LTB 491/19 - CWU & Royal Mail Dispute/Protecting the Four Pillars Agreement

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 16 Aug 2019, 13:22

LTB 491/19 - CWU & Royal Mail Dispute/Protecting the Four Pillars Agreement

14th August 2019

Dear Colleagues,

CWU & Royal Mail Dispute/Protecting the Four Pillars Agreement

Further to recent video updates circulated to Branches in LTBs 454/19 and 456/19, the purpose of this LTB is to inform colleagues that the situation with the employer is now at a very serious level.

RMG have now formally confirmed that we are in dispute and about to enter the final stage of the resolution process, external mediation, in an attempt to find a way forward. However, the mood music and attitude from the current RMG Board is very much adversarial and confrontational. So whilst we always travel in hope, we must seriously begin to prepare to defend our Four Pillars Agreement.

Over the next few weeks we will ensure that all aspects of this dispute are fully explained to you and our members, but with immediate effect it is essential that all Branches and Representatives, at all levels, ensure membership information is returned to the Senior DGS Department at CWU HQ (LTB 469/19 refers).

It is equally important that Branches are prepared for the eventuality that this dispute may not be resolved by negotiation alone and as a priority should begin to arrange visits/gate meetings at all units to make members aware of the current issues, as well as the gravity of the situation and that once again they may have to pick sides.

We genuinely believe that all aspects of our Agreement, the employment, standard of living and retirement security of our members and the very future of the Great British Postal Service is again under threat from the new RMG leadership who played no part in negotiating the 2018 Agreement.

There will be a National Briefing next week for Parcelforce and Senior Reps/Field Officials across Royal Mail Group (details will follow in separate LTBs).

Update videos on the current situation have recently been released by Davie Robertson (National Officer) and myself and can be viewed via the links below.

Please WATCH & SHARE this latest and very important video update from DGSP Terry Pullinger on our dispute with Royal Mail Group #FourPillars #TheCWU

Posted by The Communications Union on Wednesday, August 14, 2019

A video message to all our Parcelforce members from National Officer Davie Robertson Please SHARE #FourPillars #TheCWU

Posted by The Communications Union on Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department quoting reference 24000.

Yours sincerely,

Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

19LTB491 https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-xlijrtk-jtfltzjh-u/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

View Online https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-xlijrtk-jtfltzjh-o/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 16 Aug 2019, 17:20

members 'may have to pick sides'!! well that's a f****** no brainer if ever I've heard one.

citypostie · Post by **citypostie** » 16 Aug 2019, 18:39

daveyeff wrote:members 'may have to pick sides'!! well that's a f****** no brainer if ever I've heard one.

You would hope so but in my office I'm not so sure. Some of the loudest shouters of "do the job properly" worked last time we striked. Will be interesting to see if they do again seen as they are the loudest ones saying others are killing the job

number one · Post by **number one** » 16 Aug 2019, 20:12

citypostie wrote:
daveyeff wrote:members 'may have to pick sides'!! well that's a f****** no brainer if ever I've heard one.
You would hope so but in my office I'm not so sure. Some of the loudest shouters of "do the job properly" worked last time we striked. Will be interesting to see if they do again seen as they are the loudest ones saying others are killing the job

The last national strike was over 10 years ago, don’t be so negative.

All this “I don’t think most people will go on strike blah blah” helps nobody. People say it every time we have a dispute and it’s tiresome. Last time people on here were saying they didn’t think it would be a yes vote but look at overwhelming YES result

chickenwittle · Post by **chickenwittle** » 16 Aug 2019, 20:35

number one wrote:
citypostie wrote:
daveyeff wrote:members 'may have to pick sides'!! well that's a f****** no brainer if ever I've heard one.
You would hope so but in my office I'm not so sure. Some of the loudest shouters of "do the job properly" worked last time we striked. Will be interesting to see if they do again seen as they are the loudest ones saying others are killing the job
The last national strike was over 10 years ago, don’t be so negative.

All this “I don’t think most people will go on strike blah blah” helps nobody. People say it every time we have a dispute and it’s tiresome. Last time people on here were saying they didn’t think it would be a yes vote but look at overwhelming YES result

Agree with you but an overwhelming yes vote is a lot different to actually going on strike.

hero22 · Post by **hero22** » 16 Aug 2019, 23:38

If it wasn't for this site I or anyone else in my office would not have a clue about this situation. Do the union communicate these issues in other offices ?

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 17 Aug 2019, 15:36

yes, via reps. don't you have one in your office.?

deltaforce · Post by **deltaforce** » 18 Aug 2019, 12:31

Leading up to a ballot, every member should get written info on dispute if your address details are correct.

borders · Post by **borders** » 18 Aug 2019, 13:57

The first starting point is to get a Big Yes Vote and maybe an actual strike will not have to happen ?

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 18 Aug 2019, 22:48

borders wrote:The first starting point is to get a Big Yes Vote and maybe an actual strike will not have to happen ?

Well your optimistic normally they take the union ie US to court and win most of the time and if they don't win we go on strike. But you have to fight for your rights these days by loosing a days pay or two or more nothing is given unto you your fortitude is what separates you from being a slave!

DottyJ · Post by **DottyJ** » 21 Aug 2019, 16:15

Same here ‘Hero23’! If it wasn’t for these forums I would be none the wiser on loads of issues. Part-timers in our office are not party to any briefings or training videos etc as our start time is later than when these take place!

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 22 Aug 2019, 21:34

I'm not the union rep in my office but I try and pass on information from here to the posties in our DO. In my experience most posties & DOMs have no idea what is going on or happening. I think our Union rep is pretty clued up on the situation but doesn't talk about the situation that much. I guess it's early days at the moment and maybe we are really just pawns for the CWU & RM to move around the board as it were.
I haven't seen any posties cross the picket line in my twenty years of service in RM and there have been a few disputes in that time I think. Posties are willing to lose some pay short term in return for attaining a better future for the business so the union shouldn't be reluctant to fully commit to strike action. Better to hit them hard than be hesitant about it although pushing the threat of action has to be tried first. My worst fear is that the union try to placate us with some rubbish like they did on the last pay deal with the SWW and the indecisive pension solution.