re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

That would explain why you have no concept whatsoever as to how negotiated pay rises come about. You seem to think that the payrise fairy simply visited your employers on an annual basis and bestowed payrises.

I'm afraid real life is a lot more difficult than that.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

No i don't what i did was build a relationship with my employers where i spoke to them and they spoke to me and we were able to reach a middle ground without threats or animosity. Please don't make out that being a member of a union or the existence of unions is the be all and end all because in my many years of experience uniions have done more harm then good despite the great work they did when they were first started and needed. Times change and reasonable people can always be communicated with and agrreements reached you do not need to have a union to have a good working life as many in this country now know.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

Rizzy, effectively you were your own union, well done. The reality is that not everyone has an employer who is as ready to listen.

I think you'll find that every unionised member in the country, with the obvious exception of Sirius, will be glad that they have a voice that is prepared to speak up for them in a time of recession.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

Unfortunately, sometimes it seems the Union (UCU) doesn't seem to recognise that time of recession, by asking for a 8% payrise (on top of an annual increment, usually around 2-3%).

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

Now, now FW - you know the negotiating drill!!

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

While i would love to take the credit for my past experience i can't as nearly every company i have worked at (22ish) the same situation has been present and for me it was the norm hence never wanting or needing a union as all of the decent employee's were able to negotiate on their own behalf to a happy conclusion. In fact the only time any firm i dealt with got hostile was when someone came from outside and tried to bring the union from his old place into the new and virtually every employee made it very clear they were not wanted or welcome.

I think in this day and age every decent company recognises that it is better to have a good relationship with your employee's rather then a hostile one and for those companys that don't i really don't see them changing from bad to good because of the involvement of a union. It is like most things if your used to a union you can't see working life without them but if you have never had a union you quickly learn to deal with things in your own way and i personally think that is better but horses for courses and all that.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

when the cwu negotiate a pay rise with my employer every one benefits even none union members ,when there's any strife none members are more than happy for the rest of us to do the fighting on there behalf while they hide in the wings.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

You did get what you want. You always ask for far more than you want, knowing that you will never get it.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

Old style negotiation and confrontation - how quaint.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

I work for VM and the CWU have done nothing to help me and that includes pay rises .

---------- Post added at 16:34 ---------- Previous post was at 16:32 ----------

Explain where my pay rise went this year as i work for the same company as you ????

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

Even UNISON(of which I am a member) have realised that demanding silly pay rises at this point in time is pure stupidity. Not that it isn't stupid at any other time.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

as you well know no one got a rise this year due to the recession - a first since i joined the company 10 years ago ,my wage has risen year on year ,well worth the minimal amount the cwu ask in fees brother .
i wasn't too happy about the situation myself, but given that many companies lowered there work forces pay just to stay afloat and many went to the wall .
we still live to fight another day and i'm grateful for that .

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

And in that 10 years how many have been due to the CWU ?

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

Only twice I've ever had to call on a union - both times it was the CWU - and both times they were utterly useless. The rep in one of the situations was more interested in telling me she'd won a competition in a magazine for a champagne breakfast then off to meet Davina McCall at a Big Brother recording than to pay attention to the matter in hand.

re: [Update] The Royal Mail strike thread
 

more than were down to you fighting my corner ,this is getting tedious now, you obviously have issues with the union you claim to be a member of so take it up with them -contact dan the voice rep he'll start the ball rolling .