CWU Leader involvement in Gaza demonstration

[dvbuk55]

I notice from the CWU website the Leader of the CWU was demonstrating at an outdoor meeting supporting the Palestinians position in Gaza and decrying Isrealis right to defend themselves.

Now I have absolutely no opinion either way and I respect others opinions BUT I do not think that someones' personal opinion should be purporting to be the view of the membership of the CWU as a whole by using the organisation as a platform for what IS a personal opinion. Furthermore I don't think union funds should be used to support either side in the conflict.

[Big Daz]

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Speech to the Demonstration in Support of the Palestinians in Gaza
I bring greetings to this demonstration from the Communications Workers Union which is affiliated to both the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Stop the War Coalition

I bring greetings to this demonstration from the Communications Workers Union which is affiliated to both the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Stop the War Coalition.

The CWU has around 240,000 members in financial services, telecommunications and the postal industry.

We believe that there must be a just and lasting peace for the Palestinians.


This cannot be achieved by the destruction of Gaza.

This cannot be achieved by attempting to destroy Hamas.

The Palestinian people will never be bullied into silence.

The Palestinians will never accept dispossession.

The Palestinians will never accept being treated as inferior people.

The Israeli Government must accept that it has no right to occupy Gaza – let alone bomb it.

Israel has no right to build walls across Palestinian lands.

The massacres must stop. Israel must accept that the Palestinians voted for Hamas. The Israeli Government must be prepared to negotiate with Hamas as equals.

There is no other path to peace in the Middle East.

The wonderful demonstration today shows that we do not accept the bias reports in the media.

We do not accept our Government washing its hand of responsibility.

Our Government has armed and supported Israel. That must stop.

We want our Government to become a force for peace.

Our Government must support the Palestinians and tell the Israeli Government to end the slaughter and start the talks.

I urge you all to join the Palestine Solidarity Campaign as members. Join the Stop the War Coalition. After today keep up the fight for a just peace for the Palestinians.

Thanks for listening.

Posted by Billy Hayes | @ Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:29:26 +0000

[Big Daz]

I notice from the CWU website the Leader of the CWU was demonstrating at an outdoor meeting supporting the Palestinians position in Gaza and decrying Isrealis right to defend themselves.

Now I have absolutely no opinion either way and I respect others opinions BUT I do not think that someones' personal opinion should be purporting to be the view of the membership of the CWU as a whole by using the organisation as a platform for what IS a personal opinion. Furthermore I don't think union funds should be used to support either side in the conflict.

Was it a weekday or a weekend when he was off duty? If weekend then his CWU work would not have been delayed.

Hopefully he paid his own train fare.

[norbert]

I notice from the CWU website the Leader of the CWU was demonstrating at an outdoor meeting supporting the Palestinians position in Gaza and decrying Isrealis right to defend themselves.

Now I have absolutely no opinion either way and I respect others opinions BUT I do not think that someones' personal opinion should be purporting to be the view of the membership of the CWU as a whole by using the organisation as a platform for what IS a personal opinion. Furthermore I don't think union funds should be used to support either side in the conflict.

hope Billy wasn't throwing pork pies at people in protest ?

seriously , who aren't the CWU affiliated to ? , otherwise it just becomes rent a quote like all the other politicians , maybe Billy is getting some practice in for the future ? - better sticking to bread and butter stuff , charity begins at home especially with Royal Mail's , Ariel Sharon school of Industrial Relations .

[dvbuk55]

I notice from the CWU website the Leader of the CWU was demonstrating at an outdoor meeting supporting the Palestinians position in Gaza and decrying Isrealis right to defend themselves.

Now I have absolutely no opinion either way and I respect others opinions BUT I do not think that someones' personal opinion should be purporting to be the view of the membership of the CWU as a whole by using the organisation as a platform for what IS a personal opinion. Furthermore I don't think union funds should be used to support either side in the conflict.

Was it a weekday or a weekend when he was off duty? If weekend then his CWU work would not have been delayed.

Hopefully he paid his own train fare.

It isn't when that is an issue it is the fact that the CWU was brought into the issue at all. Do you not normally show at the end of your post that it is a personal view and not the view of the "Political" Officer? Well I think the same criteria should apply - the CWU should not be used as a horseback.

[norbert]

I notice from the CWU website the Leader of the CWU was demonstrating at an outdoor meeting supporting the Palestinians position in Gaza and decrying Isrealis right to defend themselves.

Now I have absolutely no opinion either way and I respect others opinions BUT I do not think that someones' personal opinion should be purporting to be the view of the membership of the CWU as a whole by using the organisation as a platform for what IS a personal opinion. Furthermore I don't think union funds should be used to support either side in the conflict.

Was it a weekday or a weekend when he was off duty? If weekend then his CWU work would not have been delayed.

Hopefully he paid his own train fare.

It isn't when that is an issue it is the fact that the CWU was brought into the issue at all. Do you not normally show at the end of your post that it is a personal view and not the view of the "Political" Officer? Well I think the same criteria should apply - the CWU should not be used as a horseback.

I've actually seen BNP propaganda that has somehow got into the mail and they go for Hayes and his posturing with what the BNP call red / right - on causes .

The Question is , are they relevant concerning his members interests ?

Ok , Ward has to run the union as DGS and Hayes deal with the Government providing it concerns his member's interests - the days of 70's Union Barons trying to run the country have long gone & Hayes can't play toy - town politics as a substitute

[baldrick]

The march was on a Saturday.
As Billy said at the beginning of his speech, the CWU is affiliated (by a delegates' vote at CWU Annual
Conference) to the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and the Stop the War Coalition, so he was within his
remit in expressing the support of the CWU.

[Big Daz]

The march was on a Saturday.
As Billy said at the beginning of his speech, the CWU is affiliated (by a delegates' vote at CWU Annual
Conference) to the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and the Stop the War Coalition, so he was within his
remit in expressing the support of the CWU.

When was the view of rank and file mbrs sought?

Then again when do the rank and file mbrs ever get asked about affilations?

I shall have to suggest to my branch that we take a motion to conference calling for more rank and file say in affilations to any organasations.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I have been trying to find out what affiliations we have but the CWU website is a bit of a maze when it comes to this. Nothing shows on a search of the site for "Affiliated" or "Affiliation" anyone know if there is a list.

[brothermagrew]

I have been trying to find out what affiliations we have but the CWU website is a bit of a maze when it comes to this. Nothing shows on a search of the site for "Affiliated" or "Affiliation" anyone know if there is a list.

Could only find the following short extract brother Teebs:
The union is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress, the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Wales TUC, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Labour Party, the Communications International and other organisations as determined by annual conference.

Also from the Central Counties Combined Branch of the CWU:
The branch indirectly helps organisations given support at national level by CWU head office.

Action for South Africa (ACTSA) | Anti Nazi League | Anti Slavery International | Bevan Foundation | Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament | Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom | Childrens’ Food Bill | Colombian Solidarity | Cuba Solidarity Campaign | Colombian Solidarity | Cuba Solidarity Campaign | Discrimination Law Association | EAVES – Housing for Women | Fabian Society | Greater London Pensioners | Industrial Society | Institute of Employment Rights | Irish Congress of Trade Unions | Justice for Columbia | Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights | Labour Party | Labour Research Department | Liberty | Mary MacArthur Trust | Mechanics Institute | National Assembly Against Racism | National Pensioners Convention | Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign | No Sweat | One World Action | One World | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Stamp Out Poverty | Parity | RSI Association | Scottish TUC | SERA Environmental Campaign | TUC | TUC Network Euro | Trade Union Disability Alliance | Union Network International | United Campaign | Wales TUC | War on Want | Western Sahara | Wimbledon Civic Forum | Workers' Education Association

http://www.cwu-ccc.org/home/links/links_aff.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Big Daz]

I have been trying to find out what affiliations we have but the CWU website is a bit of a maze when it comes to this. Nothing shows on a search of the site for "Affiliated" or "Affiliation" anyone know if there is a list.

It used to be on the old site easy to find, but maybe HQ have been reading RMC and got spooked?

[norbert]

I have been trying to find out what affiliations we have but the CWU website is a bit of a maze when it comes to this. Nothing shows on a search of the site for "Affiliated" or "Affiliation" anyone know if there is a list.

Could only find the following short extract brother Teebs:
The union is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress, the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Wales TUC, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Labour Party, the Communications International and other organisations as determined by annual conference.

Also from the Central Counties Combined Branch of the CWU:
The branch indirectly helps organisations given support at national level by CWU head office.

Action for South Africa (ACTSA) | Anti Nazi League | Anti Slavery International | Bevan Foundation | Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament | Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom | Childrens’ Food Bill | Colombian Solidarity | Cuba Solidarity Campaign | Colombian Solidarity | Cuba Solidarity Campaign | Discrimination Law Association | EAVES – Housing for Women | Fabian Society | Greater London Pensioners | Industrial Society | Institute of Employment Rights | Irish Congress of Trade Unions | Justice for Columbia | Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights | Labour Party | Labour Research Department | Liberty | Mary MacArthur Trust | Mechanics Institute | National Assembly Against Racism | National Pensioners Convention | Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign | No Sweat | One World Action | One World | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Stamp Out Poverty | Parity | RSI Association | Scottish TUC | SERA Environmental Campaign | TUC | TUC Network Euro | Trade Union Disability Alliance | Union Network International | United Campaign | Wales TUC | War on Want | Western Sahara | Wimbledon Civic Forum | Workers' Education Association

http://www.cwu-ccc.org/home/links/links_aff.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some of the causes sound very 80's and Bennite - there can be a danger of things turning into a talking shop with some of the causes

I do remember that Tony Benn was responsible for a record number of membership applications to the Labour Party - wasn't much chance of running the country though !

[pcb]

The CWU is a house of many people not just Posties, so people in other industries are represented by the CWU. Affiliation is passed at agms across the country for branches and nationally at conference. Those attending put their hands up to vote for these afiliations. The CWU is not just the Posties union. Come on you should all know how things work!

[UNION JACK]

IF THE CWU ARE SUPPORTING MUSLIM TERRORISTS MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL THINK AGAIN ABOUT BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS UNION.

[Big Daz]

Not at all, we simply seek to change policy. You could put a motion to your branch to consider taking to conference.

Should the CWU stick to branch and butter politics rather than branch out into other issues I say yes. Our political activties should be to further improve our terms and conditions of employment not to get involved with issues that dont affect our employment.