CWU Campaign against Privatisation and Unfair Competition

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Letter to Branches






To: All Branches


Dear Colleague


CWU Campaign against Privatisation and Unfair Competition


In recent weeks the Union has successfully relaunched our campaign against privatisation and unfair competition.

The purpose of this LTB is to update Postal Branches with an end of year report on our activities to date and set out how we intend to take the campaign forward in the New Year.


Summary of Campaign Activities to Date

Postal Industry Business Conference – Boycott announcement:
4th December 2012

This was positioned as the official launch of the campaign and the targeting of this leading UK Postal Industry Business Conference certainly had the desired impact. On the day, the boycott announcement gained media coverage in The Mirror, The Sun and The Guardian and there was also an extensive interview with Sky News. Further stories have appeared subsequently in the press.


Lobby of Parliament – Launch of Early Day Motion: 6th December 2012

The lobby was very well supported by our branches and was successful in bringing the issues of privatisation and unfair competition firmly back on the Westminster political agenda. The Early Day Motion, which was launched on the same day as the lobby, now has 71 MP signatures and has gained cross party support. We expect this number to build significantly in the New Year.


Postal Workers Day: 17th December 2012

This event was initiated by the Union as a first step towards eventually establishing “Postal Workers’ Day” as an annual event in the UK calendar. The day was used to promote the fact that Royal Mail Postal workers continue to be part of the fabric of our communities and that Royal Mail itself remains the nation’s only universal postal service provider. The day was a success with many activities taking place around the country. Nationally, the Saturday before The Daily Mirror promoted the event and on the day itself it was mentioned during the Sky business news. Large amounts of local and regional media outlets reported on the various local events around the country.

Communications

In recent weeks a number of LTBs have been issued about the campaign and one of these included a Letter for Branches to distribute in the workplace.

There have been two letters to members’ home addresses which have focused on developing the connection between members’ workplace issues and our wider campaign.

The November Voice carried articles in support of the campaign, also highlighting the dangers of unfair competition and the TNT delivery trial.

In the New Year we will be adopting a standard campaign template/bulletin which will ensure future communications stand out.


Developing our political strategy

The Union has engaged a specialist PR Company to help develop our overall campaign strategy and focus in particular on the political aspect and the targeting of MPs. The work currently being done will refine key campaign messages and strap lines and a policy paper will be produced to take this forward early in the New Year.


The alternative Royal Mail Business Model/Event

Work is being undertaken to build on the principles agreed by the Postal Executive for our alternative Royal Mail business model with the intention of this being launched at a major event around February/March 2013.

A crucial aspect of this work is about providing a credible solution to how Royal Mail can access capital investment without going down the privatisation route. The Union has engaged external economists to develop this position.


Taking the Campaign Forward in 2013/Next Steps

It can be seen from the aforementioned that in a relatively short period of time the campaign has taken shape and a platform has been built on which we can intensify our activities in the New Year.

It is important that branches recognise this campaign is not a sprint and we will build momentum whilst continually evaluating our strategy and tactics as events unfold.

The Postal Executive will meet early in the New Year to consider the following:

How we build alliances with other organisations.
The detailed approach we will be taking to a boycott of the competitors’ mail.
The detail on a consultative ballot of CWU members.
Other activities that will actively engage members, the public and businesses in the campaign.

In addition, further communications will follow including a special edition of Voice and a comprehensive briefing pack for Local Representatives. These communications will expand on all the issues covered in the campaign and explain what we want our members to do to help.

In conclusion, we want to thank all CWU Representatives for their efforts to date. We are convinced that if we build active support of CWU members and engage politicians, businesses and the wider public, this campaign will be successful and we will alter the course of Government, regulatory and Royal Mail policy.

Further information will be sent out in due course.

Any enquires on the content of this LTB should be addressed to the GS or DGS (P) as appropriate.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward Billy Hayes
Deputy General Secretary (P) General Secretary

[underpants]

what a laugh
ive been a union member for years and surported the cwu in every strike ect , but over the past three years i feel let down.
world class mail its like me just about too sale my house giving it a coat of paint on the walls and floor making it loverly for the big sale , yet we have got union reps involed in world class mail yet anougher kick in the teeth, stop the bull and tell the truth

[worktotime]

to be honest in my opinion the most important thing for the cwu is this privatision because there frightend that who every buys it does not listen to the cwu and then they would want your support , what about all the b&h cases in the delivery side of it , they just seem more bothered about it , we could not get treated any worse by doms etc if we was bought out , the first out the door would be the doms bring it on .

[Sharkeyes]

to be honest in my opinion the most important thing for the cwu is this privatision because there frightend that who every buys it does not listen to the cwu and then they would want your support , what about all the b&h cases in the delivery side of it , they just seem more bothered about it , we could not get treated any worse by doms etc if we was bought out , the first out the door would be the doms bring it on .

Your right to say that the DOMs will be first in the firing line as another company will bring its own managers in to run things their way. They won't want any 'old ways' left to 'drag it down' in their eyes.

Fear not, any sale to which ever firm is daft enough to take this gamble on will have to look after its best asset, us the workers. No You may scoff at this, but if they do want to sak all of us and bring in their own from outside the UK for minimum wage, then we don't get mad, we get even and use the same rules and EU legislation that will allow 'them' to come in and wreck this job.

Ask yourself this, 'Who do the British public trust?' How many of them wear a look of disappointment or worry when you go on leave? Why is it that a 'regular postie' on the same walk for years gets mega tips at Christmas?
.simple,.....The public TRUST US, rely on us, know us and down at heart, don't want to lose us.

It's failed in Holland with TNT, but the UK unlike the rest of the EU is unique. We have to get organised instead of just letting ourselves be dictated to by money grabbing Eurocrats and leeches from abroad.

How much of the money that we used to get for Mailsort 3 now ends up as DSA mail with that money goin to support the TNT effort in Holland etc. It's no wonder that this country is leaking money like a siv!!!!!

:dcfo :ncfo :vcfo

[Danelectro]

only 82 MP signatures for the universal service EDM.With well less than a third of the 258 Labour Party MPs on board and not one of them in the shadow cabinet including the CWU sponsored Ed Balls..Even f***ing Dennis Skinner not signed yet.
This is the party that has been on record in the last 12 months saying they may consider renationalising the Rail network??

I have two local MPs and one hasnt signed and he is Labour so I will be contacting him...but money talks and I would have to question what benefits the CWU gain from its financial backing of the Labour Party.