CWU Campaign : Save our Royal Mail

[POSTMAN]

To: All Branches with Postal Members


Dear Colleague

CWU Campaign – Save our Royal Mail

Following the successful re-launch, prior to Christmas, of our broader based Campaign against privatisation and unfair competition, the purpose of this LTB is to update CWU Branches, representatives and members on important developments associated with the Campaign.

In recent weeks the Union has been in discussion with an external public relations company, seeking their assistance to help build the Campaign narrative, strengthen and expand our political activities and support the Union’s industrial position.

These discussions led to a comprehensive Campaign strategy document being agreed by the Postal Executive, the salient points of which are as follows:-

New Campaign Strap Line - ‘Save our Royal Mail’

Since the Postal Services Bill became an Act of Parliament, the Union recognised that this signalled a new phase in our Campaign and that this would require different and more flexible tactics. As part of this it is now appropriate to freshen up the Campaign name and we have now endorsed ‘Save our Royal Mail as the Campaign strap line.

The rationale for this is that it is positive (the word ‘save’) it is not overtly political and does reinforce heritage (Royal Mail), all of which will be more sympathetic to conservative, rural and traditionalist views – key target audiences. This strap line is also broad enough to address our concerns over privatisation, unfair competition and the threat that both of these pose to the future of the Universal Postal Service.



Building a Broader Alliance to Protect Postal Services

A decision has been taken to take the Campaign forward through a broader alliance of organisations coming together under the banner of ‘Save our Royal Mail’. Although the Union will remain the key decision maker, we will broaden the public face of the Campaign by sharing our platform with other influential organisations acting together in the interests of public good.

Work on this aspect is underway and with the assistance of the PR Company we have targeted a significant number of organisations that will form a powerful alliance to protect UK postal services.

Media

The strategy document also focuses on a wide range of activities that will be undertaken through the general, business, online and social media. This will soon involve a separate Campaign website with an expert and dedicated social media manager.

Political Audiences

In the coming weeks the Union will expand its political and parliamentary activities and this will involve targeting Coalition MPs and pursuing Annual Conference policy with the Labour Party.

Ofcom, Regulation – Boycott of Competitors’ Mail

As reported in two separate LTBs published earlier this week, the Union has continued to pressurise Ofcom to intervene on End to End competition. Reports suggest that the CWU presence at Ofcom’s public meetings has been very effective. Furthermore, the CWU submissions to recent Ofcom Consultations have provided robust and well researched arguments that cannot be ignored by the Regulator.

However, if Ofcom press on regardless, the Union’s plans for a boycott of the competitors’ mail are being advanced and the Postal Executive will consider a further detailed paper on this next week. Our position on the boycott will also be extensively covered in the next edition of Voice.

Communications

There are two major communications planned in the next couple of weeks. Firstly, a briefing document for local representatives explaining the Union’s key Campaign messages. This will enable face to face meetings about the Campaign and the boycott with CWU members in local workplaces. Secondly, the Voice will carry a series of articles linking our members’ workplace issues with the wider Campaign.



The intention is that the Representatives’ Briefing document and members’ meetings should coincide with the Voice landing on doormats. Further information on this will follow in due course.

CWU Alternative Business Model

Work is continuing, with the support of external experts, to build on the principles agreed by the Postal Executive for our alternative Royal Mail Business Model. Amongst other things this will focus on opportunities for the company to raise capital without going down the privatisation route. The intention is to move this work forward during February and we expect to be in a position to launch the CWU alternative at a major event in March.

Government Meeting

We recently met the Government Minister and it was stated that although work is now underway on seeking potential investors, the Government had still not finalised their preferred option for a sale. The Government confirmed that they are still working to the same timescale of securing private capital for Royal Mail within the financial year 2013/14. Our understanding is that at some point, to move a sale forward, the Government must announce in parliament dates for public road shows for potential investors. The CWU will ensure we have a major presence at these events.

The Campaign Link to the CWU Industrial Agenda

It is essential that all CWU representatives continue to explain to our members that the root causes of the difficulties they face in the workplace are directly linked to the impact of unfair competition, the threat of privatisation and the wider challenges facing the postal industry. This is a message that was reinforced during our local reps briefings and is consistent with the key concerns that the Union tabled at the Summit meeting on the 17th December 2012.

Despite the Summit meeting, it is inevitable that the differences that have recently emerged between CWU and Royal Mail are bound to widen as the company actively prepares for and promotes privatisation.

We also know that as April 2013 looms, the company’s position over pay is being heavily influenced by their desire to show potential investors that they are improving their profit margins. This means the likelihood of a major clash over pay has significantly increased.

Next week the Postal Executive will consider a policy paper covering all aspects of our industrial position and our current talks with the employer. We must bring to a head outstanding issues on Business Transformation, flush out the company’s real position on packet and parcel growth and their operational strategy beyond the end of the current Transformation Agreement. The outcome of this policy paper will be the subject of a further LTB next week.



Summary

Towards the end of 2012, the Union engaged in a number of activities and successfully built a platform to move our Campaign forward. The strategy document that has now been agreed will enable us to ratchet up the Campaign to another level.

Fundamental to our success will ultimately be the Union’s ability to publicly demonstrate that we have the full backing and support of CWU members. Only by integrating our industrial and political work will we be able to protect the interests of CWU members and the future of UK postal services.

Please ensure that all CWU representatives and members are aware of the content of this LTB. Further information will be sent out next week.

Yours sincerely

Ward / Hayes

[Lateagainpostie]

How is a one day stoppage going to have any effect, all it will mean is that we posties at the sharp end will have twice as much to deliver the following day, and are the public really going to miss a bank or credit card statement for one day, I doubt it very much.

Messers Ward and Hayes would be better employed going around the 500 + offices that haven't had a glimmer of the 2010 revision before they embark on another campaign, which will probably result in endless cups of tea and coffee with the RM hierarchy.

I am not going to support any further CWU action, until messers Ward and Hayes are no longer in their posts, they may be good for the Mail centers and lorry drivers, but the 2010 agreement did nothing for those of us at the sharp end, except cut our pay in real terms.

[ebbzie]

How is a one day stoppage going to have any effect, all it will mean is that we posties at the sharp end will have twice as much to deliver the following day, and are the public really going to miss a bank or credit card statement for one day, I doubt it very much.

Messers Ward and Hayes would be better employed going around the 500 + offices that haven't had a glimmer of the 2010 revision before they embark on another campaign, which will probably result in endless cups of tea and coffee with the RM hierarchy.

I am not going to support any further CWU action, until messers Ward and Hayes are no longer in their posts, they may be good for the Mail centers and lorry drivers, but the 2010 agreement did nothing for those of us at the sharp end, except cut our pay in real terms.

Are you really this stupid? Without the CWU Rm will walk all over us......