Bristol branch committee votes unanimously to reject deal

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Bristol CWU branch committee votes unanimously to reject sell-out deal

Author: Ed Maltby

On Friday the 19th of March the Branch Committee of the Bristol branch of the CWU postal workers' union voted unanimously to recommend the wholesale rejection of the deal proposed by the Postal Executive Committee of the CWU. Rob Wotherspoon, a deliveries rep from Bristol, spoke to Solidarity about the decision by the Branch Committee to reject the deal.


Why was the vote to reject the deal unanimous?

It was unanimous because we believe it's a very bad deal for delivery workers who make up the majority of workers in our branch. So in the name of unity, people who didn't work in delivery were prepared to reject it because it wasn't good enough for part of the membership. But there are no guarantees that mail centres will stay open, either. They reckon Royal Mail are planning to close half of all mail centres within the next three years. We don't believe that anyone who works in a mail centre can feel that secure in their jobs; there are no safeguards for them in this deal.

Delivery workers are going to be ending up working longer on the weekend, on the street longer, and to add insult to injury for many delivery workers, they will be taking a pay cut for at least the first year. We currently get paid an extra rate for doing “door-to-doors”, unaddressed items of mail [junk mail]. We get paid a piece rate per item for those. This is all going to be put into one payment but that also includes an earlier sum, so effectively you only get paid £8 a week for doing door to doors. On average now, people are getting £20-30 a week for doing this. People are taking a pay cut for this.

Why did the CWU postal executive committee vote 'overwhelmingly' to accept this deal?

I'd say I think a lot of them are out of touch with the membership; and there's probably a few people who don't have the courage to stand up and say when something's wrong.

What should other people who disagree with the deal do?

They should do the same as we will be doing: meet the members in the workplaces. For the next few weeks our branch will be going out, meeting members in delivery offices, and we'll be sending out a letter to people's home addresses, talking directly to members, telling them to reject the deal.

In terms of the wider union we have expressed our opinion at briefings and other branches will make up their own minds. We intend to lead by example.

What do you think of those branches that oppose the deal meeting up to co-ordinate a national campaign?
Maybe not a bad idea. But we do not have much time before the vote and we will be concentrating on meeting with our members.

[DirtyHarry]

Well done, Bristol.

[belle smith]

Don't see anything there i disagree with.

[Lounge Lizard]

Yes, Bristol has a distant memory of slavery and doesn't want to see it return.

[mcboing boing]

Well done Bristol. A credit to the CWU

[Geezer]

Just wish my area had balls like you lot, well done for doing whats right for your members and not just rolling over for Dave and the PEC.

[dvbuk55]

North Lancs and Cumbria also rejected the deal and could do with widening the publicity, well done Bristol.

[Geezer]

North Lancs and Cumbria also rejected the deal and could do with widening the publicity.

WELL DONE !

[jockstrapp]

What way are London leaning?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[dvbuk55]

What way are London leaning?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Whichever way suits them best.

[baldrick]

What way are London leaning?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Whichever way suits them best.

Meeting for London Reps is next Monday.

[POSTMAN]

What way are London leaning?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Whichever way suits them best.

Don't matter what way we vote,piece of piss down here anyways.

[BELIAL]

What way are London leaning?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Whichever way suits them best.

Meeting for London Reps is next Monday.

I hope the London reps have read this "deal" ,specifically' all disputes will be resolved locally' you know what that means