Royal Mail dispute: CWU leadership inks dodgy deal?

[LondonUNISON]

Royal Mail dispute: CWU leadership kowtows to judges then inks dodgy deal

The deal, inked by CWU general secretary, Billy Hayes, and his deputy, Dave Ward, emerged from talks brokered by TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber. It came against the background of increasing wildcat action, provoked by local managements in several major cities. Unofficial strikes had again effectively halted all deliveries across Merseyside from Wednesday, with some 800 workers in Liverpool voting unanimously on Friday to continue with their walkout in response to management’s unilateral move to end early start times.

Many of East London’s offices had shut by Friday morning, with action spreading to the northern districts of the capital by Friday afternoon. The giant Nine Elms complex in South West London had been closed from Wednesday morning after management had refused overtime payments to the workforce and declared their intention to use a private contractor north of the Thames to clear the accumulated backlog from the previous four days of official strike action. All but one of nine delivery offices had come out by Friday morning and a similar picture had developed in South East London.

Briefer walkouts had also taken place in Leeds, Middlesbrough and north of the Scottish border in Edinburgh and Glasgow among other centres.

The CWU members’ actions after the end of the official round of two 48-hour strikes over a five-day period clearly defied Britain’s draconian anti-union laws, but postal workers felt that they were actually holding the union’s line against management attacks in anticipation of further official action that had been due to start on Monday 15 October. Whether the Wimbledon HQ was disavowing the wildcats while giving them a nod and a wink is now, however, a moot point.

In a move that caught most everyone on the hop, Royal Mail bosses went to the High Court on Friday afternoon seeking a ban from an unelected, unaccountable judge on the industrial action that had been announced for the following week. For the first time since strikes began in late June Royal Mail suddenly claimed that it had not received accurate notification of the numbers of workers involved.

This manoeuvre almost certainly had the blessing, if not the direct involvement, of senior ministers in the New Labour government. But more remarkable than the dash to the High Court was the continuation of talks that had supposedly broken down the previous evening at the same time as lawyers for the CWU and Royal Mail were making submissions behind closed doors. The union’s senior leadership instructed the membership not to strike from Monday as it would abide by legal advice and obey the injunction.

The eventual announcement of a deal within a couple of hours of the statement that the union would bow before the judge’s ruling has fueled speculation that an awful sell-out is in the offing. While it has been difficult to put together a complete picture, informed journalists such as BBC business correspondent Robert Peston (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/), have suggested that for Royal Mail management the ‘key pillars are in place’. Combined with the public call from New Labour’s Business and Employment Secretary, John Hutton, to accept the deal, such reports should sound alarm bells.

So what is the current package likely to include beyond headline of 6.7% with strings over two years and the elimination of Spanish practices? Speculation has been rife, but long-standing militants reckon that the CWU leadership has agreed to:

* Mail centre closures
* Up to six Door-to-Door deliveries for no extra pay
* The demise of early starts
* An increase in the retirement age to 62 or higher, along with the closure of the final salary scheme fund to new entrants
* The end of Sunday collections, and
* A divisive bonus scheme that exchanges job losses for little in extra pay.

The 16-member Postal Executive of the CWU meets on Monday afternoon (16 October) with the mainstream media predicting that it will rubber-stamp the deal. CWU militants should make every effort to lobby that meeting and maximise the pressure on the executive to reject the deal that is currently on the table and immediately resume industrial action on a national basis.

But if the executive body does the bidding of Hayes and Ward, and puts forward the current document to the membership with a recommendation to accept, then the only option will be to organise independently for a ‘no’ vote over the month ahead. In the meantime, there will be some tough decisions to take over the fate of the current unofficial walkouts: can these be spread independently and in defiance of official CWU bodies? Can sufficient support be rallied from other sections of the labour movement to sustain such strikes?

These are not easy questions to answer, particularly in a climate of stagnant union memberships and a low level of strike action across the economy as a whole. But there is a great deal at stake in this dispute and a decisive defeat for the CWU membership is likely to pave the way to centre closures, job cuts and the eventual wholesale privatisation of the Royal Mail early in the next decade.

The battle with Royal Mail management over the last few months has illustrated the continued strength of many a CWU branch, still capable of mobilising the overwhelming majority of members in an industry with high union density to support strikes, both official and unofficial. But the experience of 2007 has also demonstrated the limits of local militancy and the need for a national organisation of rank and file activists that works in a sustained and co-coordinated way to deepen the union’s internal democracy and effectively challenge a union leadership that values legal advice and bureaucratic privileges more highly than members’ jobs, pay and conditions of work.

http://www.permanentrevolution.net/?vie ... entry=1723

[lovejoy]

Thats another angle at looking at the dispute / negotiations although not one i'd agree with at all.

The CWU would never accept that deal............. and if they did the members would throw it out.

Incidently when UNISON agreed to raise retirement age to 65 last year was there a big kick back from membership??

Didn't think so. Ward may be many things but he isn't lodged up Browns backside like the UNISON leadership - and I use the word leadership loosely

[LondonUNISON]

Incidently when UNISON agreed to raise retirement age to 65 last year was there a big kick back from membership??

Didn't think so. Ward may be many things but he isn't lodged up Browns backside like the UNISON leadership - and I use the word leadership loosely

I totally agree with this. Sorry the article wasn't meant as a go at the rank and file of the CWU, anything but, it was a go at the leadership like Hayes.

UNISONs leadership is terrible, right-wing and out for themselves (Dave Prentis is probably one of the worst general secretaries about, and that's saying something). And sadly when our pension age got raised to 65 there was very little resistance and now we're paying the price for it. But is Hayes really much better than Prentis? He totally had this tongue up the a*** of Brown at the last conference saying how great the Labour Party was. I can't trust someone doing that one bit.

The CWU would never accept that deal............. and if they did the members would throw it out.

I don't think CWU members will accept, but I think the CWU leadership may well try and say that's the best you'll get and then try and get a yes vote. But totally agree that then it should be thrown out. Mass meetings and more strike action (unofficial if necessary) would be needed.

I wish that UNISON had the union solidarity and militancy that you guys do and it's also why the CWU can't lose this or accept a sell out deal because it wouldn't just be a massive blow for the CWU but for the whole union movement.

[ade@cambs]

My wife is in local government and a member of UNISON and one thing we have never been able to get our heads round is why UNISON reps are also line managers/ office managers.

[lovejoy]

Incidently when UNISON agreed to raise retirement age to 65 last year was there a big kick back from membership??

Didn't think so. Ward may be many things but he isn't lodged up Browns backside like the UNISON leadership - and I use the word leadership loosely

I totally agree with this. Sorry the article wasn't meant as a go at the rank and file of the CWU, anything but, it was a go at the leadership like Hayes.

UNISONs leadership is terrible, right-wing and out for themselves (Dave Prentis is probably one of the worst general secretaries about, and that's saying something). And sadly when our pension age got raised to 65 there was very little resistance and now we're paying the price for it. But is Hayes really much better than Prentis? He totally had this tongue up the a*** of Brown at the last conference saying how great the Labour Party was. I can't trust someone doing that one bit.

The CWU would never accept that deal............. and if they did the members would throw it out.

I don't think CWU members will accept, but I think the CWU leadership may well try and say that's the best you'll get and then try and get a yes vote. But totally agree that then it should be thrown out. Mass meetings and more strike action (unofficial if necessary) would be needed.

I wish that UNISON had the union solidarity and militancy that you guys do and it's also why the CWU can't lose this or accept a sell out deal because it wouldn't just be a massive blow for the CWU but for the whole union movement.

I agree with you 100% about Hayes but this is a postal dispute and our leader is Dave Ward. I think if the majority of us thought our only hopw was Hayes we'd have given up!!

On your comment about defeat being a blow to the union movement, I say what union movement??!!

Time after time, year after year we hear about collective action but the major unions and the TUC have been reduced to a talks shope. We'll be sat here in 5-10 years and the unions fighting fot their members will still be the likes of CWU, RMT, FBU!!

The trouble with the top of the unions is that they are as corrupt if not more than the majority of employers!

At least the grass roots offers us hope

[LondonUNISON]

My wife is in local government and a member of UNISON and one thing we have never been able to get our heads round is why UNISON reps are also line managers/ office managers.

I agree 100%, it is terrible. At my last branch we ended up banning managers from our meetings even if they were members. They complained but we said take it to national office if you don't like it and never heard anything more from them (at the time we were in various disputes and thought they were just there to snoop). Where I am now the bloody convenor is a manager! To be fair he seems like a nice bloke but on principal it shouldn't be the case.

Are managers in Royal Mail allowed to join the CWU?

[LondonUNISON]

I agree with you 100% about Hayes but this is a postal dispute and our leader is Dave Ward. I think if the majority of us thought our only hopw was Hayes we'd have given up!!

On your comment about defeat being a blow to the union movement, I say what union movement??!!

Time after time, year after year we hear about collective action but the major unions and the TUC have been reduced to a talks shope. We'll be sat here in 5-10 years and the unions fighting fot their members will still be the likes of CWU, RMT, FBU!!

The trouble with the top of the unions is that they are as corrupt if not more than the majority of employers!

At least the grass roots offers us hope

I hope you're right about Dave Ward, I think the next few days will be a big test of his leadership.

Again I'd agree the union movement is very weak but you can't underestimate how much a win for the CWU would revitalise unions far beyond just the CWU itself. I think if the FBU had won their dispute that too would have been a huge step forward for us all.

And totally agree with you about the union tops. But don't think you haven't got a lot of support from other union members in places like UNISON, PCS, NUT etc I know reps from all of those unions who have raised good sums of money in their workplaces for the postal strikes. Indeed a lot of us are inspired by what you're doing.

We need to build from the grass roots and hoepfully the RMT initiative on a national shop stewards network will be a building block. Also we need to start building cross union committees at a local level.

I can see how you'd get angry that the united action hasn't happened, and it's a shameful indictment on unions and the TUC and that is hasn't. But loads of members of other unions would love to and support you all the way.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

My wife is in local government and a member of UNISON and one thing we have never been able to get our heads round is why UNISON reps are also line managers/ office managers.

I agree 100%, it is terrible. At my last branch we ended up banning managers from our meetings even if they were members. They complained but we said take it to national office if you don't like it and never heard anything more from them (at the time we were in various disputes and thought they were just there to snoop). Where I am now the bloody convenor is a manager! To be fair he seems like a nice bloke but on principal it shouldn't be the case.

Are managers in Royal Mail allowed to join the CWU?

No as soon as they are substantive they have to resign.. They also have their own association called CMA - Communications Managers Association part of Unite. Although we call it Cant Manage Association.

[hotshot]

Are managers in Royal Mail allowed to join the CWU?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[hotshot]

Are managers in Royal Mail allowed to join the CWU?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No they are not when they get made up they have to leave the
CWU and join some over union,I will not even use there name
that is the contempt i hold for them.

[ade@cambs]

Seeing as the CMA have accepted their pay deal and pension plan deal will they change their minds if ours is better (pun intended) or just get it any way.

[strangler]

No as soon as they are substantive they have to resign.. They also have their own association called CMA - Communications Managers Association part of Unite. Although we call it Cant Manage Association.

Can`t Manage Anything.

[LondonUNISON]

No as soon as they are substantive they have to resign.. They also have their own association called CMA - Communications Managers Association part of Unite. Although we call it Cant Manage Association.

I think that's the right thing to do, UNISON need to take a leaf out of your book!

If a manager in the Royal Mail wanted to supported the CWU strike could they go on strike?

[dogfood]

So what is the current package likely to include beyond headline of 6.7% with strings over two years and the elimination of Spanish practices? Speculation has been rife, but long-standing militants reckon that the CWU leadership has agreed to:

* Mail centre closures
* Up to six Door-to-Door deliveries for no extra pay
* The demise of early starts
* An increase in the retirement age to 62 or higher, along with the closure of the final salary scheme fund to new entrants
* The end of Sunday collections, and
* A divisive bonus scheme that exchanges job losses for little in extra pay.

Fcuk me, if that is what the PEC recommend we take that, they can get lost....

[LondonUNISON]

Remember this is only speculation from CWU members (in London I believe) but it could be wrong. But you're right if it's anything like that it should be booted out the door.

Remember UNISON is balloted for strike action so if you carry on it will become combined action with our strike adding even more pressure on the government.