Billy Hayes re-elected CWU general secretary

[dvbuk55]

Deep Joy.

Bet there'll be steak and ale pie on the menu tonight!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postman can you please explain what ELECTED unopposed actually means.

Does it mean that as there was no other candidate,

Yes

an election does not therefore take place,

Correct

and therefore we were not given a vote?

again you have it right

Where and when did the applications for the job get sent out,

In various LTBs around November and December we posted them on here in Union Room or News

and were we entitled to vote if there had been more than one candidate.

Yes although apathy tends to rule and turn out is usually extremely low

I hope I don,t smell a rat here.

Well perhaps not a rat, but certainly something that needs to be looked at. Though there is nothing wrong in law about having unoppsed elections, it just does not seem morally right to me, but we have to balance that against
making it too easy for those with less than honest intentions to cause an election just to cause unrest within the CWU. Its a difficult balancing act that needs to be looked at regularly.

i did not get a vote how come?

Because there wasn't an election.

[viking]

WHAT election.?...Nobody sent me an election form!!!Who voted him in

[axeman]

dingo , lovejoy ..........

[viking]

Obviously nobody told OUR cwu rep about it as im sure he would have stood up as a likely candidate as he THINKS he knows everything anyway :

[Grinder64]

At least the workforce at Greggs can sleep soundly tonight knowing that their jobs are on a more secure footing...

[pants123]

At least the workforce at Greggs can sleep soundly tonight knowing that their jobs are on a more secure footing...

it does look like billy is getting bigger.......... perhaps a p&l delivery for just one week could work..... just maybe..

[adrianjames]

BLOODY MARVELOUS

[malcolm3011]

i did not get a vote how come?

As we pay weekly subs to this so called Union why didnt we have a chance to vote, makes my blood boil and like others have said i can see alot of people coming out of the union now, who can blame them

[Night Tonic]

"Ok, they said I can stay. Personalised number plates for everyone."

[redrobber]

Ok so he was elected unopposed but i think there should be a rule change here. How about the term of an elected general sectretary is five years but if he/she is elected unopposed then the term is reduced to one year. A lot can happen in one year.

[30+YEARMAN]

I bet the senior managment at Royal Mail are very pleased with this result.The champagne corks will be popping at postal headquarters tonight thats for sure.

[BELIAL]

Well that must mean that all members were very happy with his performance, or if that is not the case then there is something systemically wrong with the union's constitution that stifles debate and discourages alternative positions . Not healthy , unsustainable, as current trends show

[andy2007]

Well that must mean that all members were very happy with his performance, or if that is not the case then there is something systemically wrong with the union's constitution that stifles debate and discourages alternative positions . Not healthy , unsustainable, as current trends show

Yes, there is something wrong IMHO. The reason he wasn't opposed, is because it's so hard to get someone nominated to stand against him. See for yourself:
5. Each candidate must receive the nomination of five Branches by the close of the nomination period in order to be eligible for election. The five nominations must include the nomination of the candidate’s own Branch.

A rule change is in order I think. How about "Each candidate must recieve the nomination of their own branch".

Now I know that people probably think that the current version, is a good rule. Because it has to be someone who carries already has the support of a significant section of the Membership. But that would be decided at the vote, wouldn't it. As things stand. I doubt we can get anyone else in, until he's ready to stand down.

[Lounge Lizard]

Well that must mean that all members were very happy with his performance, or if that is not the case then there is something systemically wrong with the union's constitution that stifles debate and discourages alternative positions . Not healthy , unsustainable, as current trends show

Yes, there is something wrong IMHO. The reason he wasn't opposed, is because it's so hard to get someone nominated to stand against him. See for yourself:
5. Each candidate must receive the nomination of five Branches by the close of the nomination period in order to be eligible for election. The five nominations must include the nomination of the candidate’s own Branch.

A rule change is in order I think. How about "Each candidate must recieve the nomination of their own branch".

Now I know that people probably think that the current version, is a good rule. Because it has to be someone who carries already has the support of a significant section of the Membership. But that would be decided at the vote, wouldn't it. As things stand. I doubt we can get anyone else in, until he's ready to stand down.

It could be worse. Wasn't the NUM a case of 'each General Secretaary shall hold the position for life' ?
in which case we would just reassure ourselves with the knowledge that a diet of pies doesn't aid longevity.