reasons behind the strike?

[edj]

think the cwu could do better communicating to the piblic the reasons behind the strikes that have been taking place in london.

have had a look around this site and haven't got a clearer idea.

[pinstripe]

As far as I can tell, the main reason for the strikes is:

Following the strikes of 2007 Royal Mail and the CWU signed up to a 4 part Pay and Modernisation Deal. The first 3 parts which dealt with transforming the business have been implemented, the 4th part which deals with the financial rewards for accepting the first 3 parts have not. Royal Mail are refusing to discuss this part, instead preferring to just enforce their agenda, without consultation of the CWU (which Royal Mail agreed would take place). This action is going to cause massive job losses, later deliveries and a much poorer service for the public.

The public should realise that the terms and conditions of postal workers are directly linked to the level of service they receive, te worse the conditions the poorer the service. Rather than opposing modernisation as Royal Mail claim, the CWU wants it to be implemented properly, however Royal Mails vision of modernisation is not what you would expect, it is not about investing in new machinery, it is not about improving customer service, it is only about increasing profits by the easiest way which is reducing the workforce.

Royal Mail continually go on about falling mail volumes, but 'cook the figures' from their own mail centres (to increase the bonus payments for senior management), they neglect to mention the increase in packets/parcels which are much more time consuming to process and deliver, bullying and harassment is rife in the industry, I've lost count of the number of cases that have been reported.

There are also lots of 'little' reasons that when combined with an uncaring management cause resentment which also increases the likelihood of a national strike, as every single office is affected to some degree.

Please also remember that postal workers earn far below the national average wage and do not get paid if they are on strike, they cannot afford to go on strike but neither can they afford not to.

[POSTMAN]

We all agree about the CWU communicating to the public,trust us on that.

Interstingly today in our works newspaper,which is obviously condemming the strikes,it reiterates the deal that was signed between the CWU and Royal Mail.

In Phase 2 of 4 phases we have 'Innovative duty structures' that RM agreed to in 07/08.

In simple terms what happened was we gave RM the cuts they wanted in return for new duty structures,which included 4 day weeks and 1 week off in 6.

NOW,RM want MORE cuts and they want to take those duty structures away!

You actully couldn't make some of the stuff going on up.

[apple]

yes i read the courier too about the headline things that they highlighted, one being, in mail centres and collection hubs increase cross functional working, well glad to hear that you think that important just a shame you don't do it in practice!
had our collections cut a worker from the hub is doing one, this has lead to 2 40hr jobs being made part time in the office, the hub is recruiting about another 5 staff at least, all part time, as they took over other offices collections as well, all this crap about hybrid duties being used to ensure full time hours what a load of shite, like i said 2 of ours have gone, earlier collection times for some people as that's what happens when you try to put 10 into 9

all this and i have heard that the area manger implemented hybrid duties elsewhere and used different arguments to the one he used to get rid of hybrid duties here i really do despair

[apple]

spot on linkin

[k979aaa]

In a nutshell it is transforming a national service into a business and maximizing profit and giving the posties nothing except later Finnish times and the bosses big million pound bonuses and the public later and later deliveries!. Any fool such as royalmail senior management can make a profit too the detriment of the service which royalmail did at one time provide!.

[Dee Plish]

I dont read their (RMs) propaganda and have not for years! I see what is done to me, my workmates and the people i serve and thats enough! I have NO problem with working my FULL HOURS because thats what i am paid to do! But i do have a problem with LYING CHEATING BULLYING EMPLOYERS AND GOVERNMENT that just wish to screw me and mine over more and more whilst they get richer and richer and i will fight against that till my last breath thats why i voted yes in the local ballot and why i will vote yes in the National One.

Brilliant linkinpark.

That is why my colleagues and I are out tomorrow

[DGP1]

I dont read their (RMs) propaganda and have not for years! I see what is done to me, my workmates and the people i serve and thats enough! I have NO problem with working my FULL HOURS because thats what i am paid to do! But i do have a problem with LYING CHEATING BULLYING EMPLOYERS AND GOVERNMENT that just wish to screw me and mine over more and more whilst they get richer and richer and i will fight against that till my last breath thats why i voted yes in the local ballot and why i will vote yes in the National One.

Brilliant linkinpark.

That is why my colleagues and I are out tomorrow

Good Luck to you all but please remember the P /Ts and try to get a hardship fund going. If HQ ever get of their arses in gear i will give my D2D sheet to that and if RM take that away i can give a tenner a week for a couple of months at least, this is not gonna be easy or quick but we can WIN if we help each other out.

Good idea, I'm sure most of us would happily give up our D2D money to help out.

[Jack Mehoff]

Hi, I am a strong believer in fighting for what is right, but at the same time if you are going to take on the powers that be then make sure you always have the upper hand.
Striking will not bring the government to the table no-matter how many times you strike. There is only one way that you can force them into discussions and that is the pension scheme. If every CWU member asked for their pension to be frozen it would cost the government millions of £'s (do the maths and work out how much money this will be, you will be suprised). The government uses the regular income from your pension plan to invest in various things, by freezing your pensions they will be seriously restricted in their financial forecasts.

This is how it works:
1. All post office CWU members freeze their pensions (for as long as is necessary).
2. The government now has to give you the money you pay in instead.
3. You can now ask them politely (as if) to sit down and open new discussions.

This will work if it is executed correctly.

If 160,000 members pay on average £100 per month into the pension scheme the total is £16,000,000
So not only are they down by £16 million for future investment potential they are down a further £16 million on their books because they have had to give you back the money.
So in banking terms they are down by at least £30 million for every month you keep your pension frozen.

I think they will talk nicely to you then.

[stokes11eg]

What A spiffing idea. Could you not go on to the union page and reiterate your comments there? (do not know how to move things around) But again, billy and co should be doing thid, not a member of the public.

[Jack Mehoff]

What A spiffing idea. Could you not go on to the union page and reiterate your comments there? (do not know how to move things around) But again, billy and co should be doing thid, not a member of the public.

I did contact the union, in fact I spoke to a senior rep but he wasn't interested. I then spoke to CWU head office and they weren't interested either. It seems that the CWU are only interested in striking even though it causes hardship to posties and does nothing to influence the powers that be. Something is not right here. Maybe if CWU members stopped paying into the freindly society they might listen to their members instead of cow-towing to senior CWU officials.

[lover]

Hi, I am a strong believer in fighting for what is right, but at the same time if you are going to take on the powers that be then make sure you always have the upper hand.
Striking will not bring the government to the table no-matter how many times you strike. There is only one way that you can force them into discussions and that is the pension scheme. If every CWU member asked for their pension to be frozen it would cost the government millions of £'s (do the maths and work out how much money this will be, you will be suprised). The government uses the regular income from your pension plan to invest in various things, by freezing your pensions they will be seriously restricted in their financial forecasts.

This is how it works:
1. All post office CWU members freeze their pensions (for as long as is necessary).
2. The government now has to give you the money you pay in instead.
3. You can now ask them politely (as if) to sit down and open new discussions.

This will work if it is executed correctly.

If 160,000 members pay on average £100 per month into the pension scheme the total is £16,000,000
So not only are they down by £16 million for future investment potential they are down a further £16 million on their books because they have had to give you back the money.
So in banking terms they are down by at least £30 million for every month you keep your pension frozen.

I think they will talk nicely to you then.

umm thats a differant pension system to us..that is what they will do if they "take on "the pension deficit.
at the moment we have a giant savings pot of some 22 billion i think that is used to fund the pensions.
its doesnt belong to the governmant and they cant touch it.
but if and when they sell a part of royal mail they will take the 22 billion and pay all future pensions from current taxation.
so they get 22 billion for nothing at a time like this...i wonder why they are so desperate to sell???????????

the deficit by the way isnt actually a minus figure.its just the projected short fail between whats in the pot compared to what ,in a worst case scenario the liabilities are.

[Jack Mehoff]

Hi, I am a strong believer in fighting for what is right, but at the same time if you are going to take on the powers that be then make sure you always have the upper hand.
Striking will not bring the government to the table no-matter how many times you strike. There is only one way that you can force them into discussions and that is the pension scheme. If every CWU member asked for their pension to be frozen it would cost the government millions of £'s (do the maths and work out how much money this will be, you will be suprised). The government uses the regular income from your pension plan to invest in various things, by freezing your pensions they will be seriously restricted in their financial forecasts.

This is how it works:
1. All post office CWU members freeze their pensions (for as long as is necessary).
2. The government now has to give you the money you pay in instead.
3. You can now ask them politely (as if) to sit down and open new discussions.

This will work if it is executed correctly.

If 160,000 members pay on average £100 per month into the pension scheme the total is £16,000,000
So not only are they down by £16 million for future investment potential they are down a further £16 million on their books because they have had to give you back the money.
So in banking terms they are down by at least £30 million for every month you keep your pension frozen.

I think they will talk nicely to you then.

umm thats a differant pension system to us..that is what they will do if they "take on "the pension deficit.
at the moment we have a giant savings pot of some 22 billion i think that is used to fund the pensions.
its doesnt belong to the governmant and they cant touch it.
but if and when they sell a part of royal mail they will take the 22 billion and pay all future pensions from current taxation.
so they get 22 billion for nothing at a time like this...i wonder why they are so desperate to sell???????????

the deficit by the way isnt actually a minus figure.its just the projected short fail between whats in the pot compared to what ,in a worst case scenario the liabilities are.

I can assure you that the government have indirect access to your pension funds, which is now in excess of £30 billion.

[lover]

umm well i thought the laws made after the labour party donor and supporter robert maxwell stole all their pension fund, made it illegal,but if you say otherwise...i will take your word for it