SPEECH: CWU FRINGE MEETING AT LIB DEM CONFERENCE- HAYES

[DirtyHarry]

So what will a "committed old trade unionist" like you do if the rest of us vote in favour of strike action?

I will do what I have to, and striking so Billy looks good, and to keep a business that acts as if it were a private concern, from being privatised, 'aint an option, not after the last time.

[Cut Off King]

Dont worry we will get a ballot if necessary but that is not the first tactic and it was not needed when the CWU defeated privatisation in 1994 , 2004 and 2009.

No other union has done that including the RMT and the much praised Bob Crow.

Instead the first tactic must be a politcal campaign and thats why the 73 marginal mps for liberals and tories have been targeted by the CWU and other allies. It would take just one voter in every 500 in those marginal constituencies to mean that they would be out of a majority.

Now an MP starts to grow a backbone if they think they stand to lose their MP status and that is what has served the CWU very well in the past.

So balloting is an option but not the first , and the campaign has already started as you can see there is a lot of unrest on the real liberals with some of the coalition polices and we need to exploit it .

There is a long way to go. But if we need a ballot the biggest reason why would be that this government is stealing all of our pension assets 26 billion pounds , that is a strong enough reason to ballot and if you belong to the pension scheme then why would you allow a government to steal your defered pay which the employer has been paying in your pension every week and that you have personally been paying into your pension.


It does amaze me that some say well I am not going to support the CWU as if you are somehow supporting the union, when in fact you are making a decision on your job and your pension.

More emotional blackmail,

just like when the Billy & dave roadshow was commisioned to influnce the result of the last ballot. My local rep said it was a crap deal, then he went to the reps "billy & dave trust me" roadshow, came back saying the deal was great. A yes vote was secured. No progress in our office over imposed duties one year on. Now the reps back to saying its a crap deal.

[BELIAL]

can you really see any of us voting for strike action after we were stitched up last time?

Yes

I disagree, because wouldn`t we just be hurting the company when its the coalition that we should be aiming our action at, RM don`t have a say in government policies

You're a one

[stokes11eg]

MM If Memory serves me well. wasn't part of the agreement was that we would effectively NOT be able to strike for three years? Correct me if I'm wrong.Privatisation?
the only reason it hasn't happened so far , is Governments past and present have been unable to secure a deal! Billy has only come out now because the other Unions have come out. When Tony Blair took Americas hand, I remeber a journalist likening him to the wee boy inthe playground who hung on to the tail coats of those bigger and stronger lads, that's what Big B is doing now.Maybe time for another pole--along the lines of if the current leadership stepped down, would people then vote for strike action.

[clashcityrocker]

Maybe time for another pole--along the lines of if the current leadership stepped down, would people then vote for strike action.

Or another poll:
How many think it is the issue that counts and not who is in charge?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

MM If Memory serves me well. wasn't part of the agreement was that we would effectively NOT be able to strike for three years? Correct me if I'm wrong.Privatisation?
the only reason it hasn't happened so far , is Governments past and present have been unable to secure a deal! Billy has only come out now because the other Unions have come out. When Tony Blair took Americas hand, I remeber a journalist likening him to the wee boy inthe playground who hung on to the tail coats of those bigger and stronger lads, that's what Big B is doing now.Maybe time for another pole--along the lines of if the current leadership stepped down, would people then vote for strike action.

Well this section of the 2010 & Agreement certainly appears to lean that way:

Issues should be resolved at the lowest possible level. If the Industrial Relations Framework procedure is utilised issues will be finally resolved at Regional/Divisional level.

Perhaps if the word Local had been at the start of the sentence it would be better understood.

[Ellen Ripley]

All this talk about going out on strike...

just a suggestion guys but if there's going to be IA, instead of strike action could we not go into work (and so get paid) but stage IA in a mass boycott of all DSA mail?

The general public would not get hurt by this, and we could reassure the public that we are RM staff processing, sorting and delivering proper paid correspondence for RM only, all DSA mail can get left in a big pile in a corner of the office somewhere... they can always send it back to TNT, DHL et al who can try deliver it themselves, or stick it where the sun don't shine.

just a thought

Ellen

[TrueBlueTerrier]

All this talk about going out on strike...

just a suggestion guys but if there's going to be IA, instead of strike action could we not go into work (and so get paid) but stage IA in a mass boycott of all DSA mail?

The general public would not get hurt by this, and we could reassure the public that we are RM staff processing, sorting and delivering proper paid correspondence for RM only, all DSA mail can get left in a big pile in a corner of the office somewhere... they can always send it back to TNT, DHL et al who can try deliver it themselves, or stick it where the sun don't shine.

just a thought

Ellen

Nice idea but I don't think its possible.

With IA there are 3 main tactics.

1. Withdrawal of labour - A strike basically.
2. Work To rule - Where all rules are applied rigidly - even on this one we could not just choose to deliver RM/Stamped mail as we would be breaking the "delay of mail" part of our contract - the only possible way would be a national ballot with this being an option. However it would cost the Union loads in defending injunctions raised by RM. I am also fairly sure that the Union would lose as well.
3. Go Slow - Same problems as a work to rule.

Also the Union do not like 2 and 3 because its more difficult to control and its very easy for management to target the less committed members on an individual basis.

The only possible way a refusal to deliver DSA would work would be an unofficial and therefore localised effort, but as this would no doubt isolate the office you would need to have an extremely militant office up for the fight both from RM and CWU. You would also be playing hard ball and RM would react in the same way perhaps by way of a "lock out" or mass sacking.

[dvbuk55]

MM If Memory serves me well. wasn't part of the agreement was that we would effectively NOT be able to strike for three years? Correct me if I'm wrong.Privatisation?
the only reason it hasn't happened so far , is Governments past and present have been unable to secure a deal! Billy has only come out now because the other Unions have come out. When Tony Blair took Americas hand, I remeber a journalist likening him to the wee boy inthe playground who hung on to the tail coats of those bigger and stronger lads, that's what Big B is doing now.Maybe time for another pole--along the lines of if the current leadership stepped down, would people then vote for strike action.

This pole stokesy?, is it part of your dancing technique

[stokes11eg]

MM If Memory serves me well. wasn't part of the agreement was that we would effectively NOT be able to strike for three years? Correct me if I'm wrong.Privatisation?
the only reason it hasn't happened so far , is Governments past and present have been unable to secure a deal! Billy has only come out now because the other Unions have come out. When Tony Blair took Americas hand, I remeber a journalist likening him to the wee boy inthe playground who hung on to the tail coats of those bigger and stronger lads, that's what Big B is doing now.Maybe time for another pole--along the lines of if the current leadership stepped down, would people then vote for strike action.

This pole stokesy?, is it part of your dancing technique

O.K O.K---I know it should have read poll---and the only pole I dance around is the one on the back green --except of course for the one in my old school circa 1960's--remember those gym halls kitted out a la navy style? True. Bars. crossbeams , and ropes suspended of ceilings?well, I slid down those a lot, at end of term we even played a game called pirates (I'm slavering now--just in from work and the unexpected heat wave has drained me)---
But, you did ask. And don't mention the wooden horse with no spring!

[maisymoo04]

finishin late arnt we stokesy for a easy tuesday pal

[stokes11eg]

finishin late arnt we stokesy for a easy tuesday pal

:crazy:Nothing.s easy at my age! with more than 900 drops, even a quiet day is busy!

[maisymoo04]

900 pal haha i was in the gym at 1045 thats gyms cafe by the way