CWU conference votes for ballot on mail boycott

[fishtank]

CWU conference votes for ballot on mail boycott

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23rd April 2013

Postal workers have today (Tuesday) voted unanimously for a full ballot of Royal Mail workers on a boycott of private mail companies' 'final mile' mail as part of the union's moves to protect the universal service (USO) and prevent privatisation of Royal Mail.

Private (downstream access/'final mile') mail makes up 44% of the daily mail bag. Royal Mail says its average daily mailbag is 58 million items, meaning a boycott would leave 26 million items undelivered each day. These would include bills, statements, and business mail contracts won by companies including TNT and UK Mail under what the CWU describes as unfair competition and cherry-picking.


Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "The tired old policies of privatisation have failed services for decades. We're balloting our members to back our position to protect the universal service, oppose privatisation and expose the damage that cherry-picking and unfair competition will do to postal services if left unchanged.

"Privatisation is definitely not the answer to the challenges facing Royal Mail. It will mean the break-up of the company, the franchising of delivery rounds and the end of the USO. Because private companies work for profit, not for people.

"Marketisation and privatisation are two sides of same coin. The mail boycott is part of our overall strategy to protect postal services. Yes, the USO is enshrined in law, but it can't survive with the cherry-picking which is currently allowed. The economic reality will kick the chair away from the legislative position and we cannot allow that to happen.

"Once TNT and/or other companies have more street deliveries they will switch their DSA (downstream access) mail from Royal Mail, that profit will disappear from the company and the USO will collapse. Rural areas will undoubtedly fare worst.

"We can influence government policy, we can stop the sale of Royal Mail, we will protect the postal service for customers, and we will protect our members' jobs."

CWU will ballot 120,000 members in Royal Mail Group. The ballot will open on May 22 and close on June 18 with the result being announced on June 19. Ballot papers will be returned to independent scrutineers.

The full text of Emergency Motion E5 will be available from the CWU's website.

[fishtank]

Emergency motion E5

This conference notes the terms of Letter to branches 240/13 which reported developments on the Consultative Ballot. This Conference agrees that the Ballot will be undertaken on the following basis;

1. Ballot papers will be distributed by CWU Branches in the work place. Once distributed the member would return the ballot in the envelope provided to our Independent Scrutineers. The Independent Scrutineers will announce the result.

Regulations will be provided to Branches on how the ballot will be undertaken and this will include the facility for a Postal ballot to members' home addresses in remote work place locations.

2. The ballot timetable is as follows:

- Ballot papers distributed on the 22nd May 2013

- Ballot closes 18th June 2013

- The ballot result will be announced on the 19th June 2013

3. There will be 4 questions on the ballot paper in support of CWU policy on the following issues (please note members will get four votes and each question will be counted individually):

- Opposition to privatisation

- Support for the boycott of competitors mail

- Support for our pay policy

- Backing for no co-operation with new efficiency / budget / performance demands or Mail Centre / Regional Distribution Centres rationalisation (until agreement has been reached on the position set out in the Special Report).

CWU Headquarters will provide supporting communications to explain all the issues covered in the Ballot, including explicit instructions as to what will be expected of the membership in support of the policy that will be outlined in question 4.

Conference agrees that in order to campaign effectively Branches will draw up detailed plans to hold face to face meetings with the membership.

Conference agrees that this exercise will empower the Union in discussions with the company and Government and support the wider objectives of the Save Our Royal Mail Campaign.

The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly.

[north london driver]

the cwu will provide supporting communications to explain the issues covered in the ballot.
branches will draw up detailed plans to hold face to face meetings with the membership.
explicit instructions as to what will be expected of the membership in support of the policy.

what like the last agreement its the best we can get and take the money and run.
i feel sorry to the reps who will have to stand in front of there members and explain this one.

[Red Robbo]

Is this "face to face meetings with the membership" so the members don't turn their back on them ?

[feduppostie]

Where were the 'face to face' meetings with the membership when we wanted one on colleague shares? or on why they ordered us back in on the last strike when we were getting to a position of power? or why the CWU seem to be snuggling up to management? or why the the 'deal of the century' was such a washout? or on the many revisions posties say are not working? or why Billy was allowed to take £££££ because he forgot to take his holidays?

or any one of the other reasons we have been screaming at HQ to come talk to us about things we are unhappy about

where were the 'face to face' meetings then?

[Budfrog]

I can only see a boycott of DSA mail escalating into further industrial action just as soon as the first OPG is suspended for failing to process the work. The possible ramifications of the boycott need to be discussed and staff need to be aware of the commitment they will be making.

[fishtank]

I can only see a boycott of DSA mail escalating into further industrial action just as soon as the first OPG is suspended for failing to process the work. The possible ramifications of the boycott need to be discussed and staff need to be aware of the commitment they will be making.

I don't think it will get that far Bud.
If you look at the dates it tells a story.
The consultation ballot is due to start 22nd May but if you look at Emergency Motion 6 which was also carried unanimously it contains the following timeframe..

- National negotiations should continue following conference. Should no agreement be reached by the 13th of May 2013 all Delivery Units will cease absorbing workload from that date.

If negotiations are successful it would without doubt have to include a clause to withdraw or at least delay the threat of a consultative ballot.
If they are not the unilateral cesation of absorbtion will trigger Executive Action leading to Industrial Action anyway.
If we are involved in a course of Industrial Action it's unlikely a boycott of competitors mail will go ahead because the message would be lost amongst the strike action.