but that's my opinion.

Will I be involve in the strike. 100%

[Mickeybrowneyes]

With some of the proposed emergency revisions and the obsession with PDA data it will only be a matter of time before we are doing things properly across the board anyway, strike or no strike.
Many offices are failing walks everyday now because they are too long and those that are still knicking a couple hours here and there from cutting it to pieces soon won't be.
Within the next six months job and knock and nicking the odd hour will be simply mpossible. Most duties will be unachievable when work load is up.
At best you might come in early, work through your break and finish on time...
I doubt this will even be a conversation for a OPG in the coming years...
Even the most set in their ways will wake up at this point

[Ad_bee]

"Why we might have to work to rule in the longer term"

Should be:

"Why we might have to 'do the job properly by RM's own operation requirements' in the longer term" ?

As noted, WTR is industrial action whilst 'doing the job properly and as required is just doing the job properly and as required ?

Same output different angle ?

It would appear to be true that with inceased efficiency and use of electronic data capture (RM doesn't seem to be quite 'there' with it yet) it could potentially, eventually become possible to resource the operation in a properly productive and fair manner which would mean, from RM's data-capture p.o.v that they don't want unofficial unpaid early starters and sprinters etc messing up their raw-data which messes up their resourcing spreadsheets, which messes up the entire operation with knock-on an cost effects?

So, even starting 40 mins early (not unusual so I've heard) + working through 20min break (not unusual so I've heard) = 6 hours unpaid work a week X 10 OPG's (not unusual so I've heard) = 60 hours = best part of 1.5 duties a week that Mr Spreadsheet thinks is spare hours which he refers to big-management who refer it to small management who refer it to the shop-floor who.......fail it because the 'spare hours don't exist in reality(not unusual so I've heard).

So yes, an insistence upon just we might have to 'do the job properly by RM's own operation requirements' in the longer term.

WTR?....not so much.