Consultative Ballot

[Cichlid]

No. 319/13
Ref: 21003
Date: 14TH May 2013

To: All Branches with Postal Members




Dear Colleague

CWU Consultative Ballot – Local Reps Brief

Please find attached to this LTB a final CWU Representatives Brief to assist in meetings with the membership.

All Branches should immediately ensure that our local representatives receive a copy of the Brief. This will also be circulated direct from CWU Headquarters.

Further National Communications

Prior to the ballot CWU members will receive further National communications to their home addresses. There will also be an insert in the ballot paper envelope.

All CWU Representatives should be circulating the workplace leaflets previously issued. A final workplace leaflet is attached to this LTB. Please ensure this is circulated immediately.

The Postal Executive, Regional Secretaries and Divisional Representatives have agreed that we will each attend a workplace meeting in support of the Union’s campaign.

It is essential that the Postal Side of the Union focuses all our efforts on maximising the turnout in the ballot and delivering an overwhelming YES vote in favour of CWU policy.

Any enquires on the above should be addressed to the DGS (P) Dept.

Yours sincerely


Dave Ward Billy Hayes
Deputy General Secretary (P) General Secretary



CWU LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE BRIEF – THE CONSULTATIVE BALLOT
COMMENCES FROM THE 22 MAY - CLOSES ON 18 JUNE


. YES NO
X


Do you oppose the Privatisation of Royal Mail?
X


Do you support the boycott of competitors’ mail?
X


Do you support the CWU Pay Claim?
X


Do you support the policy of non-co-operation with Royal Mail?


Introduction

Over the next few weeks all CWU Representatives must focus on galvanising membership support in the Consultative Ballot. Your role as a Local Representative will be crucial in maximising turnout and gaining overwhelming support for CWU policy on all four questions as set out above.

It will help enormously if you speak first to close colleagues and known Union supporters. Ask them to play an active role in getting our messages across in the workplace.

The arguments have been set out clearly in The Voice Special Edition and the four separate workplace leaflets. This Representatives Brief provides further information to assist you in addressing the membership.

Contents

- Final key messages.
- Further information about the boycott and the policy of non co-operation.
- A summary of how the Ballot will be conducted.

Final Key Messages for Representatives to convey to CWU Members


1 The Consultative Ballot deals with the complex issues that face us. The membership either back the Union or allow Royal Mail a free hand to determine the future – there is no fence to sit on.


2 It is time to challenge Royal Mail on all fronts.


· Royal Mail’s thinking on privatisation is short term and benefits vested interests.


· They have no strategy for dealing with unfair competition, other than entering the race to the bottom.


· Your pay rise was due on the 1st April, but instead Royal Mail is prioritising profit for privatisation.


· Royal Mail has announced it is now a Parcels Company just managing a decline in letters, but the company still cannot explain what this really means to your jobs, terms and conditions.


3 We need you to endorse CWU’s position in this Ballot.


· Support our campaign to stop privatisation.

· Support the boycott of competitor’s mail. This will significantly raise the profile of unfair competition and how it undermines the USO and your jobs.


· Support our claim for a straight forward 2 year above inflation pay deal.


· Support our call for non co-operation with Royal Mail’s unachievable budget/performance demands. We must bring things to a head.











4 What Happens Next?


· You support our policy on pay and we will not settle unless there is a significant above inflation offer and an overall improved reward package.


· You support our policy of non co-operation and we will confront the management culture of relentless budget cuts that brings chaos to your office.


· You support our policy for the boycott and we will force the Government and Regulator to take action to end unfair competition.


· You support our opposition to privatisation and this will significantly strengthen the growing campaign against the sale and our ongoing talks with Government.



5 A YES Vote to all four questions is the only way we will protect your interests and the Future of UK Postal Services.


A no vote will allow Royal Mail to determine your future.

Your views count.

Please use your vote.


Further Information about the Consultative Ballot .


The Boycott of Competitors’ Mail
Following endorsement of the boycott the Union’s Executive will meet and confirm the final arrangements and set a date for implementation of the policy. Further detailed information will then be sent to CWU Representatives and the membership.

The CWU are defending the existing law set out in the Postal Services Act to protect the UK’s Universal Postal Service

The policy will be implemented in a way that will ensure all CWU members participate together. No member will be isolated. Across all functions competitors’ mail is always in the system and therefore everybody will be involved.

This is a collective matter and Royal Mail cannot victimise individuals or discipline the whole of the workforce. The Union will stand together.

The Policy of Non-Cooperation

The policy of non-cooperation with Royal Mail is about bringing things to a head and resolving key workplace issues. These include your pay, outstanding business transformation matters, the pressures of daily workload and the company’s future strategy for dealing with packet/parcel growth and mail centres.

In asking you to support this Union policy, it means that CWU members will not cooperate with any new local efficiency/budget/performance demands including those linked to WCM. Neither will we support any further mail centre/RDC rationalisation. The only exception to this is the business transformation revisions yet to be introduced or completed.

The policy of non-cooperation will continue until we have reached satisfactory agreements on all workplace issues.


















Important information about how the Ballot will operate


· This is a Consultative Ballot and it does not need to conform to legal requirements. The Ballot commences from the 22nd May and closes on the 18th June.

· The Ballot will be overseen and conducted through Popularis Ltd who are appointed as the Independent Scrutineer.

· Popularis Ltd will distribute all Ballot material in named workplace packs to your Branch Secretary by the 22nd May 2013. The Branch is responsible for the onward distribution of Ballot material to each workplace.


· There are four questions on the Ballot Paper as follows:


Do you oppose the Privatisation of Royal Mail?
Do you support the boycott of competitors’ mail?
Do you support the CWU Pay Claim?
Do you support the policy of non-co-operation with Royal Mail?


· The member has a separate vote for each question. The Ballot Papers are bar coded to enable the Independent Scrutineer to provide a separate result on each question

· The Branch Secretary or appointed CWU Official (including Local Representatives) will be responsible for distributing the Ballot Papers in each workplace on a given day during the Ballot period.


· Once the member has completed the Ballot Paper it can be returned either by the member through the Postal System or alternatively the member can hand the completed Ballot Paper back to the CWU Official who will return the envelopes on block to the Independent Scrutineer.

· The facility exists for Branches to organise Ballot Papers to be sent direct to members’ home addresses for small remote workplaces and for members known to be on Annual or Sick Leave.


· All Ballot Papers are returned to the Independent Scrutineer who will announce the result on the 19th June.

· The Branch should take the opportunity to use the Ballot exercise to recruit any non-members. A facility has been provided through the Independent Scrutineer for additional Ballot Papers in these circumstances.

· The full arrangements for the Consultative Ballot are contained in LTB 301/13.

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