Billy Hayes re-elected CWU general secretary

[POSTMAN]

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/billy-h ... etary.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Billy Hayes has been re-elected general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) for a third term of office.

Elections are held at least every five years for the post of general secretary, which is the leader of the union. Nominations closed yesterday (Monday) and Billy Hayes was the only candidate nominated by the union's branches. He is therefore elected unopposed..

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: "There are huge challenges facing the industries in which our members work and I'm grateful for the endorsement of this union's members to continue leading the CWU.

"It is a privilege to lead this union. Communication industries are changing, but this union will continue to provide the best possible representation for postal, telecommunication and financial services staff. I will continue to develop and integrate the best traditions of the union movement, ensuring that our organisation is strong and confident, equal opportunities remain central and we retain an effective position within the TUC and Labour Party.

"More now than ever working people need trade unions. The attacks from government on working practices through wage freezes, pension changes and barriers to legal representation are daunting. The reality of Cameron's Big Society is mass job losses, attacks on public services and on working and vulnerable people. There is an alternative and trade unions are at the forefront of fighting for better, socially-just change. I urge anyone who is not a member to join a trade union today."

Billy Hayes was first elected CWU general secretary in 2001 and re-elected in 2006. He has been a CWU activist since 1978.

CWU represents 215,000 members in postal, telecommunication and financial services industries.

Read Billy's blog at http://www.billyhayes.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Night Tonic]

Or his other blog http://www.pukkapies.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't compromise

[pants123]

what a fix,, don't the members get to vote who should stand as the general secretary....... it's the members that are the union,, the secetary should work for it's members, but sadly don't.

[Eric]

So it isn't only Royal Mail that rewards incompetence!

[stokes11eg]

As you can see, I'm too stunned for words! I wonder how many people will now finally come out of the Union as a direct result of this' re-election'?

[guvenor]

why were we not allowed to vote on this fiasco ffs democracy i think not

[daveallum]

What a stitch up,I read this forum daily and the CWU's own website often,didn't even know that elections were due,think I may come out of the union now.

[pinstripe]

All I can assume is that our views don't count. As long as we pay our subs and bend over as required, we should shut up.
We've put up with too much the past few years, from our own union. This must stop otherwise there will be a mass exodus. It may be too late.

[POSTMAN]

He was elected unopposed!

adj.
Not challenged by another: The candidate was unopposed in the campaign.

Also...
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 15&t=32587" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pants123]

unopposed also means, no one else challenged him, because it was rigged so no one would challenge for the position, meaning they are all in it together........

[fishtank]

unopposed also means, no one else challenged him, because it was rigged so no one would challenge for the position, meaning they are all in it together........

That's politics.
Before you stand against the incumbent you have to be sure you have the support of the generals because if you stand and lose you have nowhere to go but home.
Billy has the support of the generals...and the branches will support the generals....and the pathetically few who vote in these elections will mostly follow the nod from the branches.
So it's not rigged as such....just real life democracy...not the stuff you read about at school.

[Lincox]

Postman can you please explain what ELECTED unopposed actually means. Does it mean that as there was no other candidate, an election does not therefore take place, and therefore we were not given a vote? Where and when did the applications for the job get sent out, and were we entitled to vote if there had been more than one candidate. I hope I don,t smell a rat here.

[carpbarbel]

i did not get a vote how come?

[fishtank]

Nobody stood against him.
Saying that...i would have voted for Nobody.

[POSTMAN]

It's exactly (or should be) the same as your rep in your office.
If no one stands against him/her they carry on till the next election.