For one, what I said IS NOT BOLLOCKS as you put it.
I've heard this crap from from reps time and time again. I also hear this crap from those same people who say that its your decision to work over but then shy away from the fact that they themselves ,
'COME IN EARLY, DON'T TAKE THEIR BREAKS AND STILL WANT TO USE THEIR OWN CAR!'
Smacks of hypocracy to me.
And two, I have personally witnessed lads being bullied into working over their time under threats of 'poor performance' etc, having more than one boss standing over them when the rep had gone out, and having them come up to me saying that because they are 'short term contract' etc., they don't want to 'rock the boat' or argue for fear of having their contracts not renewed, etc.
Yes, I feel intimidated myself but have been in this job long enough to know how it works. Stand your ground with some bosses and your card is marked.
I'll never forget what I was told on my first day in the job by the lad who trained me,
"You spend months trying to get into this job and now that you are in, THEY (bosses) will spend months and months trying to find ways of getting you out of this job, especially if your face doesn't fit or you don't do what they tell you or you stand up to them, thats why we have a union to back us ALL up."
That was 1989, its a pity that the 'UNITY IS STRENGTH' SENARIO OF THE UNION'S negotiating power with management no longer exists in the way it did.
This bullying in DO's is happening across the country because of several things,
It comes from the top down,
The NEC of the CWU hasn't the stomach for fighting these so called 'modernisation plans'
Some local reps are unsure of what to do,
The membership is divided and weakening by the month, apathy is common place.
And their are career hungry ladder climbing managers who will use and abuse anything and anyone to progress their own career prospects by trying to be tough thinking that it will impress their own boss.
I've seen these guys come and go. There is the odd one who is genuine, but they are hard to find.
The only reason that the bullying and harassment is so much of an issue in delivery now is because
'WE , who are the UNION have let it happen!'
I can have my moan because I voted 'NO!!!!!'.
How many others out there who voted 'YES' are now wishing that they had listened to those with experience both from the shop floor and behind the closed doors of the DOM's office.
Make no mistake, if you wear a uniform, some of them think that you are something on the end of their shoe. I've heard them say it... and mean it. Utter contempt! Nothing has changed much.
It's a culture that needs to be stamped out.
May be the CWU needs to have the same level of organisation as Nick Parks 'Chicken Run'.
At least, 'They were organised!'.
