POLL:Would you strike against privatisation?

[Spedley]

I expect at least part privatisation by the middle of next year and I don't think we can do anything to stop it.
How do you feel?

[dvbuk55]

Having seen Cameron speak in PMQs there is no question that privatisation is definitely high on the ConDem agenda.

[barbario]

I don't believe anything we do we stop privatisation. What the Union has been saying will probably come true with time and the company will end up giving a much worse service, for a much higher price. The reason why i would strike, would be to defend my our pension's. Dave Ward recently said the Government would raid it.

[DAF85]

After being royally shafted to the tune of several £1000 by the CWU following the last strikes in terms of lost strike pay and the "deal" we now work under only to see (CWU union member) strike breakers "rights" being supported and fought for by union reps then unfortunately after 30 years of being a staunch union member then I would probably, with much regret, decline any more strike action brought about by the CWU.

RIP CWU

[norwichchris]

What a depressing, defeatest attitude you have. Faint heart never won anything!

[dvbuk55]

What a depressing, defeatest attitude you have. Faint heart never won anything!

Just as a matter of interest, what did braveheart win us last time? Empty gestures result in empty promises I'm afraid.

[Martin Walsh]

Norwich dont worry Daf is just another postman who lives in denial that door to door would have continue to be delievered by a stint payment where quality was ppoor , and that indivuduals could choose to deliver not only their own walk but a number of others in the office. A system where Royal Mail could not grow the product and where they often paid out in certain areas more than they recieved as if yo failed to deliver the product you not only paid for the companys printing and any call centre in some cases lack of profit they were due.

Royal Mail made it very clear it would be included in workload and the cap would be lifted. They also started from a postion that they would withdraw from the previous national agreement and not pay anything for the delivery of door to door as they pay you a basic wage to deliver mail and providing you could deliver within the hours of your contract then you would recieve no extra money.

The union knew Door to Door was not popular. In the most complained about product from Postman to CWU HQs was prior to the National Agreement was that postman did not want to deliver Door to Door at all regardless of the remuneration.

However sometimes a union has to show leadership and door to door is a growing product and once in workload will help in mantaining hours within an office. The union than sercured the full money for door to door with a review clause when the product grows. This resulted in the £20.60 which is contrary to some on here a permenant addition to basic pay. It is paid 52 weeks per year when your on leave and sick leave ( something door to door never was ) and will increase in line with pay rises.

Some say well it is not pensionable well there are two reasons for this one is including it in pensionable would obviously mean that the money you recieve will decrease as you have to pay part contributions and secondly the pension defcit risk.

However in the past we have had UPAP which was a unconsolidated permenant addtion to pay and staying our wages for over 10 years before being put into basic pensionable pay as a part of the way forward.

Now in terms of the unfairness to part timers well once you put it into a basic pay ( unpensionable ) then you have a hourly rate and a part time worker is paid that hourly rate up to his condtioned hours. If you then do not pay pro rata you will have part timers on a higher hourly rate than full timers which would cause just as many arguements.

So some of you need to stop living in some fantasy island where you believe it is the union`s fault that Royal Mail have a bussiness plan which meant the union had to deal with this plan. Of course the union did not want to but a union has to weigh up the employers aims and then get the best deal they could and then put that deal to the members for them to have their say. Sometimes this followed a long dispute in places like London , Bristol , Plymouth and some areas in Scotland which led to the national dispute and then the interim deal and then the full deal which was than backed by the members who voted.

[dvbuk55]

And after two days of strike support NATIONALLY - pulled the plug, others may have been on strike longer - perhaps they were a little premature in view of the reluctance of HQ to strike at all, perhaps they thought they had more influence than they actually had.

Perhaps some should learn a little more humility and step down from the ivory tower once in a while.

[Martin Walsh]

Pehaps you should know the truth and the truth was prior to the television conference and the leaked document , the joint statement was almost agreed and thats without any national days on strike. It was only after that document was leaked which showed their strategy that the PEC called the first national strike.

Now why should I show any humility I took 20 days stike action and help get the union into the rooom when Royal Mail`s strategy was to crush the union and implement their plan by executive action without any safeguards.

Unlike you I did not sit on the sides lines and wait for the national union to ballot we took to the streets and fought back against what Royal Mail was doing and their intentions. I and the London members and those other brave workers who took strike action outside the national dispute earned our right to comment on things.

I dont normally reply to your comments becuase like many you talk a good fight and of course are entitled to your opinion but your opinion on some issues do not hold up to the truth.

Yes the union has made many mistakes over the years over policy and timing but without the CWU postmen and women jobs would be far worse.

[dvbuk55]

Well that is of course according to the CWU......rather like the Labour party spouting what a good job they did in Government........self praise is absolutely no recommendation.

[AnotherLimey]

Norwich dont worry Daf is just another postman who lives in denial that door to door would have continue to be delievered by a stint payment where quality was ppoor , and that indivuduals could choose to deliver not only their own walk but a number of others in the office. A system where Royal Mail could not grow the product and where they often paid out in certain areas more than they recieved as if yo failed to deliver the product you not only paid for the companys printing and any call centre in some cases lack of profit they were due.

Royal Mail made it very clear it would be included in workload and the cap would be lifted. They also started from a postion that they would withdraw from the previous national agreement and not pay anything for the delivery of door to door as they pay you a basic wage to deliver mail and providing you could deliver within the hours of your contract then you would recieve no extra money.

The union knew Door to Door was not popular. In the most complained about product from Postman to CWU HQs was prior to the National Agreement was that postman did not want to deliver Door to Door at all regardless of the remuneration.

However sometimes a union has to show leadership and door to door is a growing product and once in workload will help in mantaining hours within an office. The union than sercured the full money for door to door with a review clause when the product grows. This resulted in the £20.60 which is contrary to some on here a permenant addition to basic pay. It is paid 52 weeks per year when your on leave and sick leave ( something door to door never was ) and will increase in line with pay rises.

Some say well it is not pensionable well there are two reasons for this one is including it in pensionable would obviously mean that the money you recieve will decrease as you have to pay part contributions and secondly the pension defcit risk.

However in the past we have had UPAP which was a unconsolidated permenant addtion to pay and staying our wages for over 10 years before being put into basic pensionable pay as a part of the way forward.

Now in terms of the unfairness to part timers well once you put it into a basic pay ( unpensionable ) then you have a hourly rate and a part time worker is paid that hourly rate up to his condtioned hours. If you then do not pay pro rata you will have part timers on a higher hourly rate than full timers which would cause just as many arguements.

So some of you need to stop living in some fantasy island where you believe it is the union`s fault that Royal Mail have a bussiness plan which meant the union had to deal with this plan. Of course the union did not want to but a union has to weigh up the employers aims and then get the best deal they could and then put that deal to the members for them to have their say. Sometimes this followed a long dispute in places like London , Bristol , Plymouth and some areas in Scotland which led to the national dispute and then the interim deal and then the full deal which was than backed by the members who voted.

DTD in my office an office with high numbers was fine, quality was great, barrons as you like to qoute, iv'e never heard of them, just your average postie earning an average wage, DTD into the workload to protect jobs? good in the fantasy island you speak of, reality? IWT that while in your fantasy land gives more hours it's a fact it all a crock of shat, what do we have now?

Postman with a higher workload on less money, postman delivering more DTD without the time or the tools to do so, Dingo you and alike have now become a joke and have destroyed the union i have fought tooth and nail to protect, people like me on the front line selling our services to our members, i being one that does the delivery job while doing so, you sit there on full time release, or maybe you are one of the top boys at the top and if so shame on you!

All IWT has done has increased the workload on members already stressed out and given management another tool to bully people with, i know when you agree to a process it's hard to say you got it wrong, but you and alike would get more repect if you did so

[fishtank]

What might have happened to D2D...or what might not is pure conjecture based solely on information supplied by the very people with most to gain from lifting the cap and stopping the payments.

These are three facts...
I earn less than i did in 2008.
My workload has increased since 2008.
My pension is worth less than it was in 2008.
No spin.

Would i strike against privatisation?...yes but i won't be asked to strike against privatisation.

[dvbuk55]

Dingo quotes chapter and verse from the CWU bible but actually represents a small number of CWU members from London, which despite common acceptance is NOT representative of a NATIONAL organisation but has, in my opinion, undue influence on union affairs.

I have no doubt the members he represents gets VFM and for that he should be applauded but on the wider issue of the CWU he tends to be blinkered rather like a football fan of a club which was once in the premier league but has sadly slipped down the table.

Now would I stirke against privatisation............well I might if I knew what stirke meant

[AnotherLimey]

I'm sure Dingo is a good person, a union rep that has worked hard over the years, a good person that has fought without payment to look after his members and for that i respect him as iv'e been there and worn the Tshrit so to speak.

My problem is that he always speaks of what he and his members have done in "London" and always refers as others as weak, bugger off mate iv'e done my part and more, don't try and belittle mine and my members action, yes you did great but come on Dingo stop beating that London drum it only does you harm.

The union has screwed the delivery man big style and the sooner you and alike except that the better, your support and mine as a result is lost, the sooner you realise that the better, not just for you my friend but for all.

[DAF85]

Norwich dont worry Daf is just another postman who lives in denial that door to door would have continue to be delievered by a stint payment where quality was ppoor , and that indivuduals could choose to deliver not only their own walk but a number of others in the office. A system where Royal Mail could not grow the product and where they often paid out in certain areas more than they recieved as if yo failed to deliver the product you not only paid for the companys printing and any call centre in some cases lack of profit they were due..... blah blah

and here Dingo, lies the problem.

Why do you assume I am a Postman on deliveries ? Royal Mail is more than just the door to door delivery side of things and some of us lost an awful lot more than others in terms of pay and conditions after the last strike we supported.