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EVERY VOTE COUNTS
TO ALL BRANCHES
We are now entering the final phase of the voting period for the National Ballot. The majority of members who will vote will have done so by now. There will however still be thousands of members nationwide who potentially could vote either way.
We know that all branches have worked very hard to secure a YES vote but we now need focus to be on driving up the level of returns in your areas. The strike action thus far across the UK has brought RM to the negotiating table. Political pressure is being applied as we speak at the Labour Party Conference which will hopefully lead to Government intervention.
It is clear though from the shape of the talks that the business is awaiting the result of the ballot before moving things forward in a committed fashion. We need our members to be well versed in the consequences of a No vote or even a slim Yes.
We are dealing with a vicious employer and no set of members or area will be left alone if the national union is defeated in this dispute. We are seeing massive levels of bullying, intimidation and draconian management tactics in the areas where the employer has been challenged via strike action. If the membership as a whole does not stand up now then this is the real future for us all.
Most members will have at least one and maybe two more WTL sessions before the balloting period ends. This is a clear opening for branches / unit reps to give a last call out for members to use their votes. We have sent out some WTL guides (attached) in order to assist representatives in exposing management’s lies.
As you will be aware the ballot result is announces on October 8th. We are sure that due to all your hard work a massive YES will be secured and that we can go on to defend the futures of our members and of the postal service. This does not mean though that we should be complacent. When that result is revealed we don’t want any ‘what if’ moments. Through hard work, determination and leadership we can show our members that the only option is to VOTE YES.
With your hard work this will be the last push for the right result
Kindest Regards
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QUESTION YOUR MANAGER
BALLOT RUN IN
1. Constantly via the media Royal Mail are telling people that the CWU is unwilling to modernise. Can you please tell us what the business mean by modernisation? A later delivery, less collections etc is not modernisation – it is simply running the Industry into the ground.
2. Via the media and also in workplace briefs Royal Mail are pushing the alleged fact that mail volumes are down by 10%. Why does the company conveniently ignore the fact that packet traffic (labour intensive) is through the roof? In addition to this has Adam Crozier forgotten that he was the person who signed the Down Stream Access agreement which allows competitors to undercut us?
3. Through its propaganda Royal Mail tells us that the only area taking action is London. The CWU website and the media have covered strikes in Scotland, Wales, Anglia, Bristol, Bournemouth, Plymouth, Cornwall and network sites across the UK. Why are you painting a true picture of the action that is taking place?
4. Royal Mail has further plans for a 10% reduction in staffing levels next year. When will these attacks stop? We have been told year after year that ‘we will not be back again’ only to see more and more cuts. When will we see a reduction in the management structure which is massively overstaffed ?
5. The Union are asking us to Vote YES for a National Ballot. Can you please tell us why we should vote no without repeating the companies’ standard negative rhetoric? Where is the inspirational vision from management for the future of this company?
6. Why has the Chief Executive Adam Crozier not been involved in any meeting with the CWU so far during this dispute. He received a package of £3million last year. Surely he should be earning this money by helping to end the strikes?
7. We are being fed the lucky to have a job line on an almost daily basis by management now. This year we have received no pay rise yet we are working harder than ever. In stark contrast though all managers have received absence bonus payments and we are yet to see a reduction in your grade. Surely you have to admit this is blatant double standards?
8. You are pushing the message that Voting YES and Strike Action will not move the employer. We are now at the point where Royal Mail are back around the table following the UK wide action whereas before the strikes the CWU and the memberships views were being sidelined. On this basis Royal Mails claim to not being budged by YES votes / action is completely false isn’t it?