Postal workers speak ahead of Sunday's rank-and-file Zoom meeting: "The union is in Royal Mail's pocket"

[stage3]

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/0 ... m-m26.html

The World Socialist Web Site has received further write-ins from postal workers across the UK speaking out against brutal cost-cutting revisions agreed between the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Royal Mail.

Mass anger towards the CWU’s surrender document with Royal Mail has forced the CWU postal executive to “postpone” balloting on the deal because they know it will be defeated. But Ward and Furey have restated their full support for the agreement and are trying to find the best way to ram it through.

As postal workers explain, Royal Mail’s earlier revisions have not been overturned and they are facing management coercion and bullying without any opposition from the CWU, or with its direct collusion.

The WSWS encourages postal workers to write in and expose the truth. Reports from Royal Mail workers are helping to cut through the propaganda and lies of the company and the CWU bureaucracy, showing the need for a rank-and-file fightback.

All Royal Mail workers are welcome to attend the next online Zoom meeting of the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) this Sunday May 28 at 7p.m. You can register here.


A post office worker walks by Royal Mail vans, at the London's latest sorting office Mount Pleasant ,Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013 [AP Photo/Alastair Grant]
Leicestershire: I work in a delivery office in Leicestershire. Forced revisions have made start times later and deliveries have been removed. The office is already short of staff. New starters don’t stay because of the way they are treated. Managers lie to them and tell them they have to take all the mail out and deliver it, even if it means going beyond their finish time.


All this is done while the so-called union rep stands by and lets it happen, doesn’t even challenge the manager. The union is in [Royal Mail]’s pocket.

Pay deal is crap considering the amount of money Thompson and his cronies have stripped out of the company. The USO fails every day, and the managers don’t give a s**t.

Anyone who votes yes to this deal needs their head looking at. It’s a pay drop in real terms. Shocking how the redundancy package has been cut. There are stories coming out that there are to be even later start times forced in.

Their joint agreement says no more executive action. Bullshit. They are still prioritising tracked parcels over letters. Thompson said that should not happen. Someone is not telling the truth.

Barking, London: The union has won the ballots, begged for the members’ support, then once their jobs were safe they are totally selling us down the river. This deal is so bad it’s laughable. They have not got anything that is for the members at all out of this deal. If it goes through I will probably leave the union I’ve supported and paid into for nearly 30 years.

Liverpool: I worked for Royal Mail as an HGV driver throughout the pandemic. I was interviewed for a full-time job only to be turned down and have to watch them recruit externally for the positions. I was nearly crushed at work at a shift elsewhere and then upon return to work a manager threatened to ban me off site and sack me despite me being autistic and having anxiety and ADHD. I’ve been off since and had no contact from Royal Mail about what happened or attempt to make reasonable adjustments to bring me back to work.


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Stoke-on-Trent: Glad I am out of Royal Mail. When I started in March of 1989 the job was good and for fifteen years after it was. When second delivery went is when the problems started and since my retirement, I know the job has become intolerable with many of the good postal workers getting out ASAP.

Craigavon, Northern Ireland: Our office has had CWU reps suspended & probably sacked, added two hours on to most duties. Place is toxic and need to get out of this job for my health and sanity. Went from one of best jobs around to probably one of the worst.

Hereford: As a Parcelforce worker for the last two years, I’ve just been lied to for the fifth time with scope for progression and a full-time contract. Instead of promoting within I’ve always been hired around, though I’ve given more time and effort to this company than I have my own wellbeing. It seems if you give 5p’s worth of effort you may as well be given a P45.

Literally no duty of care within the workplace, no room for progression, oh and you get your hours cut back down with no overtime or driving potential. Not that the vans are in any condition to be on the road. Managers out, archaic system needs to be gone and worker input should have been the forefront of these revisions rather than forcing those with families to now find childcare... who’s paying for that?

Amersham, Buckinghamshire: A new answer to unachievable duties in an office where two walks near to each other are failing every day after latest revision… They have been made a van share and told to complete 1 duty every day and do all tracked and parcels on the other and as much mail as you can. Result: 100% failure rate is magically cut to 50%. Or in other words, fiddle the figures! True.

Liverpool: I got sacked for sending an email with the word SCAB in it, that’s all. Sacked me for an opinion.

[aiden01]

Does anybody on here actually join in on these online meetings???

[enskied]

Does anybody on here actually join in on these online meetings???

Well you appear in every nook and corner Aiden.

[aiden01]

Do you??

[enskied]

Do you??

No need for two question marks.
You even spell like a Gaffer.

[DirtyHarry]

It does appear that the CWU is in the pocket of Royal Mail, right now.

Thing is, it also now appears, that Royal Mail doesn't even want it there.

It appears that Royal Mail just wants the union gone.

Dave Ward must be crapping himself, that the days of his cushy job, enviable salary, are numbered.

One way, or the other, the CWU is dead. Dead as a doornail.

What, apart from a below inflation payrise, and a continuation, if not escalation, of our miserable working conditions, can any of us see the CWU gaining for us?

Has to be the most awful time to be a postman in the last couple of hundred years.

[stage3]

It does appear that the CWU is in the pocket of Royal Mail, right now.

Thing is, it also now appears, that Royal Mail doesn't even want it there.

It appears that Royal Mail just wants the union gone.

Dave Ward must be crapping himself, that the days of his cushy job, enviable salary, are numbered.

One way, or the other, the CWU is dead. Dead as a doornail.

What, apart from a below inflation payrise, and a continuation, if not escalation, of our miserable working conditions, can any of us see the CWU gaining for us?

Has to be the most awful time to be a postman in the last couple of hundred years.

Totally agree the issue is why should this fight end on the sellout terms of Ward, Furey and the Postal Executive. RM does actually want to keep them as faithfully retainers (keep the check off) and they were given a large hand in writing the agreement which is being treated as an accomplished fact e.g:- revisions at PFW, the bogus independent review etc. They dare not even put the "groundbreaking agreement" to a vote. They do not speak for the members who are not in RM's pocket. That is what the rank and file aims to give a voice to and organise the resistance why not come along to the meeting.

[aiden01]

Do you??

No need for two question marks.
You even spell like a Gaffer.

Here we go again the old gaffer c--p

[pieoftheday]

Do the WSWS.ORG ask for donations?

[Duran]

Whatever happens. I don't see how the CWU can recover from this agreement. They had the backing of 96% of the ballot from the members, to go take it to Royal Mail and come back with an acceptable deal. A bit for both parties. What they came back with was nothing for the members and everything for Royal Mail.
The CWU turned their backs on the mass support from the members to agree such a terrible deal with Royal Mail. Peeing in 2 pots as split the members and caused a major concern for CWU. Now CWU take the vote away from us, as they are afraid of a No Vote. Democracy being suppressed. Now CWU are also using fear tactics to get us to accept this horrendous deal.
Never seen this from the Union. Playing ball with Royal Mail, at the expense of the members. Not good whatever the outcome.

[clashcityrocker]

That is what the rank and file aims to give a voice to and organise the resistance why not come along to the meeting.

Can you provide concrete examples of what rank and file committees have ever achieved?

[stage3]

Whatever happens. I don't see how the CWU can recover from this agreement. They had the backing of 96% of the ballot from the members, to go take it to Royal Mail and come back with an acceptable deal. A bit for both parties. What they came back with was nothing for the members and everything for Royal Mail.
The CWU turned their backs on the mass support from the members to agree such a terrible deal with Royal Mail. Peeing in 2 pots as split the members and caused a major concern for CWU. Now CWU take the vote away from us, as they are afraid of a No Vote. Democracy being suppressed. Now CWU are also using fear tactics to get us to accept this horrendous deal.
Never seen this from the Union. Playing ball with Royal Mail, at the expense of the members. Not good whatever the outcome.

Yes agree 100% Ward, Furey are far more comfortable in back door meetings with management to author a surrender document with cushy seats in the Joint Working Group and Transformation Boards to oversee "headcount" "cost reductions" and "competition" . The bureaucrats should not recover from this and be shown the door. Democracy requires the input and oversight of the membership. An organisation of workers means they have to represent their independent interests and draw up their demands. Not in "partnership" with the "business" which is a cash cow for the billionaire shareholders to rinse every dry. That is what the Postal Workers Rank and File Committee is encouraging a fight to defend the social rights of workers.

[clashcityrocker]

That is what the Postal Workers Rank and File Committee is encouraging a fight to defend the social rights of workers.

I will ask you the question again:
Can you provide concrete examples (any country, any time in history) where a Rank and File Committee has achieved anything?

[merson01]

yes in 1917 The October Revolution in Russia, They were called Soviets then.

[Pogues1963]

Does anybody on here actually join in on these online meetings???

Just joined this chat group. Already a member of Posties Rank and File. If one person gets Bullied, shouldn’t the union be down on management like a tonne of bricks? Now it seems management have a given right to Bully workers. The union does nothing to stop it and turn a blind eye. Dave Ward your a DISGRACE! Just because members don’t want to vote yes,you then take away their right to a vote. You have done more harm to the union, than Royal Mail could ever do. Take your six figure sum and do the members a favour,let someone take over who represents the members and not a bully like you. Instead of where’s Wally, Where’s Wardy ?