RM and Post Office managers vote against cuts to pensions

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail and Post Office managers vote against cuts to pensions

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/royal ... -pensions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

About 7,000 Royal Mail and Post Office managers have voted overwhelmingly against large cuts to their pensions in consultative ballots, Unite, the country’s largest union, announced today (Monday 19 August).

In a separate consultative ballot, more than 6,000 Royal Mail managers voted by a margin of 71 per cent against the government’s privatisation plans for the Royal Mail – the legislation is on the statute book, but ministers have yet to start the sell-off process, due this autumn.

Unite will present the pension results to the managements of both companies before the consultation period ends on 25 August – and today urged the company to listen to the views of its members.

Royal Mail managers voted by 78 per cent to reject the pension proposals which could see annual pensions cut by £3,788 for a manager retiring at 65 after 35 years service; from £23,099 to £19,311.

About 800 Post Office managers voted by 89 per cent to reject pension proposals which could mean an employee on £15,000-a-year seeing their pension reduced by £544; from £9,143 to £8,599.

Unite officer for Royal Mail managers Brian Scott said: “Our members have made it clear that the proposals put forward by the Post Office and Royal Mail to make changes to their pension arrangements are unacceptable.

“Our members have paid for their pensions during their working lives and it’s immoral that their retirement income should be reduced in this arbitrary fashion. The respective managements should withdraw the proposals as they currently stand.

“We will be making both the Post Office and Royal Mail well aware of our members’ views on this and will do so before the end of the consultation on 25 August.

“Unite has a long standing policy of opposition to the privatisation of Royal Mail, which is backed up by the public who don’t want a national institution sold off to companies more interested in profits than providing a joined-up national service.”

ENDS

For further information please contact Unite senior communications officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union with 1.4 million members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.

[Budfrog]

Logically this should lead to some form of co-operation between Unite CMA and CWU ... I'd wager a small fortune that it won't

[UnhappyGremlin]

Logically this should lead to some form of co-operation between Unite CMA and CWU ... I'd wager a small fortune that it won't

I made that point prior to the results being known. We SHOULD co-operate, it would be a better fighting stance against the company.
But I doubt it as you do.

[JaneM]

I see the Managers have voted 71% against privatisation and 78% 0ppose the pension proposals, on turnouts of respectively 50.7% and 49.7%..........so out of 6-7000,over half had no opinion!

[She Raa]

I see the Managers have voted 71% against privatisation and 78% 0ppose the pension proposals, on turnouts of respectively 50.7% and 49.7%..........so out of 6-7000,over half had no opinion!

Dare not have an opinion!

[bogstandard]

they probably were seeking clarification from their boss, and were told "leave it with me"

[UnhappyGremlin]

I see the Managers have voted 71% against privatisation and 78% 0ppose the pension proposals, on turnouts of respectively 50.7% and 49.7%..........so out of 6-7000,over half had no opinion!

Sounds about right.
Most managers only ever have the opinion that they are instructed to have by their own bosses, and that continues right up the chain.

[heapsy]

I see the Managers have voted 71% against privatisation and 78% 0ppose the pension proposals, on turnouts of respectively 50.7% and 49.7%..........so out of 6-7000,over half had no opinion!

Sounds about right.
Most managers only ever have the opinion that they are instructed to have by their own bosses, and that continues right up the chain.

One of the problems here is the relatively young age of the average manager. Most of the ones I see are under 40. I find that most people in general within this age group are very apathetic regarding pensions, saving and investing. I know of someone in our office in his 30s who joined from school. He isn't in any pension at all. Shocking really.

[RobertT]

One of the problems here is the relatively young age of the average manager. Most of the ones I see are under 40. I find that most people in general within this age group are very apathetic regarding pensions, saving and investing. I know of someone in our office in his 30s who joined from school. He isn't in any pension at all. Shocking really.

Sounds like one of the ‘live for today, worry about tomorrow when it comes’ brigade?
The only problem with that argument is that sooner or later, tomorrow always becomes today and they’ll end up working a lot longer than they probably want to, and surviving on just the basic state pension. Assuming that still exists in the future.

[heapsy]

One of the problems here is the relatively young age of the average manager. Most of the ones I see are under 40. I find that most people in general within this age group are very apathetic regarding pensions, saving and investing. I know of someone in our office in his 30s who joined from school. He isn't in any pension at all. Shocking really.

Sounds like one of the ‘live for today, worry about tomorrow when it comes’ brigade?
The only problem with that argument is that sooner or later, tomorrow always becomes today and they’ll end up working a lot longer than they probably want to, and surviving on just the basic state pension. Assuming that still exists in the future.

Yep. Not to mention that he might not be up to working longer anyway. If the job carries on as it is I don't think many would get past 60, and some might not even manage that.

[Cut Off King]

I see the Managers have voted 71% against privatisation and 78% 0ppose the pension proposals, on turnouts of respectively 50.7% and 49.7%..........so out of 6-7000,over half had no opinion!

Thats quite good, considering that 95% of them have no talent, 97% have no common sense and 99% have no spine.

You get the odd decent manager who is trying to make things work, and treats others with respect, but all too often they are shoved sideways and s**t on for trying to do the right thing.