Red Yobbo: 6ft 5in, 20-stone union boss

[Stormproof]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ceman.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Red Yobbo: 6ft 5in, 20-stone union boss behind postal strike fined £600 for kicking policeman

By Christopher Leake
Last updated at 10:27 PM on 12th September 2009


The-Left-wing union official leading the current wave of postal strikes has a criminal conviction for assaulting a policeman, whom he kicked during a pub fight.

Burly 20-stone Dave Ward, 49, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union and head of its postal department, is one of the driving forces behind walkouts that have caused a backlog of tens of millions of letters and parcels.

Shaven-headed Mr Ward, who is 6ft 5in, was fined £600 and ordered to pay compensation to the officer of £100.
Arrested: CWU general secretary Dave Ward was found guilty of assaulting a police officer last year

Arrested: CWU general secretary Dave Ward was found guilty of assaulting a police officer last year

Mr Ward was arrested at the Wibbas Down pub in Wimbledon, South-West London, on October 31 last year along with his son, Benjamin, 22, after police were called to the scene.

Mr Ward was detained after he intervened in a fight involving his son but it was during his arrest that the union boss kicked PC Ben Morrison, injuring the constable’s shoulder.

The CWU official and his son were both released later on police bail. They appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court charged with assaulting police and with a public order offence – using words and behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Benjamin Ward was additionally charged with obstructing police. Both father and son pleaded not guilty to all charges.

However, Mr Ward was fined £600 after being found guilty of assaulting PC Morrison. He was ordered to pay the officer £100 compensation and to pay £85 costs.
Mr Ward and his son were arrested at the Wibbas Down pub in Wimbledon last year

The fight took place at the Wibbas Down pub in Wimbledon

Benjamin Ward was found not guilty of all charges. Despite the current dispute being attacked as ‘wholly irresponsible’ by Royal Mail, Mr Ward, the union’s public face on TV and radio, has accused the management of bullying tactics.

Last month, he said on the CWU website: ‘Bullying and harassment is now reaching shocking levels as local managers are allowed to pick on individuals.’ And last week, he added: ‘Management have been bullying our members into unagreed, often unworkable changes.’

Mr Ward – whose militancy has evoked memories of Derek ‘Red Robbo’ Robinson, the scourge of British Leyland in the Seventies – is married with four children aged between seven and 22.

He admits he is a member of the so-called ‘awkward squad’ of Left-wing union bosses who have called on Gordon Brown to support their hard-line views, and he has led the CWU negotiations with Royal Mail in the row over job cuts and working hours.

He says on the union website: ‘If membership of the so-called “awkward squad” means placing a firm emphasis on improving pay and conditions for union members, then I’m happy to be associated with that.’

Mr Ward began his career in the postal industry as a messenger boy before becoming a postman.

He joined the CWU in 1976 and worked for the union as a branch, regional and national executive official before becoming Deputy General Secretary (Postal) in June 2003.

In his spare time, Mr Ward supports Chelsea FC and plays blues guitar. His musical heroes are Rolling Stone Keith Richards and American slide guitarist Ry Cooder.

Last night, Mr Ward was unavailable for comment.

[DGP1]

Didn't we have this story last year when it happened? And lets be honest here, who hasn't wanted to kick a police man in the shoulder maybe it was his ballet training

[TrueBlueTerrier]

A post using abusive and divisive language in particular reference to the NI political and religious divide removed and user banned.

The rotund comments about a "National" figure would have just received a warning as it was against the rules, and the other about him representing us was fair comment but not the phrase for which I banned him/her for.

For reference sakes: The reason why I banned him was breaching this rule

Please remember everyone is welcome on this site. Customers, CWU Officers, Royal Mail Managers, all Royal Mail employees, the General Public, the press,and even MPs, so please do not resort to abuse if people of a different political persuasion or viewpoint to you, post on a thread.

Please do not in any circumstances resort to name calling or behaviour that could be deemed as bullying or harassment. Specifically, regarding the term 'scab'. It does have an historical meaning in some circles, but it can also be seen as abuse by others.

He would have got a warning for this breach

It is fair to say that those in the 'top jobs' come in for a lot of criticism on this forum, please post constructive criticism and nothing else. Any libellous or slanderous posts will be deleted or amended, in no way should these personalities have any abuse aimed at them, period.

[andy2007]

Didn't we have this story last year when it happened? And lets be honest here, who hasn't wanted to kick a police man in the shoulder maybe it was his ballet training

Yes, it was reported at the time. It's just another example of how much of a liability he's become. Attacking the Police, is unacceptable, and brings the CWU into disrepute. It's just a pity that no-one else, is willing to stand against him.

I hope that you're joking about your attitude to the Police. Or would you prefer to have no-one to help, if you, or one of your Relatives is attacked, robbed, etc..

[Stormproof]

Andy where is your sense of humour? You get a clue in the post, where it says 'ballet training'

[Martin Walsh]

Andy I cant agree with you. Who wouldt have stepped into help their son who was being dragged along the floor by 8 policemen. Its funny that the CCTV evidence which would have shown that the police were overhanded went missing and couldt be found.

[DGP1]

Just in case people haven't worked out my post was (mostly) a joke.

[UNION IVOR]

at the moment if they cant find any stuff to chuck at the union leaders there use old stuff , but wardys got wide anough back to take that.

[norbert]

at the moment if they cant find any stuff to chuck at the union leaders there use old stuff , but wardys got wide anough back to take that.

then there's the Torygraph article about Spanish Practices " quotes " on RMC and the Daily Sieg Heil finds the most unflattering picture of DW - Coincidence not ?

Stinks of 148 Old St ? - let's just say relationships can be a bit " cosy " and RM do have Union Busters from the States and expensive PR people . Remember how :cfo was taking a pasting in the Tory papers about his salary in 2007 and then the Spanish Practices story came out , everyone suspected it was that Op's Director Tom ? who has now retired who fed the papers with it , 92 versions of the same things .

[norbert]

Andy I cant agree with you. Who wouldt have stepped into help their son who was being dragged along the floor by 8 policemen. Its funny that the CCTV evidence which would have shown that the police were overhanded went missing and couldt be found.

The Police closed ranks and stitched him up - Gene Hunt would have been proud of it .

[dvbuk55]

Andy I cant agree with you. Who wouldt have stepped into help their son who was being dragged along the floor by 8 policemen. Its funny that the CCTV evidence which would have shown that the police were overhanded went missing and couldt be found.

The Police closed ranks and stitched him up - Gene Hunt would have been proud of it .

Yeah right! And two wrongs do not make a right. I do remember the case being reported last year, however I do not recall the outcome being published. I am assuming that there were other witnesses who supported the case and yet a guilty verdict was found. I couldn't give a toss if he was a gun toting maniac, what interests me is what he can do for us as a union negotiator.

[johnnyp]

Dave Ward

http://www.cwu.org/dave-ward-dgsp.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Martin Walsh]

Dvbuk fair point but the reason he was found guilty was that it was in a magistrates court and the chances of a not guilty in those courts are very slim especially as the police and magistrates meet on a daily or weekly basis. However if he opted for a crown court hearing by jury he would have had more chance of getting off however the penalty also increases and could have possibly led to a custodial sentence if found guilty. So with the CCTV evidence not being found he went guilty in a deal with the prosecution on a lesser charge.

But Royal Mail has obviously leaked this in a way to cause unrest amongst members in the same ways as the telegraph aticle. I think we all know Dave has not led this dispute as these were led by Divisions and Branch"s.