Billy Hayes' Interview with the New Statesman 26 Aug 2011

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Interview with the New Statesman, 26th August 2011 http://www.billyhayes.co.uk/index.php/s ... gust_2011/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Q What do you think your Union has achieved for its members in recent years?

According to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills report on Trade Union members 2010, Trade Union members earn on average 16.7% more an hour than unorganised workers. Where the CWU has recognition agreements, a constant refrain from employers is that we are making them pay above the “market rate”.
Like Union members generally, CWU members have better wages, pensions, benefits a shorter working week, better training and safer working conditions than unorganised workers.

Defending living standards in difficult times and in difficult conditions is what Unions do. The fact is, no other organisations deliver this for working people.

Q What battles have you lost?

We are in a constant struggle. Any set back is a prelude to a later campaign.

In 2011, the Coalition Government secured Royal Assent for the privatisation of Royal Mail. Our opposition has secured substantial concessions and safeguards. But the Government won the right to sell off Royal Mail.

Yet the fight goes on. The Government still has to actually sell the company. The concessions we secured make this harder. The Government needs EU Commission approval. This is not a formality. Equally, any potential buyers know that they will be investing in a well organised workforce. Further, we will press for an incoming Labour Government to repeal, or overturn, the damaging aspects of the Coalition legislation.

Q How has the economic downturn affected your members in 2011?

In similar ways to the rest of the working class – CWU members have faced job losses, downward pressure on wages and inflation.

At the same time, CWU members have had to come to terms with their children losing Educational Maintenance Allowance or facing tuition fees of £9,000. CWU members have seen their caring responsibilities become more burdensome with the attacks upon Disability Living Allowance and other benefits.
The effects of the recession have been cumulative as well. More young CWU members are being forced to rely upon their parents for housing for longer than is necessary or desirable.

Q Are your counterparts abroad in your particular sectors having an easier time? If so, why?

As I speak, over 40,000 members of the Communication Workers of America in Verizon are on strike. They are certainly facing the same type of problems CWU members are facing in the telecommunications industry in Britain.
The international situation is very difficult. In the developed economies, the recession has been widespread with a generally negative impact upon postal and telecommunication workers. The differences that exist in labour market regulation, or in labour law, make little difference.

Of course, the situation is different where the economy is expanding – such as in China and India where there are gains being made albeit from a low base. Equally in Latin America, the left tide has aided working people and the poor.

Q What are your preferred alternatives to the Coalition’s austerity measures?

Economic growth rather than austerity – which means investment, not cuts. The recession is above all a collapse of private sector investment. Reducing Government investment in such times merely prolongs the recession.
The Government should use its majority share in the banks to promote investment in such areas as housing and transport. Not only would this provide much needed jobs and services. It would also provide additional revenue for the Government via additional tax payments, and reduction in benefit payments.

We could usefully cut public spending in nostalgia for lost empire. That means withdrawing from unjust wars in Afghanistan and Libya. It also means reducing the defence budget to a comparable level to other Western European states.

Q Yes or no – are we heading for a double dip recession?

We are certainly experiencing a reappearance of crisis – whether this will lead to a double dip, stagnation, or a very slow recovery is unclear, but it is clear that the policies pursued since 2008 have merely transferred record levels of private indebtedness into state indebtedness. Private firms in the US, UK and elsewhere are paying down debts, building large amounts of liquid assets and avoiding investment. Far from being “crowded out” of investment by Government spending, private firms are on investment strike. This is while public sector spending is declining. This is a desperately bad situation.

Q Are you satisfied with Ed Miliband’s performance as Labour leader?

Yes. He has had to reorientate a party which was deeply disappointed by the General Election result. Since his election he has directed the party outwards. That’s a good start. Of course, the CWU will have criticisms of this or that stance that he has taken. But he must be supported if there is to be an early return of a Labour Government.
Perhaps his most impressive contribution, so far, was around the News of the World scandal. Here, he ratcheted up the pressure and prevented the Coalition from being able to down grade or hush up the scandal. I assume that this demonstrates the calibre of the leadership that Ed Miliband will consistently develop in the future.

Q Do you worry that Labour is planning to sever its links with the Union Movement?

I very much support the Refounding Labour Review initiated by Ed Miliband. I believe that Labour in opposition must review the whole “Party Into Power” system. We must make our party more accessible and representative of the millions of C2, D and E voters who left us after 1997. We also need to speak to a new generation of young voters.
The Trade Unions have an important contribution to make to this process. We must consider changes on their merit. Above all, we must see an end to the practice which dismissed the contributions of both the Unions and the CLPs.
The individual and affiliated members are the solution to Labour’s problems. They can connect with their communities and workmates.

Q Do you think Union leaders are paid too much?

Our union is a big supporter of the High Pay Commission. My salary has a ratio of 4.6 times the pay of the lowest paid CWU employees; and 8.8 times the pay of the lowest paid CWU members.
We have some high paid people in CWU membership, and some very low paid.
For the CEO of BT, the pay ratio is roughly 89 times the pay of the main pay grade of employees. For the CEO of Royal Mail, the pay ratio is 34 times.

Q Who is your political hero?

There are many people who have inspire me – but I feel a great affection for Jayaben Desai. The Grunwick’s fight that she led coincided with my deepening involvement with the Union of Postal Workers in Liverpool.
She showed the world that Asian women in Britain were as strong, intelligent and determined as anyone else in the country. She led a mixed workforce of low paid workers against a vicious employer backed by everything that is vile in the British establishment.

This year, the CWU’s annual conference awarded her honorary membership, posthumously. We need to remember her because she represents our future, as much as our past.

[demon]

everything he has done for us is s**t longer week less pay and the agreement for saturday working hours he could not have s**t on us more time for him to go and give job to somebody who has the balls to help us get better working conditions

[fishtank]

Q What do you think your Union has achieved for its members in recent years?

According to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills report on Trade Union members 2010, Trade Union members earn on average 16.7% more an hour than unorganised workers. Where the CWU has recognition agreements, a constant refrain from employers is that we are making them pay above the “market rate”.
Like Union members generally, CWU members have better wages, pensions, benefits a shorter working week, better training and safer working conditions than unorganised workers.

That's a politician's answer...and doesn't even answer the question.

[clashcityrocker]

That's a politician's answer...and doesn't even answer the question.

CWU members have better wages, pensions, benefits a shorter working week, better training and safer working conditions.

[fishtank]

That's a politician's answer...and doesn't even answer the question.

CWU members have better wages, pensions, benefits a shorter working week, better training and safer working conditions.

Q What do you think your Union has achieved for its members in recent years?


CWU members have always had better wages, pensions, benefits a shorter working week, better training and safer working conditions.....than unorganised workers.
I would say if anything the gap has narrowed in recent years.

[clashcityrocker]

We have had wage rises where others have had pay freezes in recent years.
The reduction in our working week is recent.
We've now got safer workplaces due to the recent introduction of WCM

I am a big fan of Billy's. I don't care what anyone on here says about him.

[blackadder]

he dos talk a good game dont he. shame most of it is bollocks

[fishtank]

We have had wage rises where others have had pay freezes in recent years.

We've also had pay freezes when others had pay rises.

The reduction in our working week is recent.

The reduction in your working week is...only a promise at the moment.

We've now got safer workplaces due to the recent introduction of WCM

No comment.

I am a big fan of Billy's. I don't care what anyone on here says about him.

I don't like politicians full stop...it's not personal.

[jmcg]

i would like a wage like billy hayes....

[dvbuk55]

They are obviously pre-prepared answers to questions given in advance and I would suggest they aren't Bills answers but one of his minions. You only have to see him on TV in an unscripted scenario to get the true measure of the man.

[mdm]

i've seen him on tv as well, he comes across as an out of touch moron, he'd be perfect as a Labour MP.

[ElvisGaddafi]

We have had wage rises where others have had pay freezes in recent years.
The reduction in our working week is recent.
We've now got safer workplaces due to the recent introduction of WCM

I am a big fan of Billy's. I don't care what anyone on here says about him.

He was on Newsnight round about the time of our last strike and he ended up looking like a complete idiot. And it wasn't even the mighty Paxman, wee Billy got ripped to shreds by Gavin Esler of all people!

[ElvisGaddafi]

In case anybody's interested, here is the email I sent at the time and the reply I received:

To: Billy Hayes
CC: Dave Ward
Sent: Sat Oct 17 13:06:14 2009
Subject: Newsnight Debacle

Dear Mr Hayes,

I am a postman and am behind the union 100% in the present battle with Royal Mail.

However, having seen your stumbling, wimpish performance on Newsnight, I'm afraid that I have great concerns for the welfare of my colleagues and myself with you at the helm of this dispute.

Now, to make matters worse, I see that, not satisfied with simply being an embarrassment to your members you have now decided to also make yourself a laughing-stock by claiming that you are more powerful than Scargill was in the 80's.

If you cast yourself in the 'Scargill' role then I assume that Mandelson must be playing the part of Mrs Thatcher, since the major shareholder in Royal Mail is The Government and, in this instance at least, The Government equals Mandelson. I would remind you that one major difference between the two disputes is that the NUM were not giving the Conservatives millions of pounds which they were then free to use to fight against the very individuals whose union dues made up those millions.

I understand your reluctance to explain on Newsnight why you are happy to continue to help fund New Labour when 98% of your members voted for disaffiliation as, I am sure, on a personal level at least, the withdrawal of support would probably have a negative effect on any mutual backscratching you enjoy at the moment but i wonder whether you would care to explain to a humble union member, such as myself?

I suspect that your days as General Secretary may be numbered, as you can only insult the intelligence of your members for so long and get away with it, but in the meantime, may I respectfully suggest that for any future live TV broadcasts, the union is represented by someone who is more media-savvy and capable of thinking on their feet, rather than only sticking to the preprepared agenda they go in with. You were lucky that Gavin Esler decided (presumably because of time restraints) to let you off the hook, and probably even more lucky that it wasn't Mr Paxman doing the interviewing.

To reiterate, sir, your bumbling performance was an embarrassment to yourself, your union and your members.

Yours Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Scotland No2


Dear XXXXXX
Thank you for your email I have no intention of falling into a trap question set by a hostile journalist.I am gald you saw the interview,all the texts I received on the night were positive.
It appears that in the first instance you have not read the interview, in The Times simply relying on T.V. reports of the same.Secondaly I took precaution of recording the interview myself to guard against abuse of my comments,from the right wing media.At no time did I make that comment buy The Times today you will note the headline has no quotation markes.
I trust this answers your points.
Thank you for taking the time to email me.
Yours Sincerely
Billy Hayes
CWU GS

[Lounge Lizard]

Q Do you think Union leaders are paid too much?

A Our union is a big supporter of the High Pay Commission. My salary has a ratio of 4.6 times the pay of the lowest paid CWU employees; and 8.8 times the pay of the lowest paid CWU members.

[dvbuk55]

Q Do you think Union leaders are paid too much?

A Our union is a big supporter of the High Pay Commission. My salary has a ratio of 4.6 times the pay of the lowest paid CWU employees; and 8.8 times the pay of the lowest paid CWU members.

Well that's what I call value for money Apparently it was only 8 times the CWU members until the last pay deal, when we lost money obviously his pay rose proportionately.