Postal union to fight Royal Mail sell-off

[Martin Walsh]

Fishtank I go into the Delivery Offices and mail centres as I know quite a few others do.

[andy2007]

You made some very good points there Dingo. And I agree with a lot of it. But in my experience, not just on here, but in the Real World too. There are some major problems which urgently need to be addressed:
1) Many of my Collegues at my Office, and of course on here. Feel that HQ are seriously out of touch, and have been letting us down for several years now. But that doesn't mean that we have a problem with the Local and Area Reps, who work so hard for us. They get no extra pay (except expenses), and rarely get the thanks they deserve. Yes, there are a few "Bad Apples", but you get them in every large organisation. And the Local and Area Reps are much easier to replace, if you do get a bad Rep. Although the ones I deal with are in my experience excellent!

2) As has already been pointed out, in another thread (by you, if I remember rightly). The rules state that candidates for "the top jobs" need to be nominated by at least 5 Branches. Making it extremely difficult to remove the current ones. Now don't misunderstand me. When they first got the positions, I feel they did a great job. But they've been there too long, and lost touch with the day to day realities for Posties IMHO. And that's the root of the problems. It must be virtually impossible to stay in touch with the realities, no matter how many times you're told what it's like. Because it's been so long since you experienced it first hand. That's not a criticism of them as people. Just an unfortunate fact of life.

3) The longer the current situation continues, and we're let down so consistantly by HQ. The greater the risk of more people leaving.

4) It doesn't matter how hard Local and Area Reps work. If someone "above" them disagrees, they can stop things happening. For example: The RCC (Rigid Cardboard Cages) fiasco. We've been fighting the use of them for years. And we've been given assurances that we'll never see them again. Because of the ludicrous number of near misses, and several accidents a year, caused by them. But every year, we hear from HQ, that they've been used successfully. And we get them back every year. What's the point in our Area H&S Rep, working his ass off, to try to protect us, when HQ send out messages saying what a success they've been (LTB 1135/10). Do they even listen, to Local and Area Reps?

Now I know that Dave Joyce has done a lot for us. And he's not one of the ones I'd like to see go. This is just an example of how out of touch with day to day realities HQ is. He's done far more good than harm. But as for certain others (e.g. Dave Ward). Well, that's another matter entirely. The sooner they're replaced the better. As they've let us down so badly, and consistantly for several years now.

[fishtank]

Fishtank I go into the Delivery Offices and mail centres as I know quite a few others do.

Do you know why the Queen thinks the world smells of fresh paint?
Or why members will pat you on the back and tell you that you're doing a great job and the minute you walk away start bitching about how s**t the job is now...?
Most of the members won't even open their mouths at a WTLL session but you can guarantee half way down the stairs the truth will out.
I don't blame you for the lack of honesty in the members but you have to understand that when YOU walk into a D.O....What you see isn't necessarily what you get.

[Martin Walsh]

Well fishtank I dont know how many offices you have visited but in my expericence postmen and women are not shy of telling me whats wrong or if there is a problem within the office. In fact the reverse.

I find that helpful , equally some will say theres no problem. I can normally tell with the first 5 minutes if there is an issue within an office and I visit offices across London.

[fishtank]

Fine dingo...whatever...all is rosy in the garden.
Things have changed...disaffected members,like society in general have changed they do not make noise any more.
They don't fight to get PEC members removed,or for Branch reform...or for a new GS....they just leave.
Or they stay and become more apathetic and more disaffected which is fine for a while because they are still paying their subs,
....but if you need to call on them for something.

Is that the sound of a train i hear?

[Martin Walsh]

Fishtank you may mock but I actually go into offices and I have never found postal workers to be silent if they are angry. Now I have never said everything is perfect of course its not , we are going through the biggest transformation of any industry, of course there are going to be problems and members have a mixture of anger and concern.

However I think most when you speak to them understand that automation was going to lead to a different way. The CWU never thought of park and loop it was a system which Royal Mail wanted to introdue. Door to Door was a product they wanted to increase and grow. The CWU did not have a veto on any of those things , off course we would all like to have the old days back where absorbtion was not around and job and finish was rife , the second delivery was very little as most of the mail had been delivered on the GP.

But union leaders dont have the choice to run away from recognising those issues they either allow Royal Mail to introduce all of those without an agreement or they make sure there is an agreement.

My nature is I do things and many reps I know also stand up for the members and believe that it is essentail that members are protected from an employer who`s record is one of forcing unacceptable working conditions through.

You may mock me and other hard working reps but what have you done to help the members in your office and the wider union ?

[fishtank]

I don't mock you dingo...and i don't doubt your dedication to your members.
I do however,question the position the union is taking with regards to the membership and BT2010 and the direction this union of ours is heading and since you take it upon yourself to defend that position and direction it is inevitable that we will disagree.
As i have said many times it is not a personal position i have with you...simply a difference in core values.
I believe that the union will have nothing without it's members and you believe that the members will have nothing without a union...to be honest it's catch 22 but the members will go on without the union albeit on worse terms and conditions...not really happening the other way around though.

[Body Beyond Repair]

Just a wee thought our branch spent over £23,000 pounds (obscene amount) on conference last year for four days.......and one of our Reps just stood down between Xmas and New Year for getting no help whatsoever above area level (can only do so much) after the implementation of their new FAILED revision, no PIR to date after many weeks and there lies the problem with the hierachy........ not out of touch just can't be bothered..........keeping on the train while the problem has now gone away as they see it.He won't be the only rep in this area as more and more revisions come in i can guarantee it.

[barbario]

If i understand this correctly,after we are privatised,there won't be an agreement left for us lot to argue over anyway.

[fishtank]

If i understand this correctly,after we are privatised,there won't be an agreement left for us lot to argue over anyway.

There certainly won't be 3.5% on the table in 2012.