new mount pleasant bulletin 9/3/16

anna · Post by **anna** » 09 Mar 2016, 23:36

Hello - latest from HMP, and latest worries - like for Langley - forboding; not to mention new contract with RM
MASS MEETING?
What about “Pay (and jobs!) 2016”? There was that big reps meeting on 6 Feb (RM bosses were invited) but we've heard not a dicky bird about it from CWU officials. The agreement runs out this April – so what now? Is there a plan of action which we can read and discuss? Isn't it about time we had a full assembly of the workforce – to raise our demands?

HIGHWAY UNDER CCTV
We're a little put out by the new floorplan in Primary – literally! Yup they've moved the frames and opened up a double-highway – all the better to spy on us? But the traffic isn't flowing that well, for some reason....

WINDS OF CHANGE?
With some machines under-used and this new packet sorter on the horizon – we're concerned about what will fit in this old building, and therefore, our future? What might calm our nerves is a nice expenses-paid day-trip to Bristol, to “view” the new monster technology?

IN BUT NOT INTEGRATED
So now Romec's back in-house. 97% (of the 62% who turned out) voted for it, but that was because we saw no other option. It was blackmail, given RM had tied going back in-house to that 3-year deal, creating a 2-tier workforce and cutting real wages 2015/16 – a 1%, below-inflation “rise”...

WE DON'T SHAKE HANDS WITH BOSSES
It certainly doesn't give us back the Ts&Cs we had before 2002 when Romec was part-privatised, nor does it fully integrate us into the RM workforce. And that's what we need. So we still have to fight. But we already knew that – as soon as we saw the union negotiators shaking hands so vigorously with Romec bosses.

EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK!
Of course we already have a 2nd-tier workforce here in Romec – two rates have been the rule since 2002. And with the zero-hours contracts we had a 3rd. Are they to be abolished instantly? Everywhere in RM? Because that's a commitment we insist upon!

THE ONLY LANGUAGE RM UNDERSTANDS
So David Mitchell's unfair dismissal case made it to the House of Commons – and now there's also a ballot for a regional strike (Cupar, Fife, Scotland?) for his reinstatement – finally approved by the CWU! Just as well his workmates didn't wait – but fought alongside him from day 1! Solidarity, mates!

BELIEVE IT OR NOT?
By the way – Romec workers don't understand what's going on with our rates of pay... Why were we told last Friday that they were going down, while on the Romec leaflet it says they're going up (although by not much)? We're confused, but quite obviously, management's even more confused!

SCARING THE ELEPHANT
We also hear that the Elephant Moppet is already interviewing new people for cleaning jobs in Romec. Which proves how short-handed we are – but probably also means he can't wait to implement 2nd tier! Where's that mouse?

APOLOGIES!
Sorry for not explaining the Cockney rhyming slang last time in “the elephant/bull in the china shop” story: “mate” rhymes with “china plate” so therefore a “mate” is called a “china”... (and dicky bird = word...)

TRACK RM DOWN
In PSA, we've been pressed to process these damn T24 and T48 items. But we couldn't believe our eyes when we read in the news that Royal Mail now accepts parcels up to 11.30pm at the Northampton hub! And soon everywhere else? As usual, RM introduces new services without the hands and provisions needed.

WE DO WANT AN EDUCATION!!
The union's English courses at the learning centre were closed all of last year... But five years ago, we could attend 2 courses per week. Then it was down to 1 course and then it was moved to 1-3pm, which was inconveniently in the middle of shift change! And courses were completely dropped. So we're very happy to hear that they're back – let's make the most of it!

AIMING AT “HER” ROYAL MAIL'S FOOT
How can Moya Greede not know that increasing the already too high postage prices will backfire? From 29 March, 1st and 2nd class stamps will go up by 1p; and small/medium parcels will cost 5/6p more to send!

500 YEARS OF CAPITALISM
What a nice (free!) envelope we got, personally signed by Queen Moya – containing the employee survey 2016. Do we feel as honoured as she does, to be in this 500-year old institution? Not “very strongly”... especially not those of us who feel like we're 500 years old.

WORRIED FOR THEIR BONUSES?
Another audit for WC-M. So headless chickens soon to be running everywhere and our poor Romec brothers and sisters will be asked to wash the floor until it dissolves...

WE SHOULD ALL BE ON STRIKE WITH THEM!!
The doctors are on strike again – and now they're fighting the imposition of contracts by Jeremy Hunt after the BMA refused to back down. He's forcing doctors to pay for “savings” by cutting their unsocial hours pay. Yes, they have our solidarity – but why not our co-ordinated industrial action?

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 10 Mar 2016, 07:20

anna wrote:WINDS OF CHANGE?
With some machines under-used and this new packet sorter on the horizon – we're concerned about what will fit in this old building, and therefore, our future? What might calm our nerves is a nice expenses-paid day-trip to Bristol, to “view” the new monster technology?

I wouldn't be surprised if there ended up being a ? over the future of any MC that can't house one of the new packet sorting machines

jetblack · Post by **jetblack** » 10 Mar 2016, 08:33

anna wrote: Yes, they have our solidarity – but why not our co-ordinated industrial action?

Completely agree. United we stand divided we fall.

Post by **rainbowwarrior72** » 10 Mar 2016, 13:26

I really do enjoy your HMP Bulletin

bobthepostie · Post by **bobthepostie** » 11 Mar 2016, 15:57

rainbowwarrior72 wrote:I really do enjoy your HMP Bulletin

Same. I always look forward to the updates

fishtank · Post by **fishtank** » 11 Mar 2016, 16:33

The Tories more or less made coordinated action impossible and for some reason Labour "forgot" to change that fact.

anna · Post by **anna** » 15 Mar 2016, 10:08

Yes, but almost always in the past, when strike action was effective it was unofficial (at least in the beginning - look at the postal disputes themselves where the spontaneous walkouts often prompted the offical ballots) so yes you are right it is not legal, but the union leaders who are surely not stupid can always find a pretext to make action legal and in a co-ordinated plan - if they want to. Whether it's pay or conditions, haven't we always got an issue we could ballot over? They don't want to.

fishtank · Post by **fishtank** » 15 Mar 2016, 10:30

How do you get spontaneous coordinated action?

It's the coordination that's the problem, as you say unofficial action is a useful tool but once you start planning it, especially a body like a union...you're in big trouble, that sort of thing can bankrupt a union and it's not the union's money to risk.