CWU have failed us.

[BettySwollocks]

[Shambles]

[chelmsfordpostie]

I don't know where you've been if youre still waiting for the cwu campaign to begin and I also don't know where you've been if you thought this was always going to be about our terms and conditions rather then privatisation itself, it has to be about our terms and conditions because it would be illegal to ballot on the privatisation itself because that's not classed as a trade dispute. As for the campaign, there's been letters to our houses , national briefings with the reps and a national petition. There's been postcards handed out, a bus driving round London, a lobby of parliament and marches up and down the country. Just what else's did you expect to happen ?.

As for people thinking its a done deal, well I suggest some of you need to speak to your local reps and get them to do their jobs because we're fully aware what the dispute is about and we expect to deliver a massive yes vote. Those claiming the cwu have let them down are trying to find excuses even before the dispute has started. The timing is spot on, what were you expecting, a striker ballot even before privatisation was announced.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Well. I've been in my office.
The Rep hasn't said a single word on this, at all.
The last related thing the Rep did was hand out and get us to sign for the consultative ballot forms, which was about 8 weeks ago or so (I think).
RM, on the other hand, have been ramming their message down my throat on average 2 or 3 times a week.

I don't think the union have failed us. But they haven't done enough, at least not publically.
I'm sure they have done plenty behind the scenes, but we need to know that, we need to be informed of that.

[cloherty1976]

What ever the cwu do is not going to change things. The only way this privatisation will be stopped is if we have a stock market downward turn. Bear market the rescue ?

[chelmsfordpostie]

Gremlin, so you haven't any letters from the cwu sent to your home then ?. You haven't been online and signed the petition and you haven't seen the cwu on the tv?. Here's a suggestion, if your rep hasn't been up to you how about you going and asking him or her what's going on.

Cloherty, it doesn't matter whether the sell off goes ahead, it changes nothing as the dispute is about this years pay rise, the pension changes and protecting our terms and conditions if we re sold off. We can't strike against the sell off itself as its not a trade dispute and would be illegal. Don't you think though that delivering a massive yes vote to industrial action might well make any potential investors think again.

[cloherty1976]

No I don't think it's going to put off investors they will be looking long term and I don't think this would be a miners strike that everybody out for a year or longer. It just ain't going to happen. It might put joe blogs in the street but these are the people we want owning the Royal Mail the tax payer

[chelmsfordpostie]

Cloherty, but as I've already pointed out, the dispute is not about privatisation , it's about protecting our terms and conditions if we re sold off. By all means throw in the towel without a fight, hopefully the majority won't and we ll at least have a chance of protecting what we ve won over the years.

[cloherty1976]

Possibly true and terms will change for the newbie in time but they will still talk and agree and disagree . I think for the postie who is employed it will be not so bad but that's just my opinion.. No one really knows what the future holds but why always think the worst. Look at british gas staff and bt staff they are still there and earning a fair crack. Yes bills go up but that is life today

[Judgee]

No I don't think it's going to put off investors they will be looking long term and I don't think this would be a miners strike that everybody out for a year or longer. It just ain't going to happen. It might put joe blogs in the street but these are the people we want owning the Royal Mail the tax payer

The tax payer already owns the RM, the government want to take it out of the hands of the tax payer are you insane or just stupid?

[chelmsfordpostie]

You seem to forget about the thousands that lost their jobs at bristsh gas and bt. But if you honestly think it won't be that bad then don't stand fight. Personally I've seen enough privatisation to have a good idea what awaits us and I can assure you it's not the world of milk and honey you're hoping for.

[stephen500]

A few lads at work today have said that it is a done deal so we may as well just accept it.
Told them it isn't. But their view is that they're not willing to lose money for nothing, which is how they view the last round of strikes and the 'deal' we got from it.
Told them it isn't about the short term, it's long term. Pay, jobs, etc. etc., but all they could say is there is no evidence to say any of that will happen.
I pointed out the history of other privatised companies as an indication of what we could expect, no effect.
Told them they'd be the first crying in 5 years when they're on s**t contracts and probably minimum wage, they asked if I thought that would be what will happen in 5 years.
Said no, probably come after T&C's/pay etc. within 2 years.
Asked me for evidence, said there isn't any, but there will be when it's too late.

Must say, the news in all its forms does appear to have presented the proposed flotation as a done deal, so i's no wonder people are thinking they'll just make the best of it and get what they can.
It's time the CWU started a MASSIVE campaign now. Too much longer and it will be too late, some think it is already.

Show this to your wavering friends: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ntres.html

[Budfrog]

I tend to side with chelmsfordpostie on this one.

It is looking very much as if RM/Govt are going to steamroller this privatisation through to suit their own agendas and it may well be that all IA does is reduce the number of investors and push more work towards our competitors. But al least it shows that, in public or private hands, the CWU and it's members need to be consulted and negotiated with. The current management have disregarded agreements and demonstrated a total disregard for the welfare of their staff in the implementation of some areas of their modernisation plans ie deliveries and whether in public or private ownership things need to change. It's all about long term T&Cs and the pension in my opinion and I include treating each and every employee with respect and having zero tolerance to B&H.

[Danelectro]

Possibly true and terms will change for the newbie in time but they will still talk and agree and disagree . I think for the postie who is employed it will be not so bad but that's just my opinion.. No one really knows what the future holds but why always think the worst. Look at british gas staff and bt staff they are still there and earning a fair crack. Yes bills go up but that is life today

You have lost the argument a million times and constantly ignore the facts of previous privatisations.You must be on a retainer from Moya Greene because if theres no stopping it then why are you spending a considerable amount of your extravagant life style bumping your gums all over this site.It doesnt add up and by your own admission your a self centred im all right jack tory who goes to the cringe worthy extremes of boasting how much his wife earns.

[Danelectro]

It's all about long term T&Cs and the pension in my opinion and I include treating each and every employee with respect and having zero tolerance to B&H.

how long is long term T&Cs? This question needs to be addressed before IA.