CWU Postal Union Hits Back At Press

[Geezer]

http://www.hellmail.co.uk/postalnews/te ... 5&zoneid=3

21 September 2009 by Steve Lawson - © Hellmail.co.uk

The CWU hit back this week at what it described as an attack on the credibility of union leaders by some national newspapers as the dispute at Royal Mail intensifies.

Following an article in the Express newspaper which criticised the salary of CWU leader Billy Hayes, said to receive £100,000 a year and which the newspaper described as four times the national average, the union has written to branch secretaries reminding them that no pay rise has been awarded to any CWU National Officer this year.

A series of articles in recent weeks, notably from the Telegraph and Daily Mail, have poured scorn on the union's threat of a national postal strike, underlining the fragile economy of the UK since the banking collapse and the effect that localised strike action was having on business and credit card payments.

The CWU said Royal Mail's argument in the dispute was become weaker but that both it (royal Mail) and the media were trying to undermine the credibility of union leaders.

The union said that the salary of the General Secretary was published each year and that he had already announced that he would not be taking a pay rise that year.

© Hellmail.co.uk (21 September 2009)

[Big Daz]

LTB 813/09 - Royal Mail Dispute : Keep The Post Public
No. 813 /09 Ref SDGS Date 21/09/09
(All Branches)

TO: THE BRANCH SECRETARY

Dear Colleague
Royal Mail Dispute : Keep The Post Public

As Royal Mail's arguments become weaker, the employer and the media are seeking to undermine the credibility of National Officers of the CWU. It is anticipated that these attacks will continue.

Recently much has been made of the salary of the General Secretary and other senior Officers, in particular the Deputy General Secretary (Postal).

The facts are that the salary of the General Secretary is published each year to Branches, most recently in LTB 487/09. Together with this, it is a requirement by law that all General Secretaries' salaries and benefits are published and made available to the public. The Union complies with this completely. The Annual Report of the Certification Officer 2008/2009 published the salary of the General Secretary, a copy of the relevant schedule is attached and the full document can be downloaded at http://www.certoffice.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It will also be recalled that the General Secretary, in 2004, announced to Annual Conference that he would not be taking a pay rise that year and nor did he.

This year no pay rise has been awarded to any CWU National Officer, nor has the General Secretary or the Deputy General Secretary (Postal) received a 5% increase in pay as has been suggested by Royal Mail and their confederates.

Staff at CWU Headquarters are represented by the GMB and negotiations with that independent Union are continuing.

Any enquiries on this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary quoting the reference SDGS 1.1

Yours sincerely


Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary
More info +

[Ahebban]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm ... looks like the smear campaigns are up and running once again ... our DOM doesn't even bother feeding the RM line at WTLL any more ... just pins the notices to the board .. enough said!

[dvbuk55]

Looks like somebody touched a nerve

[Ahebban]

Mandelson et.al should be thankful to the CWU for deflecting a good deal of the media flack in its direction rather than at government as originators of the current RM debacle ...

[Big Daz]

http://www.certoffice.org/annualReport/ ... 008-09.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Billy is by no means the highest paid GS of a union, but is in the top third.

[wardroom]

I see that the Daily Mail really has it in for all of us at the moment on Saturday in the letters section not one positive comment was published.
Thanks for that, would'nt even wrap me chips in the sh--e paper

[opgpat]

THAT'S BLOODY GREAT. BILLY HAYES IS DEFENDING HIS WAGES WITH A MAJOR PRESS RELEASE BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BLOODY SPANISH PRACTICES LIES??? WHAT ABOUT THE RM BRIEFINGS ON LAZY, MILITANT POSTIES? COME ON CWU GET OFF THE BACK FOOT FOR f***s SAKE. THE PUBLIC THINK WE ARE LAZY w*****s.

[misterbryn]

When the question of Mr Croziers salary etc comes up in WTLL sessions our DOMs reply is the ever so handy " Well what does your man get?"
Well according to the tiny piece in today's Daily Star, about 20% of the BONUS dear Adam has just taken. (£453,000)!!!
I pinned the piece to the notice board next to their "what the papers say" pieces.Strangely it was gone by the time I got back from delivery . It seems there really is only one side to every story.

[dogfood]

THAT'S BLOODY GREAT. BILLY HAYES IS DEFENDING HIS WAGES WITH A MAJOR PRESS RELEASE BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BLOODY SPANISH PRACTICES LIES??? WHAT ABOUT THE RM BRIEFINGS ON LAZY, MILITANT POSTIES? COME ON CWU GET OFF THE BACK FOOT FOR f***s SAKE. THE PUBLIC THINK WE ARE LAZY w*****s.