CWU London critical of CWU Campaign!

[POSTMAN]

3 November 2010


Billy Hayes
General Secretary
CWU
150 The Broadway
Wimbledon
London SW19 1RX



Dear Billy

Anti Privatisation Campaign

We are writing to you on behalf of all the London Branches to express our frustration and concern over the Union’s current anti privatisation campaign.

In our opinion the CWU at the moment is sleepwalking towards privatisation.

This Union has defeated privatisation on three different times by having an inclusive campaign and mobilising our members and alerting the public in every constituency within the UK.

Thus far the Union’s campaign would seem to have been ineffective in its aim to target the 71 marginal constituencies.

At the second reading 64 of those targeted voted yes to the Bill and 7 abstained.

The third reading is expected to be held in December. It is therefore critical that the Union reconsiders its strategy and ensures the campaign ignites the whole Union into ensuring that we raise the level of the campaign to a different level.

This campaign must start being both a political and industrial campaign. At the moment it is an exclusive campaign which will fail unless we ensure that every Rep and every Branch has a role in alerting the public to the real threat of privatisation.

We realise that this letter is critical of current strategy and what we view as a low key campaign. However, we are passionate in our opposition to privatisation and fear that at all levels, including ourselves, that the Union as a whole is not doing enough to defeat this Government Bill.

Some of the initiatives we would like to see the Union do and set up quickly are:-

1. CWU set up an emergency committee including PEC members in order to co‑ordinate the Branches. This must be a joint industrial and political campaign and must involve members of the PEC.

2. Each Region/Division to set up a campaign group on a similar scale to the committees as set up in 2005. The purpose of this group to ensure that each Branch has a proper action plan in place which will ensure the members are on board and that the Branches ensure that members of the public are made aware of the Government’s plans and also the MPs. This regional group will also assist in comms to the members etc.

3. Each Branch must have an action plan in place detailing what they intend to do over the next two months to defeat the Government’s Bill.

4. Members must be made aware of the attack which will come from the Government’s plans including pensions, terms and conditions and to the level of jobs. Remember, members will care more about their terms, conditions and pensions going forward, rather than who owns the company.

5. The Union should call a day of action, where stalls could be set up in High Streets, Stations etc. On this day the Union should take out adverts in newspapers and billboards etc. This should take place before the third reading. Adverts should be placed in free national newspapers such as the Metro which covers large parts of the country and is widely read.

6. A national march in perhaps Cameron, Clegg, Cable and Davey’s constituencies. Taking it to the heart of the Con-Dems coalition.

7. Hold a consultation ballot amongst our members on the CWU strategy of the Government resolving the pension issue and addressing the unfair competition but remaining in the public sector or the Government’s plans which will sell 90% of Royal Mail and separate POL and give a 10% employee share.

In our view with the right campaign, we can justifiably then argue that the employees of Royal Mail do not want privatisation and do not want the employee shares.

8. We have to target the Tories in a different way to make them think twice. We should consider setting up an independent group which aim is highlighting the fact that the two favourites for buying Royal Mail with Deutsche Poste (German) and TNT (The Dutch Post Office).

Do the Tories really want to sell the Royal Mail to a foreign postal administration?

We should also get this independent group to meet UKIP to get them to assist.

Whilst we may all be uncomfortable with this tactic, we will be even more uncomfortable if our members no longer have a pension or a job due to the fact Royal Mail has been privatised.

Desperate and innovative measurers are now needed.

9. The universal service threat must be relayed to the public, particularly in rurals.

10. A national petition against the Bill.

11. We need to highlight how damaging an effect the plan for Post Office Counters will be and take the campaign to the communities.

12. The Union to have a national door to door drop in opposition to the Bill.

We realise that the CWU’s finances are under scrutiny. However, the Union finances will be hit far harder if privatisation goes ahead.

This letter is not intended as a personal attack on yourself, Dave, the Regional Secretaries or Comms etc. It is intended to express our real concern over what we believe is a campaign which is drifting towards privatisation.

It is not too late for the CWU to change directions and we sincerely hope that you and the CWU nationally take on board our suggestions.

As at this moment in time we do not believe that anyone nationally, regionally, divisionally or at Branch level can look in the mirror and say that they have done enough to defeat the Con-Dem plans.

Let us reinvigorate the campaign and ensure that every activist in the CWU ensures defeating the Bill is a priority.

We are copying this letter to the PEC and Divisional Reps for their attention. This is too important an issue to let go.

Yours sincerely

Martin Walsh, Mark Palfrey, John Simkins
London Divisional Representatives

[guvenor]

might need to give bill,n,dave 4 months to think about it

[fishtank]

Is this an open letter POSTMAN and if not why is it being released?
The press will have a field day with this...it is a very dangerous game to play.
I have to say i agree with the majority of the points made in the letter...but it's a big risk to look divided at this point.

[Glenno]

Is this an open letter POSTMAN and if not why is it being released?
The press will have a field day with this...it is a very dangerous game to play.
I have to say i agree with the majority of the points made in the letter...but it's a big risk to look divided at this point.

I think FT that the answer lies in the heading

[Martin Walsh]

Fishtank you do surprise me , you have criticised CWU HQs on an almost daily baise for the last few years behind a keyboard. Yet when someone does the same by actually revealing themselves and fronting CWU HQs out you now have concerns. What is your concern now ,?

[fishtank]

Fishtank you do surprise me , you have criticised CWU HQs on an almost daily baise for the last few years behind a keyboard. Yet when someone does the same by actually revealing themselves and fronting CWU HQs out you now have concerns. What is your concern now ,?

Relax dingo..i'm not criticising the content of the letter,in fact i'm not really criticising anything about it.
I'm just nervous that the press and the unholy alliance will jump on any sign of weakness or division shown by the union at this particular moment and if Billy throws a hissy fit that's exactly how it will look.
Hopefully the big man can take the advice on the chin and change direction before it's too late for all of us.

[Big Daz]

Ive got a letter almost ready to go my Con MP Im tackling the issue of so called local blocking of national agreemnets.

The reality is democratic ballots of CWU mbrs aretaking place and returning no votes. That is not blocking but genuine concerns of hard working CWU members.

[Wessex]

Well done London CWU ...lets get this party started

[Danelectro]

I would have thought it was common knowledge that there are divisions in the union?
and the weaknesses were shouted from the rooftops from senior CWU that the membership didnt have the stomach
for a long dispute last year, hence the excuse why they had to give so much away in the 2010 beyond deal are
also well known.

Now i dont know what its like in London offices but my boss is still trying the banking hours bullshit after
reminding him countless times him and hes doing it in an office where an area rep works,that with a million and one other loose ends in the agreement and bullying/lying/budget obsessed managers need to be addressed before the membership in
my neck o the woods would even consider thinking its worth their while getting involved in any anti privatisation campaign.

But full credit to the London Divisions for at least showing that they want to put up a fight,though i do feel we have allready
thrown the baby out with the bath water with the current agreement.

[dvbuk55]

Obviously privatisation scares the CWU London more than the denigration of terms and conditions already agreed by the CWU Hierarchy and endorsed by the very same people who now criticise those who negotiated it...............they say it's not a personal attack but perhaps it should be, perhaps it's time to get rid of the old guard and inject new bloodwho have some idea of how to stand and fight.

[fishtank]

This letter asks more questions than it answers.
It's dated the 3rd and appears on here on the 5th....not much chance of a considered reply from Billy and Dave in that time scale....so why the letter?...and why make it public?
I'm pretty sure that HQ were aware of the LDC's position beforehand so if Billy and Dave were prepared to accept a change of direction why not present a united front and just release a statement saying that the CWU was ready to take it's anti-privatisation campaign to a new level....
Are Billy and Dave prepared to accept a change in direction...that's a letter i'd like to see.

[dvbuk55]

In truth? I don't think they can afford a big protracted campaign. TBH the idea that they should target the 71 MPs with the smallest majority stinks - rather like RM targeting the smallest offices in order to steam roller through change. It is a form of bullying nothing more nothing less.

Every credit to London of course because the elephant is being talked about BUT what are they going to do about it in CWU HQ? Primarily they have to come up with credible reasons why privatisation should not go ahead - crazy innuendo won't do - but what factors are going to sway the opinion of the people who matter ......................those who are going to vote on it. The USO in its present form is one, especially because it will take public funds to maintain and the pit is potentially bottomless - but are they going to honour it after the sell off - that again is a weak spot in the sell off plan.

[fishtank]

In truth? I don't think they can afford a big protracted campaign.

[Fred B]

perhaps it's time to get rid of the old guard and inject new bloodwho have some idea of how to stand and fight.

[jack straw]

perhaps it's time to get rid of the old guard and inject new bloodwho have some idea of how to stand and fight.

Well said. These 2 in charge are absolutely useless. Hayes and Ward depart now please.