Northampton National briefing

Martin Walsh · Post by **Martin Walsh** » 29 Sep 2008, 20:58

It is time the union had an open and frank debate on whether the whole of the cwu is up for a campaign and a row on pensions.

With the pending Hooper recommendations a few weeks away the National Briefing where all Branch`s of the union will be present on wednesday and thursday at Northampton provides a long awaited debate on whether this union and for once it is not just headquaters at blame is up for the fight to change the executive action which Royal mail took in April by closing the scheme to new and existing recuits.

I am frankly sick and tired of branches saying that they will strugle to get a yes vote on pensions when they have not lauched a campaign to highlight to the membership the effect of the closure of final salery scheme. Indeed there was some who even argued that they would rather have a strike ballot over the 27th December than on pensions. You have to ask what leadership they are offering.

The reality and facts are this : For an indivdual who are in the old poss scheme members who were in post they stand to lose between 2% and 17 % on their lump sum and on their pension each year compared to the care scheme.

For indivduals after 88 who are in pops they face losing far more ! This ranges from 19% to 60% on both their lump sum and pension each year compared to the Care scheme

Whatsmore the pension deficit is growing rumoured to be over 5 billion now and we already know that Royal Mail`s second submisson to the Hooper report states it may be neccessary to change pension benefits again within 3 years for the worse.

So the issue of pensions is at cross roads . We can all contiue to play the blame game over whether its too late or whether its the right time.

However in London all branch`s are united in making sure that we make Northampton the defining moment on protecting the final salery scheme and force the union at all levels to mount a campaign amongst the membership to moblise the support for a strike to force Royal Mail and the Government to reverse their attack on our pensions.

Why dont you lobby your branchs to do the same. The time for talking has passed it is time for action!! Time for justice.

johnnyp · Post by **johnnyp** » 29 Sep 2008, 21:27

Nice post mate

and i back your call 100% for us all to stand up and fight for our pensions.I am from a London branch and hope all our branches across the country will rally and unite and take on Royal Mail and the government and get a better deal then what has been forced upon us.It is a disgrace that most of us will be thousands of pounds worse off when the likes of Crozier has earned a mint(8.5 MILLION) in such a short space of time and put us in the financial mess with the DSA deal that he signed along with postcom.We will pay for his mistakes big time if we dont make a stand and fight for a better deal on Pensions.Bring it on NOW.

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 29 Sep 2008, 21:52

Well said both of you for this matter has been festering for far too long it is now the time to pierce the boil and cleanse this open wound once and for all!. FOR A PENSION WORTHY OF A LIFE OF HARD WORK CAN BE THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM FOR US ALL!.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 29 Sep 2008, 22:04

I wouldn't be so quick to assume Crozier has made that many' mistakes' it really depends on where your position lies in terms of losses or gains . Some people will have made a mint from his reforms and others will be handsomely rewarded for their efforts.
Not taking the mick johnnyp, seriously any news on the defend our pensions campaign? It's very subtle ain't it , bit of an extreme stealth campaign. I'm gonna be so cross if it emerges in years to come that someones taken kickbacks to shaft the membership

johnnyp · Post by **johnnyp** » 30 Sep 2008, 09:33

BELIAL wrote:I wouldn't be so quick to assume Crozier has made that many' mistakes' it really depends on where your position lies in terms of losses or gains . Some people will have made a mint from his reforms and others will be handsomely rewarded for their efforts.
Not taking the mick johnnyp, seriously any news on the defend our pensions campaign? It's very subtle ain't it , bit of an extreme stealth campaign. I'm gonna be so cross if it emerges in years to come that someones taken kickbacks to shaft the membership

No mate i have not heard a thing on pensions and like most of us am very angry and frustrated that this has been allowed to happen.This Northampton briefing should decide where we are going on pensions once and for all and if like you suggest someones been out to shaft us then heads should roll big time.

Martin Walsh · Post by **Martin Walsh** » 30 Sep 2008, 12:06

In addition to crozier `s 8.4 million since he started in Royal Mail he also earns 45 thousand per year an non executive director of Debenhams.

With regards to your point Belial Crozier has been very successful for the competition primaily Ducth and German post offices. He negotaited arguably the worst deal in Post Office history the 13.5 pence downstream access price which paved the way for the competition to cherry pick the profitable parts of the mail leaving us with the final mile. When you consider that 60% of all Royal Mail costs are in the final mile then if you short sell the access price then the USO is always likely to be at risk.

Pehaps we were all right that Crozier and Leighton was always running down in the idustry paving the way for a joint adventure the so called third way !!

I have read some of the earlier posts about Leighton going but the fact is that Crozier has been the hardliner for some time along with Mcarthy and melvin two of which have now left the bussiness along with kevin Green and shortly James Farren. The truth is that Leighton has been spending most of his time in Canda for the last 3 years advisioring one of the richest families in the world the Westons !

However where I must take you to task is your negativity on pensions. Yes some people have dragged their heels with regards to the campaign but i have personally wittness first hand a lot of windy branch`s who basically say they cant deliver or may dont want to deliver.

The Pension is not dead its time people starting acting. Like I said in my post we in London will act but indivduals like you must decide whether you become a cyber negative warrior or whether you start making your Branch force the issue on pensions.

The choice is yours.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 06 Oct 2008, 23:33

Not wishing to be a cyber negative warrior But remember when the powers that be told us there was no pot of gold for the£3.4 billion pension defecit, well it seems like they discovered a £400 billion motherlode for troubled bankers. Seems like the choice is not ours after all

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 06 Oct 2008, 23:35

On the question of' windy' branches Dingo, what steps are being taken to correct the situation?