Worst Industrial Relationships in the U.K.

[whitemoor66]

Which national company has the worst Industrial relationships in the U.K. Which national company has a national union but yet is fragmented into local agreements whilst basically doing the same job whilst underming the union as a whole?
Why doesn't a local agreement happen where 40 hours is not the norm and 37.5 is the usual and new enterants get 4 weeks 4 days A/L and an additional .50p an hour on the hourly rate.
Which Industry has a union that takes a lot but gives little in return?
Which industry has a union that has plush offices for its highly paid full time officials but can't answer a phone or reply to a voicemail? Which national union has a legal dept that does nothing apart from the odd 'ism case to catch the headlines .
Does it sound like anybody you know?

[stokes11eg]

Which national company has the worst Industrial relationships in the U.K. Which national company has a national union but yet is fragmented into local agreements whilst basically doing the same job whilst underming the union as a whole?
Why doesn't a local agreement happen where 40 hours is not the norm and 37.5 is the usual and new enterants get 4 weeks 4 days A/L and an additional .50p an hour on the hourly rate.
Which Industry has a union that takes a lot but gives little in return?
Which industry has a union that has plush offices for its highly paid full time officials but can't answer a phone or reply to a voicemail? Which national union has a legal dept that does nothing apart from the odd 'ism case to catch the headlines .
Does it sound like anybody you know?

Is there a prize for the right answer?

[heston]

whitemoor,your post i feel has the scent of anger ,this anger is directed at both the cwu and rm,as you are ex postie,may i take this opportunity to point out that whilst in anger you may have a reason for having a go at the cwu and its activists,perhaps in this of all times most of us in the forum will view your attacks as,at best unhelpful

[Tall Guy]

and the only reason RM has a 40 hour week is because the meal relief is paid, most firms who are on 37.5 or less don't pay the m/r.

That's one blessing to count anyway!!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

NPower
Total
HMG

this could go on a bit

London Underground

[Pat Ostman]

He has a point. While I love being in the Union and think its needed, espicially with RM as an employer I do think the CWU needs a change at the top.

At times it is hard to justify even a few pounds a week for the work that seems to be done for wrongly sacked posties.

[Ernie Shoe]

and the only reason RM has a 40 hour week is because the meal relief is paid, most firms who are on 37.5 or less don't pay the m/r.

That's one blessing to count anyway!!

Good point; in essence we're on a 36 hour 20 minute working week!
Better than most jobs.

[calpsy]

Which national company has the worst Industrial relationships in the U.K. Which national company has a national union but yet is fragmented into local agreements whilst basically doing the same job whilst underming the union as a whole?
Why doesn't a local agreement happen where 40 hours is not the norm and 37.5 is the usual and new enterants get 4 weeks 4 days A/L and an additional .50p an hour on the hourly rate.
Which Industry has a union that takes a lot but gives little in return?
Which industry has a union that has plush offices for its highly paid full time officials but can't answer a phone or reply to a voicemail? Which national union has a legal dept that does nothing apart from the odd 'ism case to catch the headlines .
?

Does it sound like anybody you know

Is it train drivers ???

[norbert]

Which national company has the worst Industrial relationships in the U.K. Which national company has a national union but yet is fragmented into local agreements whilst basically doing the same job whilst underming the union as a whole?
Why doesn't a local agreement happen where 40 hours is not the norm and 37.5 is the usual and new enterants get 4 weeks 4 days A/L and an additional .50p an hour on the hourly rate.
Which Industry has a union that takes a lot but gives little in return?
Which industry has a union that has plush offices for its highly paid full time officials but can't answer a phone or reply to a voicemail? Which national union has a legal dept that does nothing apart from the odd 'ism case to catch the headlines .
?

Does it sound like anybody you know

Is it train drivers ???

the tories privatization of the railways to neutralize the two and a bit ( TSSA ) unions backfired as ASLEF coined it in , their members are on salaries undreamed of in BR days , putting a lot of RMT guards out of work too

To be fair at least in the PO there is just one union and it would be 100 times worse without one .

[Lounge Lizard]

Which national company has new enterants get 4 weeks 4 days A/L and an additional .50p an hour on the hourly rate?

That's not us, is it ?

[norbert]

and the only reason RM has a 40 hour week is because the meal relief is paid, most firms who are on 37.5 or less don't pay the m/r.

That's one blessing to count anyway!!

Good point; in essence we're on a 36 hour 20 minute working week!
Better than most jobs.

& the CWU got it for you - I agree there is a problem with it being over beauracratic & it's leadership being remote from it's grass roots , possibly a bit old fashioned & RM know it .

[b]RM are trying to break it but the tactics are more subtle this time i.e. everyone on different contracts , possibly within the same APC or RDC as divide and rule . [/b]

[k979aaa]

and the only reason RM has a 40 hour week is because the meal relief is paid, most firms who are on 37.5 or less don't pay the m/r.

That's one blessing to count anyway!!

Good point; in essence we're on a 36 hour 20 minute working week!
Better than most jobs.

But royalmail expect you not to take a break and to soldier on regardless!.

[Martin Walsh]

Royal Mail have for many years had the worst industrial relations in the UK. This is why Lord Tom Sawyer was asked by the Government back in 2001 to conduct an indepndent IR report and gave a dammning report on how Royal Managers operated and accused many of just being " body watchers " to quick to use intimadation to manage rather than using people skills.

Shortly after this report Royal Mail came under notice for the ammount of bullying in the work place and it was particulaly highlighted by a case which happened in Birmingham where a postman committed sucide as a result of managers bullying him and led to a number of managers being sacked.

Very little has changed in the years since then to many little hitlers who think just becasue they have managerial status that they can use power and intimadation to control an office rather then peoples skills. This is down to the fact that senior managers bully all managers and that we have the most centralised managerial structure that we have ever done. All decisions are taken at the very top and all managers below are told to implement them.

The Hooper report criticsed managment in a big way and Mandleson told MPs that he didt think we in the uk had the gene pool to run a successful postal system in the UK. Yet the Government still pays Adam Crozier the £ 3 million per year you couldt make it up.

Adam Crozier is undoubtly the most hated Royal Mail boss ever , he has lost the confidence of the workforce and should resign.

Now onto the CWU , we have paid meal reliefs plus in some mail centres we still have time bonus meal reliefs and those who work 4 day week have a 50 min meal relief. We have a policy of achieving a 35 hour gross working week but if we are all honest a shorter working week has not been at the top of the iist for delivery members as a lot made or chased time. Maybe now with all the job cuts , increase in part timers that may change at long last.

I think you will find a lot of companies have incurement payments for new starts , plus different leave allocations and even different sick procedures this is all common.

Now in terms of the CWU well we are a vountarily organsisation with about 90% membership more in urban cities, we exist to promoste our members intrests and yes sometimes we may get it wrong and yes our commuication could be better in places but the fact is that the CWU do a dammned good job.

What other union has defeated twice the threat of privisiataton, defeated teamworking and defeated Royal Mail1s total flexibility issues in 2007 which would have meant that you could be moved 2 hours before or after your time on a dialy basis , monthly pay , no cap on door to door and no seniority.

In fact what other union could produce members in all places of the UK voting yes in huge numbers for stirke action in the worse reccession in living memory, Not the RMT who are strong in London but not nationally and not any other union.

What makes the CWU strong is that we dont just rely on the national leadership we have a branch structure which is there to campaign amongst the membership within their branch and recieve many thousands of pounds branch rebate to do just that. Sadly whilst many branchs do a good job some do not and in my opinion should be pulled in line.

So whilst the CWU has it faults , we are the only line of defence a workers has against a ruthless employer who only sees postal workers as obstacles to making money and whose senior managers are obbsessed with the priviate sector and have no time for a public sector.

[borders]

i agree with Dingo, Cwu has some faults but if anybody thinks that working for RM would be a more enjoyable and enriching experience without a Union in place is living in a dreamworld. the strength of a Union is its solidarity , it is able to achieve better pay and conditions because of that. people need to get involved more, even if its just supporting your Rep or going to the AGM once a year. make an effort because it is rewarding to be around like-minded people. challenge the Boss if you feel you are being treated wrongly , we are all the Union not just the Reps etc.

[norbert]

i agree with Dingo, Cwu has some faults but if anybody thinks that working for RM would be a more enjoyable and enriching experience without a Union in place is living in a dreamworld. the strength of a Union is its solidarity , it is able to achieve better pay and conditions because of that. people need to get involved more, even if its just supporting your Rep or going to the AGM once a year. make an effort because it is rewarding to be around like-minded people. challenge the Boss if you feel you are being treated wrongly , we are all the Union not just the Reps etc.

RM are not trying to break it like in 2007 for nothing , this time they are using more " subtle " methods than the " starve 'em back to work and shaft 'em " but that does not mean they are to be trusted in any way .