SOUTH EAST LONDON POSTAL & COUNTER BRANCH AGM 2008

[I-POSTIE]

[center]SOUTH EAST LONDON POSTAL & COUNTER BRANCH

ANNUUAL GENERAL MEETING
6TH APRIL 2008 1030AM – 1.00PM
RIVOLI BALLROOM, BROCKLEY, SE4


Guest speakers:


Dave Ward – Deputy General Secretary

Bob Gibson – Outdoor Secretary

Ian Ward – PEC Member[/center]

[I-POSTIE]

Owing to the current state of affairs concerning modernisation and the pension changes I would hope that most members in the South East of London would want to attend, what is the rare occasion in the calender that ordinary members, like myself, get to see the union top brass in the flesh and to ask those difficult question that cannot be avoided as can easily be done so on paper. Yes, it is time to put those awkward questions as to why the previous industrial action concerning working conditions which we were gearing up to rejecting this time last year and for which we lost money in supporting the proceeding strike action, were finally supported by the PEC although they were only vaguely dissimilar to that of the employers original intentions at the start. At this point in the local negotiations on the modernisation process most of us are finding that which the employer is hoping to gain goes far beyond the reasonable and makes a mockery of the cooperation pack that the PEC naively believed the employer would abide by. I think what we all want to know is, will the PEC make an equally shoddy deal with the employer over the pension reform? For myself it is fast becoming the situation of making a break with RM. 10 hour days, no overtime for the extra work I am going to be asked to do, bad pay by consequence, more stress, more fatigue, five years extra until my retirement and worsened retirement income. I believe a lot of member, like myself are asking, “What use is the union when they are acting like the broken dam allowing the tide to overrun those whom it was built to protect?â€

[dvbuk55]

[center]SOUTH EAST LONDON POSTAL & COUNTER BRANCH

ANNUUAL GENERAL MEETING
6TH APRIL 2008 1030AM – 1.00PM
RIVOLI BALLROOM, BROCKLEY, SE4


Guest speakers:


Dave Ward – Deputy General Secretary

Bob Gibson – Outdoor Secretary

Ian Ward – PEC Member[/center]

I asked once before and no one seemed to know the answer as to whether Ian Ward was related to Dave Ward in some way.

[BELIAL]

Apparently we've had our area AGM ,no notification,nothing, not happy. Treat me like shite I'll cause a stink, or get flushed away

[lovejoy]

[center]SOUTH EAST LONDON POSTAL & COUNTER BRANCH

ANNUUAL GENERAL MEETING
6TH APRIL 2008 1030AM – 1.00PM
RIVOLI BALLROOM, BROCKLEY, SE4


Guest speakers:


Dave Ward – Deputy General Secretary

Bob Gibson – Outdoor Secretary

Ian Ward – PEC Member[/center]

I asked once before and no one seemed to know the answer as to whether Ian Ward was related to Dave Ward in some way.

No hes not mate

[BELIAL]

Any chance of AGM notification? Might be a little concession to democracy?

[DGP1]

What a great communication union but then again we don't even have a branch

[dvbuk55]

What a great communication union but then again we don't even have a branch

I was about to say that's not possible, then I noticed your location - just as a matter of interest how many members did the branch have and are you still having subs deducted? I've read the posts about this and the timescale for reinstatement from the reporting and re-education seems overly long - but then the full story hasn't been published I suppose.

[dvbuk55]

I asked once before and no one seemed to know the answer as to whether Ian Ward was related to Dave Ward in some way.

No hes not mate

Thanks LJ - just curious to see if nepotism was alive and kicking still.

[POSTMAN]

Look at the time ffs! Sunday morning and i'm up!
Just waiting for a lift to snowy Brockley

[baldrick]

Look at the time ffs! Sunday morning and i'm up!
Just waiting for a lift to snowy Brockley

You're lucky it's a 10.30 start. Ours used to be at 0900 on a Sunday, but it was changed to 1100 this year.

[baldrick]

So what did Dave have to say?

[POSTMAN]

Mainly pensions.

He's ready to call us out,but will wait as they are doing a massive political campaign,MP's from all sides to be contacted,when we go out he wants thousands of us at number 10.

Unite,has had talks with the top boys,will look for unified action.
Interestingly,said unite's top boys are proper trade unionists,and also they have around 150 more sponsored MP's

Says the pension has to change but not as severe as it has and feels we can get consessions.

Johnnypick may remember more as he popped over to his side as well.

[johnnyp]

Dave thanked us all for our support during last years dispute but there is still lots to do as Change will not go away.He feels that with that support the CWU is still in good shape and we defeated Croziers aim to smash the union.He also spoke about the political challenge the union is facing with the government around the pensions issue and the government review on the industry since liberalization and the effects it has had.He pointed out that Royal Mail needs to liven up and introduce new products to keep ahead of the competition.On the issue of D2D he said that we should hang on to them and he would like to see them put in to basic pay for those who do them and safeguard money for members along with job protection.Something else he spoke about was the way Royal Mail have been using the bullying and harrasement procedure within the business to stich people up with and this needed to be corrected quickly.That just about covered it but he did ask that next year we held our AGM on a different day to S.E.London so he could spend more time covering other issues.

[I-POSTIE]

I would like to thank CWU member of SE15 for the highlight of the SE London Postal and Counter Branch's AGM 2008. Whilst I think it was ambitious to expect the motion for the branch to declare a no confidence vote in the Hayes/Ward leadership in defending our pensions to succeed, I never the less, whole heartedly agree with every sentiment of what was a well prepared and presented argument disputing the pairs lacklustre approach. It was exciting to see the deadwood of the branch's central committee draw their wagons around Dave Ward, as he sat there, to protect their mate from someone who would dare stand up and embarrass them by airing a view counter to theirs. Clearly, the “Political Officer,â€