Dear Colleague,
CWU Dispute with Royal Mail Group
Our Representatives and members will have seen the immediate response of Royal Mail Group in the wake of what we consider to be a totally shameful and unjust injunction served on the CWU.
Those reflecting and perhaps making their judgement should remember that we balloted circa 110,000 members, 86,500 members participated in the ballot and 97.1% rejected RMG’s propaganda and voted with their colleagues and their union. It was an amazing campaign, everyone worked extremely hard engaging with the membership and their response was nothing short of magnificent.
There was no evidence that our members were intimidated by their union or doing anything other than expressing their own opinion. Not one complaint was made to the Independent Scrutineer, Royal Mail Group or the CWU out of 86,500 people voting, yet such a judgement was made off the back of our members’ enthusiasm to vote as quickly as possible.
Of course we will appeal, even if the odds are still stacked against us because we refuse to accept that we cannot engage with our members and maximise turnout and opinion in any ballot.
In respect of RMG’s immediate publicity, they do their best (which is never good enough) to try and break the unique relationship and trust that we have with our members by depicting us as unreasonable and undisciplined. Their statement that they are still available for negotiations is something they are playing both with our members and the wider public. If the type of talks they are offering are of the same standard of those that have taken place since Rico Back has arrived, then their offer is not genuine.
Our members should be assured that the CWU have always been available for genuine mutual respect and mutual interest negotiations, therefore against that backdrop, and the recommendations of the external mediation, we have responded to the company’s offer.
We have taken the unusual decision to produce an open letter (Annex 1) with the relevant attachments (including the Mediator’s recommendations) as RMG have made their offer of talks public, and to ensure that our Representatives and members are clear on the manner in which we have responded to their offer and are fully aware of our previous actions during the mediation process.
In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your tremendous and inspiring support, we shall not be moved.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.
Terry Pullinger DGSP
* Letter to management in the images below.
