http://www.cwu.org.uk/news.asp?step=3&NID=2132
10 October 2008
Time To Deliver in Scotland
CWU leaders took their Time To Deliver campaign to Scotland yesterday, with a lively lobby of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
General secretary Billy Hayes, deputy general secretary Dave Ward and Falkirk East MSP Cathie Peattie addressed a packed audience of MSPs and CWU members at a Holyrood committee room, spelling out the urgent need for government action to ensure a positive future for the postal network.
Billy explained how Royal Mail had “suffered greatly” because of the flawed introduction of competition into the sector by government and he detailed how this had impacted negatively across the whole of the country’s mail delivery and post office counters network.
And against the background of the current financial crisis caused by the bosses of private banks, which is leading many people to switch their savings to state-run institutions, Billy made the point that now should be the time for the government to expand the Post Office’s financial services.
“We’ve been speaking for some time now of the need for a new Post Office Bank account,” said Billy, highlighting concerns by both the union and the general public at the current uncertainty over the Post Office Card Account, the future contract for which is still awaiting a government decision.
And he concluded with an update on the progress of Richard Hooper’s government-commissioned independent review into the postal sector, which is expected to release its final report later this month and which is likely to contain key recommendations for the future of the industry.
Speaking next, Dave Ward insisted that the union and its members recognised that significant changes in the sector were unavoidable, but he stressed that change and modernisation must be an agreed process and must be in the interests of the workforce and the public.
Development of new products and services, changes to the composition of the Royal Mail board so that it includes union nominees and members of the public and, perhaps a degree of autonomy for the different nations of the UK in line with the political devolution that has taken place in recent years were all examples of the positive direction that the postal industry could move towards, he suggested.
“We believe we can come out of this with a positive future for Royal Mail. It can be achieved,” Dave stressed.
Cathie Peattie, who also serves as the Scottish Parliament’s trade union liaison group, said that the idea of autonomy was “well worth looking at” and praised the CWU for “fighting for this vital public service and not only for their own jobs.”
To her fellow MSPs, she urged: “Find out more about this campaign and please join the campaign.”
During the lunchtime break, Scottish CWU activists then spoke to their respective MSPs in small groups, explaining in more detail exactly what they could do to help and support the union’s fight for the future of the industry.
Iain Gray, who leads the Labour Party’s group of MSPs at Holyrood, said that he had been impressed by CWU members’ commitment to winning a positive future for the sector.
“One of the most important points is that, whatever changes take place, CWU members should not be forced to pay the price,” he insisted, adding that the suggestions around autonomy for the Scottish postal service and changes to the composition of the Royal Mail board were ones that he wanted to take a further look at.
“I’d like to discuss these ideas further with my colleagues here, with CWU people and with Royal Mail,” explained Mr Gray.
Concluding the event, CWU Scottish regional secretary John Brown thanked the 28 MSPs and dozens of CWU members and activists for attending.
“Some people have travelled long distances to be here today and I hope you all got the chance to speak to your constituency MSP,” he said, adding: “And when Hooper comes out, we’ll have to move this campaign on further.”
*Similar Time To Deliver events are planed for the Northern Ireland, Greater London and Wales Assemblies.
MSPs attending the lobby
Labour
Ken McIntosh
Marlyn Glen
David Whitton
Michael McMahon
Lewis Macdonald
Richard Baker
Cathy Peattie
Cathy Jamieson
Karen Whitefield
Frank McAveety
Iain Gray (leader)
Johann Lamont (deputy leader)
Mary Mulligan
Margaret Curran
Charlie Gordon
Richard Simpson
Sarah Boyack
Des McNulty
Malcolm Chisholm
Pauline McNeill
John Park
Bill Butler
Elaine Murray
Elaine Smith
SNP
Roseanna Cunningham
Bill Wilson
Gil Paterson
Brian Adam