LTB:National Dispute Official Update

[cloherty1976]

It really is funny that now you have lots of people who were previously shaky on a strike suddenly giving it the big one and calling a seven day extension.

Do you really think our negotiators would have agreed to a further 7 day extension if there is not a very good prospect of a deal. Yes still work to be done but the union confident of a ground breaking deal.

The membership voted in an industrial action ballot that they are prepared to take industrial action in defence of they pay, pensions , terms and conditions and job security.

Now the CWU are confident of getting an agreement which will be subject to an individuals members ballot without any member losing a seconds worth of pay. Yet most of the posters want to go out cause it looks good or feels good ? Its about getting the right agreement not letting of steam.

I have been out plenty of times but the aim has alway been to get a deal. Some of you need to have a little bit more faith and surely you can wait 7 days.

Dingo I read what you say but I have always been someone from the start that has said no strikes will ever happen and deal of the century will be coming. But on here everyone is up for a fight and don't realise the serious nature of buisiness culture. I suppose one problem is that union officials say one thing and do another. My main point is when the deal is done and everyone will be moaning is that it won't be a lot different to the one first offered but you will say different. It's like saying read the small print...

[drb]

I think the question to the business is this: What Does It Want? The surprise is..it does not know. I still don't believe we can ask that question "on the gate". Nor will we hear the answer.

[wiganpostie]

While I'm usually in favour of getting on the gate faster than a coat of quick drying Ronseal, the positive noises coming from the CWU end of the beast with two backless frames gives me some hope, and I think they deserve a little more time. As a portly wartime politician once said, "*If you're going through hell, keep going".


* Also applicable to rough council estate deliveries.

[britwrit]

If the CWU had set a strike date today, this board would have been full of people complaining about lost wages, lack of support in their office, why hadn't we tried a work-to-rule (which would have brought them to their knees?), why are we going out because of the runners?, etc. etc.

This isn't a wonderful place we've gotten to but given the initial offer, it could be a lot worse. Besides, a horde of enraged posties storming out of their offices on the 27th is still a pretty potent threat.

[scirocco'r']

I think you miss the point Dingo. Delivery is in meltdown.
If Bob Gibson doesn't understand this or does and has failed to communicate with Hayes and Ward he should resign.
Solving the problems in Delivery can only happen with Mark Higson's involvement.
After pay and pensions the cultural change required should have been the next topic for negotiation.
Indeed after the B&H survey and ongoing regional revision issues with BSI and the IWT this part of any negotiation
should already have a substantial amount of work done.
That work should have involved Gibson and Higson.
It is obvious this hasn't happened to a sufficient degree.
There should be no subscriptions without representation.
Delivery is being let down.
Possibly set up for franchising ?
There is no way you can spin this. It isn't good enough.

[Stella102]

delivery is an utter shambles we have comrades going ill left and right and managers issuing out the ban hammer left right and centre ! this must stop union reps cant take the hassle no more from members and disputes over cutting off / absorption / winter lapsing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Martin Walsh]

So progress we got during talks.

1. An improved offer and reward package , wont reveal the percentage but its well above the rejected offer.

2. A pensions agreement which improves on the DC scheme and ensures no further changes until at least 2018.

3. Legal Guarantee underwritten and enforceable through court which stops the break up of Royal Mail , stops franchising , stops outsourcing , people being recruited on inferior terms , protects full times jobs and protects our national agreements including shift pay , sick pay , annual leave entitlement , seniority etc not for 3 years but a minimum of 5 years but with no end date and a review.

4. A charter which protects services and terms and conditions.

5. Industrial stability which does not mean a no strike deal but does mean no executive action.

6. We have made some progress on delivery but nowhere near enough and now both Dave Ward and Mark Higson will now enter the delivery negotiations along with Bob Gibson and Mark Fellows to get an agreement.

Now some of you based on this progress now want to throw away all the progress made in points 1 to 5 by calling a strike action to resolve point 6.

Where as the sensible thing and what the majority members would want is too see whether we get an agreement in the next few days on all issues and dont throw away the progress we have made on pay and legal guarantees.

In the words of a famous song writer lets give peace a chance.

[Hitcher]

delivery is an utter shambles we have comrades going ill left and right and managers issuing out the ban hammer left right and centre ! this must stop union reps cant take the hassle no more from members and disputes over cutting off / absorption / winter lapsing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

And yet posties still insist on not doing the job properly.

[Hitcher]

Important week ahead for the union, as members will no doubt desert it in droves if they don't come back with something substantial.

And then you'll end up with no deal!

[Hitcher]

It really is funny that now you have lots of people who were previously shaky on a strike suddenly giving it the big one and calling a seven day extension.

Do you really think our negotiators would have agreed to a further 7 day extension if there is not a very good prospect of a deal. Yes still work to be done but the union confident of a ground breaking deal.

The membership voted in an industrial action ballot that they are prepared to take industrial action in defence of they pay, pensions , terms and conditions and job security.

Now the CWU are confident of getting an agreement which will be subject to an individuals members ballot without any member losing a seconds worth of pay. Yet most of the posters want to go out cause it looks good or feels good ? Its about getting the right agreement not letting of steam.

I have been out plenty of times but the aim has alway been to get a deal. Some of you need to have a little bit more faith and surely you can wait 7 days.

Well said.

[Judgee]

Let's give peace a chance? There were a few people saying that when Hitler started getting uppity. If we'd listened to to them we'd be knee deep in sauerkraut right now!

[sussexlad]

So progress we got during talks.

1. An improved offer and reward package , wont reveal the percentage but its well above the rejected offer.

2. A pensions agreement which improves on the DC scheme and ensures no further changes until at least 2018.

3. Legal Guarantee underwritten and enforceable through court which stops the break up of Royal Mail , stops franchising , stops outsourcing , people being recruited on inferior terms , protects full times jobs and protects our national agreements including shift pay , sick pay , annual leave entitlement , seniority etc not for 3 years but a minimum of 5 years but with no end date and a review.

4. A charter which protects services and terms and conditions.

5. Industrial stability which does not mean a no strike deal but does mean no executive action.

6. We have made some progress on delivery but nowhere near enough and now both Dave Ward and Mark Higson will now enter the delivery negotiations along with Bob Gibson and Mark Fellows to get an agreement.

Now some of you based on this progress now want to throw away all the progress made in points 1 to 5 by calling a strike action to resolve point 6.

Where as the sensible thing and what the majority members would want is too see whether we get an agreement in the next few days on all issues and dont throw away the progress we have made on pay and legal guarantees.

In the words of a famous song writer lets give peace a chance.

I would settle for all that no problem.

[Desperate_Dan]

Let's give peace a chance? There were a few people saying that when Hitler started getting uppity. If we'd listened to to them we'd be knee deep in sauerkraut right now!

We've been told so many times in the past by the CWU to give this, that and the other a chance.

When we do, we're s**t on.

[scirocco'r']

Point 6 one quite important section of the business being hung out to dry.
As I said possible franchising.

[fishtank]

The problem isn't this deal or these negotiations.
This is one dispute and one agreement and unless it's a magic agreement that means no more confrontation then at some point we'll be involved in another dispute and the problem with talking the talk constantly and refusing to walk the walk is that at some point someone will call you out as full of s**t.

There will definitely be an agreement within the next 7 days but not because Royal Mail has any fear of Industrial Action,There will be an agreement because the negotiators have backed themselves into a corner and have no choice but to take what's on offer and try to spin it as best they can.That fact won't be lost on the Royal Mail team.

Financially it will be a good deal,that was always guaranteed,how watertight the protections will be only time will tell because it's very much uncharted territory for both parties but deliveries....don't expect much more than wooly words and false promises and you won't be too disappointed.