MINISTER WARNS POSTAL UNIONS AGAINST STRIKE

[Geezer]

Letter to Branches




No. 642/2010 Ref: 21003 Date: 26th July 2010


TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS





Dear Colleague

MINISTER WARNS POSTAL UNIONS AGAINST STRIKE

Please find attached to this LTB a copy of an article that appeared in the Guardian on the 21st July with the above mentioned headline.

In response to this article I have today written to Ed Davey, Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs. A copy of this letter is attached.

I would ask Branches to ensure that CWU members are aware of these developments.

Yours sincerely



Dave Ward
Deputy General Secretary (P)


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Royal Mail workers warned against strike

• No bailout for pension fund without sell-off to private sector
• Opposing privatisation would be 'self-defeating' says minister

The minister in charge of privatising Royal Mail has warned unions opposed to the plan that taking further industrial action would be "self-defeating".
Ed Davey also said there would be no government bailout of Royal Mail's estimated £10bn pension fund deficit without selling off the company.
"We are having to take incredibly tough decisions across the public sector," he told the Guardian. "I do not think people will believe that Royal Mail should be protected."
The Guardian has also learnt that the Treasury could force Royal Mail's new owners to hand back the £900m the government lent the company to modernise much earlier than expected. Royal Mail's annual report in May said it expected to renegotiate another debt facility when the current five year funding arrangement expires in 2014. But it is now understood the money will have to be repaid in 2014, because the government will expect any new private owners to fund modernisation themselves.
The Communication Workers' Union remains staunchly opposed to the sell-off plan and is co-ordinating a national campaign against it. It believes bringing in new private sector management and owners is likely to scupper the modernisation agreement struck between the union and Royal Mail after last year's bitter industrial dispute and to lead to renewed hostilities.
Speaking to the Guardian, Davey, Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton, said new owners would have to "deal with employees fairly". He stressed that he hoped he would be able to win round the CWU, which successfully campaigned against the previous government's privatisation plan last year.
"I start off with a positive agenda to make sure there are no strikes which I hope the unions and members will respond positively to. I am hoping that because they understand that Royal Mail has financial challenges and are rather concerned about members' pensions they will recognise that what we are proposing is both sensible and frankly essential."
Under the plan employees will be offered shares in the business on a partnership model similar to John Lewis, giving them a share of profits. Last month Davey met Billy Hayes, general secretary of the CWU, and his deputy Dave Ward. Further meetings are planned.
"Many realise within Royal Mail that the last strike damaged the company," Davey said. "Any strikes now in the mail sector seem pretty self-defeating."
A CWU spokesman said the union remained opposed to the plan. He said the union was in a stronger position to defeat the latest privatisation attempt than last year because it had agreed to work with Royal Mail management to modernise by bringing in new automated sorting machines and working practices.
"The company is not crying out for money," the CWU spokesman said. "It has the appropriate modernisation programme in place. Royal Mail has stability now for the first time for a long time. Our position is to oppose privatisation."
A new postal bill is to go before Parliament in the autumn and could secure royal assent by next June, Davey said. The auction will not begin until legislation has been agreed. He said the bill would be more radical than the previous government's, and hinted that the entire government stake could be sold, as opposed to a minority stake.


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Dear Ed


MINISTER WARNS POSTAL UNION’S AGAINST STRIKE

I was very disappointed to read your comments in the Guardian article of 21st July.

Far from threatening strike action, the CWU has entered into a three year modernisation agreement with Royal Mail which will bring products and services to the cutting edge of delivery systems while providing a period of stability for the company and its staff.

Your comments are either ill-informed or deliberately timed to destabilise the workforce and use this as a smokescreen for the government to pursue its unpopular ideological privatisation objective.
Our Ref : DW/jdd/67000

23rd July 2010

Ed Davey, MP
Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0ET

Talk of a Government bail out on pensions is also totally misleading. A proper examination of the facts will show pensions can be resolved without privatisation.

We are very worried that the Government intends to raid the £24 billion worth of assets in the Royal Mail pension scheme under the pretence of ‘bailing it out’. CWU is not looking for a dispute - but if our members’ pension fund is robbed of its assets then we will respond in a decisive manner.


In response to your article I am publishing this letter to CWU Branches and members.

I look forward to seeing you on the 3rd August, when I hope you will be able to clarify the Government’s position on CWU members’ pension entitlements.

Yours sincerely



Dave Ward
Deputy General Secretary (P)

[DirtyHarry]

Right, who's for losing heaps more money so Billy & Dave can do some more grandstanding and posturing, and we end up no better off, indeed, could end up a good deal worse off, as per all the other fruitless strikes we've took part in?

Nah, me neither. November 5th 2009, a day that has gone down in infamy, well, as far as I'm concerned, anyway.

[dvbuk55]

Right, who's for losing heaps more money so Billy & Dave can do some more grandstanding and posturing, and we end up no better off, indeed, could end up a good deal worse off, as per all the other fruitless strikes we've took part in?

Nah, me neither. November 5th 2009, a day that has gone down in infamy, well, as far as I'm concerned, anyway.

Infamy, Infamy, the bastards have it in for me............................. Lets just ask ourselves who, when the deficit was 3/4 billion, managed to decouple it from the 2007 Modernisation agreement and have let it fester for 3 more years when the deficit is 8.4 bn? Suddenly it becomes apriori when privatisation is mentioned again - I wonder, if the Government can't find a buyer, the pension issue would go away again.

[DirtyHarry]

Right, who's for losing heaps more money so Billy & Dave can do some more grandstanding and posturing, and we end up no better off, indeed, could end up a good deal worse off, as per all the other fruitless strikes we've took part in?

Nah, me neither. November 5th 2009, a day that has gone down in infamy, well, as far as I'm concerned, anyway.

Infamy, Infamy, the bastards have it in for me............................. Lets just ask ourselves who, when the deficit was 3/4 billion, managed to decouple it from the 2007 Modernisation agreement and have let it fester for 3 more years when the deficit is 8.4 bn? Suddenly it becomes apriori when privatisation is mentioned again - I wonder, if the Government can't find a buyer, the pension issue would go away again.

They were great, weren't they,the Carry-On films, the "infamy" line being one of many classic one-liners, Carry On Cleo, Kenneth Williams as Caesar.
As for the idiots we've been unlucky to have negotiate deals on our behalf, a capitalist's dream come true, 'aint they?

[dvbuk55]

Right, who's for losing heaps more money so Billy & Dave can do some more grandstanding and posturing, and we end up no better off, indeed, could end up a good deal worse off, as per all the other fruitless strikes we've took part in?

Nah, me neither. November 5th 2009, a day that has gone down in infamy, well, as far as I'm concerned, anyway.

Infamy, Infamy, the bastards have it in for me............................. Lets just ask ourselves who, when the deficit was 3/4 billion, managed to decouple it from the 2007 Modernisation agreement and have let it fester for 3 more years when the deficit is 8.4 bn? Suddenly it becomes apriori when privatisation is mentioned again - I wonder, if the Government can't find a buyer, the pension issue would go away again.

They were great, weren't they,the Carry-On films, the "infamy" line being one of many classic one-liners, Carry On Cleo, Kenneth Williams as Caesar.
As for the idiots we've been unlucky to have negotiate deals on our behalf, a capitalist's dream come true, 'aint they?

Absolutely mint, so easy to watch! I've recently watched Shutter Island and Inception with Leonardo di Caprio - now I'm not thick, well not that thick but I didn't understand either of them, a bit like modern art daubs of paint on canvas is just that, then you get some pretentious prat saying what great insight the artist had - a bit like some on here who still pretend it was the deal to end all deals.

[DirtyHarry]

Absolutely mint, so easy to watch! I've recently watched Shutter Island and Inception with Leonardo di Caprio - now I'm not thick, well not that thick but I didn't understand either of them, a bit like modern art daubs of paint on canvas is just that, then you get some pretentious prat saying what great insight the artist had - a bit like some on here who still pretend it was the deal to end all deals.

Oh, don't get me started on modern art, mate......What I wouldn't give to have an hour alone in the Tate Modern, and a blowtorch!

The "deal of the century", I think someone foolishly called it. They still underestimate the damage this "deal to end all deals" has done to THEM, as well as the damage it has done to us.
Amazing, how some people can be so out of touch with the reality of their membership's situation, which wasn't so good before the Pay & Modenisation deal of 2007, and is now fast approaching dire with the latest debacle they've landed us with.

[fishtank]

I think if they try a "call to arms" over privatisation Harry...they will find out just how dire the situation with the membership really is.
It may be a just cause...it may be the right thing to do..but i think the sight of Dave,Billy and Bob trying to rally the troops might be a bit much for most members stomachs after Transformation blah,blah 2010.

[DirtyHarry]

I think if they try a "call to arms" over privatisation Harry...they will find out just how dire the situation with the membership really is.
It may be a just cause...it may be the right thing to do..but i think the sight of Dave,Billy and Bob trying to rally the troops might be a bit much for most members stomachs after Transformation blah,blah 2010.

Absolutely, fishtank.
It is a just cause, it would be the right thing to do, but I don't trust my union anymore, I would expect our union to call us out, then reach an agreement that allowed the government to carry through it's plans for privatisation, we've been led up that old garden path by the CWU too often, and I for one have had my fill of it.
There is zilch respect for Billy Hayes, Dave Ward, Bob Gibson, because they have failed us all, and failed us in the most miserable of fashion.
The WS machines will be up and running in my area by October, and the very first Saturday that sees me out on delivery beyond 1pm, well, that will be me out of the union, and I've been a member of a union for over 30 years, there will be nothing left that makes this damn job bearable for me, nothing. I joined the CWU in order to protect conditions that made this job one of the best going, now, I cannot think of a single thing the job's got going for it, not a thing.
Slowly, but surely, everything has gone, including allowances we once enjoyed, overtime rates that meant overtime was really worth doing, job and finish, the list is endless, and I could go on, but sleep beckons me, I'm afraid. So,it's goodnight from me!

[dvbuk55]

I think if they try a "call to arms" over privatisation Harry...they will find out just how dire the situation with the membership really is.
It may be a just cause...it may be the right thing to do..but i think the sight of Dave,Billy and Bob trying to rally the troops might be a bit much for most members stomachs after Transformation blah,blah 2010.

I obviously have no need to worry about privatisation. I do think it will come and in the life of this parliament. What tone the "fight" will take I have absolutely no idea but I don't think there is much fight left in the membership and so whatever the stand is to be it will have to be compelling.

Much better for the CWU not to engage the government because as sure as eggs is eggs that'll be the end for them despite the "truce" over the last two agreements and essentially a no strike deal - perhaps they are more farsighted than they have been credited with, thinking it would be a sop - it won't, both coalition parties are in favour of a sell off, it will be the PROPORTION of sell off that will be worth a campaign perhaps.