BILLY HAYES SPEECH TO KEEP THE POST PUBLIC RALLY

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.billyhayes.co.uk/permalink.p ... 55_0_1_0_M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SPEECH TO KEEP THE POST PUBLIC RALLY

BIRMINGHAM
SATURDAY 30TH MAY

First of all, I must compliment the CWU Midlands Region, and the Birmingham and District Amal Branch of the CWU in organising this excellent demonstration today. It is such work that makes our campaign so effective.

The support of the GMB, PCS and UNITE, shows that Trade Union solidarity is alive and well.


Our Trade Union comrades know how important this struggle is to the whole of the Trade Union Movement.

The Government made a manifesto commitment not to privatise Royal Mail. We must hold them to a promise they made to the British public. –

The Unions affiliated to the TUC, and those affiliated to the Labour Party in TULO, are great allies in this struggle.

We also must whole-heartedly thank the National Pensions Convention for their support.

The NPC always shows great energy in defence of postal services. –

As well as working with us against privatisation, the NPC are also a coalition partner in the campaign to establish a Post Bank. Our thanks to Ron Doorman and his comrades.

Now, at the moment, the campaign is on a knife edge.

There is a strong opposition inside and outside of Parliament. There is a huge political split inside the Parliamentary Labour Party – with 149 MPs supporting Early Day Motion 428. This split runs into the Cabinet. And all the opinion polls show big majorities against the privatisation of Royal Mail.

Yet the Government shows every sign of going ahead with this policy.

The Postal Services Bill goes back for its second reading in the Commons, sometime after 8th June.


This is despite the fact that the Government has lost every argument.


They said there was no alternative. The CWU produced an alternative – which they refused to seriously examine.


The all party House of Commons Business and Enterprise Committee unanimously agreed that the Government have not made the case for privatisation. The Government denied this.

The campaigning organisation Compass produced a report saying that the economic analysis the Government was using did not justify privatisation. –

This was dismissed.

Compass produced a report showing that Royal Mail could be modernised in the public sector. The Government rejected it out of hand.

Now in the face of growing evidence against privatisation the Government really ought to be reconsidering its position. Yet there are no signs yet that the Government will.

Our only hope is to keep fighting and organising against the sell off.

Recently, Royal Mail published its annual accounts. These show that its profits have doubled in the last 12 months. While private industries and banks are collapsing – Royal Mail doubles its profits. How does it make sense then to privatise it?

Royal Mail doubles it profits. TNT is the company the Government wants to see buy Royal Mail. Yet TNT saw its profits drop by 58% in the same year.

Royal Mail survives the recession better than TNT, yet it should be sold to TNT. How does that make sense?

Of course, this is about serving private business interests, not the public interest.

TNT delivers 100 gram letters at nearly three times the price of Royal Mail. TNT delivers 50 gram letters at twice the price of Royal Mail.

How does this make sense for the customer?

The Government has lost the argument yet it may still go ahead. The Government is in a difficult position. –

At the moment a Labour rebellion will be big enough to ensure that the Government can only get the measure through with Conservative votes.

That would be a blow to the whole Labour movement.

And can the Government trust Cameron? Cameron has said that if the Government makes any concessions to the rebels the Tories will vote against the Bill.


The Government face a terrible political blow at the hands of Cameron if it continues with this discredited and unpopular policy.

As I said – the campaign is on a knife edge. It all depends upon the work of people like you.

The CWU, and the Unions affiliated to the Labour Party, are calling for MPs to vote against the Bill on the second reading if the Government doesn’t remove the privatisation provisions.

You can help to strengthen the fight by ensuring that your MP understands that you want them to vote against the privatisation of Royal Mail.

We can be successful – but there is not much time. –

What you do makes a difference. Your activity matters. Together we can win.

Thank you for coming – and thank you for listening.

Posted by Billy Hayes | @ Sat, 30 May 2009 13:01:00 +0100

[stokes11eg]

Inspiring as always Billy, not.I've almost forgotten what you look like.

[mvinny]

If the government goes ahead with this then I hope the union stops donating them money!

[BELIAL]

I know he's trying, but he does need a speechwriter .
We will fight them on 74% of the beaches, as approved by the EEc blue flag directive;
We will fight them in the towns, with functional urban areas in excess of 3.5 miles radius.

It doesn't really get the sap rising does it?

[k979aaa]

I know he's trying, but he does need a speechwriter .
We will fight them on 74% of the beaches, as approved by the EEc blue flag directive;
We will fight them in the towns, with functional urban areas in excess of 3.5 miles radius.

It doesn't really get the sap rising does it?

To bare the slings and bun's outrageous missfortune or to have your cake and eat it.

[stokes11eg]

If the government goes ahead with this then I hope the union stops donating them money!

Not so long ago, Billy Blah was saying just that. Then, in a subsequent thread,he was still suggesting we back labour in an election!!!