Bridgwater Royal Mail Postal Strike

 From Bridgwater Trades Union Council:

100 postman and women at Bridgwater Royal Mail Delivery Office walked out on unofficial strike this morning.

The CWU members are angry that Royal Mail are using the Covid 19 crisis as a screen to attack the strong trade union organisation at the Friarn St office.

Specific grievances are:

1. A manager who has previously twice been removed from Bridgwater DO has been put back in charge.Staff believe this manager's aggressive and anti-union behaviour make him the worst possible choice, when they just want the support of managers to get out and deliver letters and packets to local people as best they can, with many staff on self-isolation and/or sick, and working with, and supporting, some inexperienced casuals.  

2. Staff have been threatened with disciplinary action for "Wilful delay of the mail", which could lead to dismissal, when all they have done is work to their contracted finishing time.

3. Union activists have been followed around the building by managers who have tried to prevent them talking to members at work. 

4. Royal Mail have given notice they wish to rip up all current local agreements with the CWU-agreements that give local postman and women some of the best conditions in the country.

5. The current manager has deliberately tried to provoke trouble by removing the majority of cycles from the office-Bridgwater is the last office in the UK to use them.

The action this morning was supported by 100% of the union members at Bridgwater-a workplace where 99.7% of postman and women are union members

They have taken this action as a last resort-Royal Mail must now re-consider their whole management strategy at Bridgwater and appoint managers who are prepared to work with the union, not try and destroy it.

At 12.30pm this afternoon CWU members voted to go home for the rest of the day.

The strike will now go into its second day.

Senior CWU Officials are now involved to try and resolve this serious situation."

Further info Dave Chapple, Bridgwater Trades Union Council  on 07707869144

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ROYAL MAIL GROUP NATIONAL BALLOT

ROYAL MAIL GROUP NATIONAL BALLOT – VOTE YES 

Dear Colleagues, 

From today ballot papers will land at the home addresses of all Royal Mail and Parcelforce members.

When your post arrives at home today we would urge you to use your vote and to vote YES. There has never been a more critical time to support your union.

We have put together some ballot day videos for you to enjoy;

Marathon Facebook Live session

CWU Dispute video

Dave Ward General Secretary final message

Terry Pullinger Deputy General Secretary (Postal) final message

Finally, tomorrow (5th March) is National Get The Vote Out Day. We urge every single office in the UK to 1. Hold a gate meeting and 2. WhatsApp us a silent video to 07583725644 – here is an example of the type of video we want 

The time is now – vote YES

#IAmTheUnion

CWU STATEMENT:ON COURT JUDGEMENT

Royal Mail Dispute – High Court Judgement

CWU members will be and are extremely angry and bitterly disappointed that one judge has granted Royal Mail an injunction to invalidate our ballot for strike action.

We balloted over 110,000 members and they voted by over 97% in favour of strike action in a massive 76% turnout.

Not one single person out of 110,000 who were balloted complained to Royal Mail that their right to vote was interfered with. Not one single person out of 110,000 who were balloted complained to the independent scrutineers that their right to vote was interfered with. The electoral reform society who conducted the ballot confirmed it was run in full accordance of the law. And after over seven weeks since the ballot commenced, not one single person has complained to the certification officer who is appointed by the government to regulate trade unions.

Yet despite all of this – with no evidence supporting their claim from any employee – Royal Mail can come to this court in what is a cowardly and vicious attack on its own workforce – and through a witness statement of one manager can be granted an injunction to stop our right to strike in defence over 100,000 jobs and the very future of UK postal services.

We have run a fantastic modern day campaign that combines face to face meetings with use of social media to engage willing members to maximise the yes vote and turnout. Members participated and cast their vote of their own free will. To suggest otherwise is to insult the intelligence and the integrity of thousands and thousands of good hard-working people.

We will be considering the judge’s detailed reasons for this but we want to make it clear that the only thing this union, its representatives and its members have done – is to run a fantastic modern day campaign to engage and encourage workers to defend their jobs.

We want our members to know that we will not be moved and we will be doing everything in our power to oppose the company’s industry destroying plans and this decision, including appealing against the judgement once we have taken guidance from our lawyers, re-balloting and launching a huge leverage campaign with major shareholders against the company’s actions.

This injunction is not only a massive injustice to our members it’s also an injustice to every worker in the country.

We all need to wake up and recognise that this Tory government has deliberately stacked the rules against workers in favour of the constituency they were born to serve – which is big business and the establishment.

We appeal to the TUC and workers everywhere – in what is a call – to arms that it’s time for us to fundamentally shift the balance of forces in this country back to working people and remove these draconian laws once and for all.

To Rico Back and the Royal Mail Board we say you cannot face away from the reality that your victory in this court will be short-lived. You cannot face away from the reality that you have completely lost the confidence of the workforce and as a result there is no way you will ever be able to fully implement your plans for the future.

This union and our members will not be moved.

We will be communicating further on this issue directly to our members and representatives prior to the end of this week.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to gsoffice@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

19LTB659 – Royal Mail Dispute – High Court Judgement

View Online

Bread & Roses Song & Spoken Word Award

THE Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) and Culture Matters are pleased to announce the second edition of their successful Songwriting and Spoken Word Award.   The Musicians’ Union is also sponsoring and supporting the Award this time.

The Award is now open for submissions. The new Award is a practical example of cultural democracy, with the aim of encouraging musicians and performers to write material meaningful to working class people and communities, and to encourage those communities to develop and practice their creativity.

There is a £100 cash prize for each of the top five entries.  The judges will be drawn from practising performers, the CWU, the Musician's Union, and members of Culture Matters.

Dave Ward, General Secretary of the CWU, said:

I welcome this continuing partnership with Culture Matters. The arts and culture generally are vital to the labour movement, and working class communities across the country. We want to build on the grassroots DIY ethic started by punk music, celebrate the new opportunities for working class people to write songs, make music and perform spoken word, and encourage contributions from people who might otherwise not consider entering competitions.

We are sponsoring this Award because we want to encourage our members in the CWU, and working people everywhere, to express themselves creatively on themes that matter to them as workers and which help develop understanding of the cultural struggle for a better world.

So get writing and get performing, and send your entries in!

Attila the Stockbroker, one of the judges, said:

This new Award is a great idea. There’s a real need to encourage younger and emerging performers to write and perform songs and poetry that mean something to ordinary working- class people rather than the mind-numbingly bland rubbish force-fed us by the mainstream music business and media.

Get involved – and encourage people you know to get involved!

Submission Guidelines and Award Rules:

Entry is open to all, regardless of trade union membership. The submission guidelines are as follows:

Entries should broadly deal with any aspect of working-class life, communities, culture and concerns.

Entries can be from solo or duo artists/performers, and are actively encouraged from grassroots, younger and emerging performers.

Entries should consist of one song or performance of original material, in English, whether previously published or not.

Entries should be submitted as audio or live/pre-recorded video files (MP3/4 format or video) via email. All entries will be judged equally, but some video entries may be also selected to feature on the Culture Matters YouTube channel, which is currently in development.

Entry is free and is open to all residents of Great Britain, regardless of trade union membership.

Culture Matters will fund five prizes of £100 each.

All entries will remain the copyright of the entrant, but CWU and Culture Matters will have the right to publish them online and in other media.

The organisers accept no responsibility for entries that are incorrectly submitted or not delivered due to technical faults.

By entering the Award, entrants agree to accept and be bound by the rules of the Award and the decisions of the judges.

Due to the likely volume of entries, the organisers regret that they cannot enter into correspondence with individual entrants.

Entries should be sent via email to: entriesculturematters@gmail.com

The deadline for receipt of submissions is midnight on March 2nd 2019. When emailing submissions, please provide your full name, postal address and phone number.

************

Death or life sentences for Indian trade unionists

13 TRADE UNIONISTS IN INDIA FACING DEATH SENTENCES OR LIFE IMPRISONMENT

SAVE THE LIVES OF THE MARUTI 13!

Letter to his Excellency Y.K. Sinha
High Commissioner of India in London:

We the undersigned are writing to you regarding the Indian trade unionists at the Maruti Suzuki car factory in Haryana State, an Indian plant of the Japanese Suzuki multinational corporation, who were arrested and charged in connection with incidents that took place at this factory in 2012, in which a factory manager died, have just been tried in court. (1)

117 of them were acquitted and 31 were convicted of various offenses, including 13 who were convicted of murder -- which in India is punishable by death or life imprisonment. Finality of the quantum of punishment will be out on March 17.

Of the 13 convicted of murder -- convictions in which no evidence was produced to prove their guilt -- 11 were leaders of the MSWU, the independent union that was formed in Maruti and that management sought to break through violence.

SAVE THE LIVES OF THE MARUTI 13!

Excellency, we ask you to communicate the following demands to the Indian authorities:

FREEDOM FOR ALL THE IMPRISONED WORKERS!
DROP ALL THE CHARGES!
(1)  This car factory was first privatised in 2002, and the consequences that flowed from this notably included making 50% of the monthly salary variable, depending on the level of production, and having the workers lose around 25% of this part of their wages if they were absent for a day due to sick leave! In order to defend the employees’ rights, an independent trade union, the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU), was set up in 2011. This was nothing more than the application of recognised provisions under the international Conventions 87 and 98 of the ILO. However, the company’s management stated attitude was that it was not even worth trying to set up a trade union, and it then resorted to deploying armed thugs around the factory.

Endorsers - pers cap

John Sweeney trade unionist, Member of the Mumbai Conference Continuations Committee; Mike Calvert, Deputy Secretary Islington Unison ; Ian Hodson, National President Bakers and Food Workers Union (BFAWU) ; Steve Hedley, RMT Senior Assistant General Secretary ; Jane Doolan, Secretary Islington Unison ; Nick Phillips Secretary Southwark Trades Council pers  ; Ronnie Draper General Secretary BFAWU ; John McNally National Vice – President Public & Commercial Services Union  ; Dave Auger Unison NEC; Adrian Kennett Unison NEC; Dean Ryan Islinton Unison  ; Dean Kirk Hull Unison  ; Keith Dunn Tottenham CLP ; Rachel Harris Halesowen and Rowley Regis CLP- USDAW ; Tam Dewar CWU- Labour party; Alison Birmingham Norfolk County Unison; Mina Rodgers Unison Retired members Secretary Leics Health Branch NPC National Committere; Tony Goss Trade Union Managers in Partnership Organiser , Torbay CLP; Rachael Harris, Halesowen and Rowley Regis CLP and USDAW; Michael Calderbank, Brent Central CLP; Cllr Mouna Hamitouche, Islington Labour Councillor; Jo Cardwell, Islington Unison; Mark Still, RMT; Jane Gebbie Bridend CLP Unison NPT; Geoff Jelly. Unison; George Binette Camden UNISON Branch Secretary & Camden Trades Council Chair; Steve Campbell Unite Community & Unison Retired; Liz Davies, UK barrister, Honorary Vice-President Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers; John Dennis Secretary Dumfries Trade Union Council & Secretary; Terry Luke, Islington Unison; Alex Wood, Unison; Richard Gill (Islington Unison); Claudia Calvino. Labour member Heeley CLP. Unite; Fiona Monkman  Islington Unison, Mike Arnott Dundee Trades Council; Stefan Cholewka Greater Manchester Association of Trades Councils ( GMATUCs) ; Doreen McNally Unite Liverpool Community Branch; Raymond Mennie Unite Dundee; Dave Green National Officer Fire Brigares Union FBU ; Islington Unison BC; Roger Silverman Newham NUTNewham Momentum; Brian Lawton,  Unite , London IT branch; Harry Smith UNITE;  Vinothan Sangarapillai, Camden Unison; Ayten Selcuk RMT; Kath O'Connor unison; Neil Parry  Unison Welsh Government Branch Secretary Cynon Valley CLP; Roger Lewis Lambeth Unison assistant branch secretary; Victoria Cuckson PCS; Michele Marshall UNIT; Richard Knights NUT; Peter Durrant, Unite. All members of Islington Unison Branch Committee: Isabel Handovsky. ; Andrew Berry; Denise Facey; Ghile Ghebrenegus ; Kevin Perkins; Angela Faventi; Tina Clayton Unison; Alison wood West Yorkshire; Adrian Kennett Unison NEC; Sue Dockett president Wisbech/March TUC; Lucia Collins, Nipsa General Council Member, (pers cap); JON ROGERS unison nec; Eddie Dempsey RMT NEC; Sean Fox Haringey UNISON Joint Branch Secretary; Richard Gerrard, Camberwell + Peckham CLP (pers cap); Oliver New, president Ealing TUC; Seema Chandwani Tottenham CLP; Tony Church PCS DWP Leicestershire/ Secretary Leicester and District Trades Union Council; Lee Cooper, Socialist Party; Katrina Coomber UNISON Health Branch; Jane Gebbie and Kerry Jones Unison Ymlaen Branch; Katie Hall. Unison. Cardiff University Branch; Danuta Kulisa; Jonathan Dunning UNISON NEC; Tara Styles-Lightowlers UCU;Findlay, Mark, Unite, Brighton Pavilion CLP; Ann Whitton CWU; Maggie Simpson, unison Cardiff County Branch; Pam Woods, Islington South and Finsbury Labour Party; Alison Bushell, Member Felixstowe CLP and Momentum; Gerry Downing;
Mike Hogan; Jim McFarlane; Bobby Clelland; Phil Buyum Jackson Tottenham CLP; Naomi Fearon Wythenshawe and Sale East CLP Socialist Educational Association Equalities Officer , NUT rep; Councillor Peter Rees, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Chair of joint Council for Wales,
Arlene  Chaves,   GMB,  neath Port Talbot County Borough Council,
LYNNE Doyle, unison Neath Port Talbot Council Borough Council,
David Smith,  unison cwm taff  local government branch; Jan Davies, UNISON, Monmouthshire Local Government Branch; Cheryl Morgan, UNISON Torfaen Local Government Branch; Peter Garland UNISON Newport Local Government Branch; Jackie Griffiths GMB Swansea County Council;?Dorothy Gordon GMB Swansea County Council; Mick Hutchinson GMB Powys County Council; Alwyn Rowles Unite North Wales Wales Branch; C Rogers Unite North West Wales Wrexham CLP;James David Unite Wrexham County Borough Council; Gary Simpson Unite Wrexham County Borough Council; Jane Isles UNISON Bridgend County Borough Council; Alyn Thomas GMB Wales and South West Region;Karen Evans GMB Denbighshire Composite Branch; Glenn Pappa UNISON Vale of Glamorgan;Tina Greaves GMB Vale of Glamorgan; Tommy Bower Unite Pembrokeshire County Council; Jo Rao UNISON Cardiff County Council Branch; Gwyn Roberts GMB Vale of Glamorgan Council; Owain Davies UNISON Ceredigion County Council; Lesley Davies Unite Rhondda Cynon Taff; David Andrew Williams Unite Caerphilly Council; Mark Preece Unite Carmarthenshire County Council;

Andy Burnham Says 'I'll be a people's Mayor!'

by Brian Bamford

TODAY at The Albert Halls in Bolton's Victoria Square the Labour candidate for the Greater Manchester Mayor's job told those who gathered to hear his manifesto for 'A safe, inclusive and diverse Greater Manchester' that he would be a 'People's Mayor' and a 'Grass-roots Mayor'. 
Mr. Burnham declared himself in favour of 'Safer Streets' and promised to work with the Chief Constable to start recruiting new police officers that reflect the diversity of Greater Manchester.  He promised to create 'a different relationship between the State and the Voluntary sector'. 
We were told that 'Crime is on the rise' and that 'Deep inequalities remain', and that 'we have seen an increasing amount of young people sleeping on the streets'.
The Labour candidate for Mayor worried about the cost of transport and bus fares, though he never said how often he used a bus, he spoke of housing problems and it was claimed that many young people will never be able to own their own house.  It was said that pensioners were made to feel guilty for claiming state pensions.  That scapegoating was prevalent in what was called the 'blame culture' of British society were everyone knows his or her place and fears the disruption that foreigners may bring:  it was said that one Polish nurse had been abused by people who she was treating in the Bolton community, telling her to 'Get back to Poland!'
Andy asked us 'Why has Mental Health shot up the social agenda?', and suggested that the 'voluntary sector' was 'person sensitive' while the 'Statutory sector' was much less inclined to address a 'personalised approach'. 
He claimed that he had in mind a new apprenticeship system which would draw upon the good things in the traditional apprenticeship and blend it with new concepts:  saying that he had had contact with the union UCATT. 
Regarding care in the community he said that he wanted to recruit the help of the Communication Worker's Union (CWU) to get the post-men to keep an eye on old and frail people in society.  This, he claimed, would reduce the isolation and insecurity people felt.
What was wanted was 'a young-people's cabinet to advise the Mayor on all areas of policy and ensure young peoples' voices are heard'.
Then in keeping with the latest fashion, Mr Burnham stated:  'I am proud that Greater Manchester has such a thriving LGTB community, rivalling London as the LGBT capital.'
Nothing was said about the Labour councillors in Rochdale who last month voted themselves a 34% increase, though one of the Rochdale Labour councillors at the Burnham manifesto meeting quietly told me that he was not going to take the rise, and when asked what the Rochdale Council leader, Richard Farnell, was thinking of by forcing the rise through on a whipped vote he said:  'He's Big Headed and doesn't care about UKIP!'
Nothing was said about the Labour Council leader of Manchester City Council, Richard Lees, who had addressed a meeting of Voluntary Organisations on Devo-Manc at which he said he wanted to see ward and hospital closures across Manchester, including Tameside because he believed that many people are in hospital who ought not to be, and could have their needs better met elsewhere.
Fear of the threat of UKIP was ever present in the workshops.

Industrial Action at Accrington Delivery Office

 LTB 740/16 - ACCRINGTON DELIVERY OFFICE – INDUSTRIAL ACTION

No. 740/2016

19 December 2016

ACCRINGTON DELIVERY OFFICE – INDUSTRIAL ACTION

Dear Colleagues,

Branches will wish to be aware that CWU members at Accrington Delivery Office took a second day of strike action on Saturday 17^th December as a result of the failure of Royal Mail to implement a joint CWU/Royal Mail recommendation from a Flashpoint report published on 24^th August relating to aggressive and bullying management of the office.

Last Saturday’s action followed a one day strike on Saturday 10^th December and if the issue remains unresolved will be followed by further one day strikes on 23^rd and 31^st December.

The dispute raises a number of serious issues:

• Disregard of the welfare of employees. Royal Mail has abrogated its duty of care to employees by failure to address management behaviours far outside the standards the company says it expects from all employees.  
• Disregard of its agreements with CWU. Royal Mail is acting in breach of the Agenda for Growth Agreement by failure amounting to refusal to implement a joint recommendation made through the Flashpoint Procedure – which is designed to avoid industrial action. 
• Disregard of its duty to customers. 85 managers have been deployed in Accrington on the last two Saturdays to undertake the work of striking delivery staff but customer service was still disrupted by Royal Mail’s refusal to implement the agreed recommendation of the Flashpoint report.

 I am sure Branches, Representatives and members will wish to send messages of support to members in Accrington who are standing up to bullying and harassment. In addition, members are facing loss of 4 days earnings over the holiday period.

Messages of support should be sent to:

Martin Berry, Branch Secretary, East Lancs Amal Branch, Union Room, Delivery Office, Bank Parade,

Burnley, Lancs. BB11 1DY

Tel:     07800 794221

Email: cwueastlancsamal@gmail.com

Donations should be sent clearly marked “Accrington DO Dispute” to the following account:

Bank:                              Unity Trust 

Name of Account:           CWU North West Regional Fund

Acc No:                           33954055

Sort Code:                      608301 

All enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS Department, quoting reference 412.

Yours sincerely, 

 

RAY ELLIS

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Email Attachments - Click to download

• LTB 740/16 - Accrington Delivery Office - Industrial Action

Postal Strike!

WE have lots of support lined up on social media. It would be great if Branches and regions could share images and this article using #PeoplesPost throughout the day tomorrow. 

 

https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-e1fd-Spare-a-thought-for-your-postie-on-National-Postal-Workers-Day#.WE0dWobfXYU

Kind regards,

 

Chris Webb

 

From Chris Webb | Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

Email cwebb@cwu.org | Direct line 020  8971 7397 | Mobile 07583 725644

 

Communication Workers Union  The communications union

Headquarters 150 The Broadway | Wimbledon | SW19 1RX

T 020 8971 7200 | F 020 8971 7300 | www.cwu.org | @CWUNews

Postman Reinstated in Bridgewater

AFTER a two-year 'David and Goliath' battle with the country's second largest employer, culminating with a 24-hour wildcat walkout on November 11th; the 113 CWU members at Bridgwater Royal Mail Delivery Office in Somerset have secured the reinstatement of Andrew Mootoo, a profoundly deaf postman stricken with MS.

Andrew starts back to work on a part-time desk-based computer job, scanning in undelivered packets, on Monday February 15th.

On Thursday, the day after his reinstatement was confirmed, a gate meeting was held, with Andrew and his wife present, to celebrate a remarkable victory for the Communication Workers' Union/CWU.

After the gate meeting, the British Sign Language/BSL interpreter for Andrew, said she had never experienced anything like it, the speeches had given her goose bumps!

Dave Chapple, with Darren Granter one of two Bridgwater CWU Reps still under threat of dismissal for their part in the November illegal walkout, said:

'Monday will finalise a victory that should be celebrated, not just as part of the TUC HeartUnions week, not just as the latest in an amazing series of strike victories at the Bridgwater Delivery Office, not just as a truly-even for Bridgwater-remarkable act of working-class solidarity, but,perhaps most of all, as a victory for disabled workers everywhere.

'How many other workplaces would have held a near-unanimous walkout to support someone who hadn't been at work for nearly two years? 

'The unavoidable fact is that Royal Mail's preferred option was always compulsory transfer out of Bridgwater, or Ill Health Retirement. The most ignorant and prejudiced Royal Mail managers we met, genuinely felt that the dole was the only long-term option. In any other workplace that could or would not risk a lightening strike as a shock tactic, the dole it would have been.'

Andrew Mootoo said: 

'After all this time I didn't expect, suddenly, to find Royal Mail positive about my return to work. I want to say a big thank you to all Bridgwater CWU members who went on strike for me: that was crucial. I cannot believe I have been waiting for 2 years and 1 month to return to work.

I call it "The Longest Road to CWU Victory":  I am so proud of our militant history here at Bridgwater!'

Andrew is available for interviews with the media, disabled, black and ethnic organisations, and other trade union branches."

Dave Chapple

07707 869 144

Housing & Communication Worker's Union

CWU housing campaign: Housing for All

 

THE Communications Worker's Union (CWU) has today (Wednesday) launched the next phase of its housing campaign 'Homes for All'.

The campaign compliments and strengthens other initiatives such as Generation Rent’s Queen’s Speech for Housing and the TUC Young Workers Housing Charter, both endorsed by the CWU.
General secretary Dave Ward said; “The housing crisis has become a humanitarian issue for our society and a whole generation of young people. We have seen this coming for years and the current situation will take no-one by surprise – the question now is whether there is the political will to address it.

'The CWU is calling for action to deal with all of the different aspects of the problem. In particular we need to see more homes being built – not for people to let, but for people to live in – and time should be called on bad landlords and letting agents when homes aren’t fit to live in.'

The union is calling on members to support the campaign by sharing their housing details and horror stories on a campaign website.  'We last surveyed our members at the end of 2012,' said national officer Simon Sapper, 'so we need to see to what extent the national pattern of increasing dependence on rented accommodation, especially for younger workers, is reflected in our members.'

The CWU campaign also asks members to lobby their MPs to support Karen Buck, Labour MP for Westminster North’s,  Private Members’ Bill which is due to have its second reading in the House of Commons on 16^th October. The Homes (Fit For Human Habitation) Bill aims to drag the consumer protection rights of tenants into the 21^st century.

Dave Ward added:

'There is a now widespread recognition that we need to deal with what is now a national emergency. Our young members need homes to live in and our older ones need homes for their children and grandchildren.  This is not revolutionary politics - just common sense.'

 

For more information and to get involved, visit Housing for All. (http://www.cwu.org/housing4all.html)

Royal Mail Privatisation

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS ON ROYAL MAIL PRIVATISATION AND WHISTL

The Government announced late yesterday afternoon that 15% of the shares in Royal Mail (half of its remaining stake) has been placed with a number of city institutions to be sold to institutional investors.  The process for this took place overnight and this is clearly a further demonstration of the Government’s total disregard for a public voice in the company.  It brings to the fore the very real threat to the continuation of daily delivery services and the Universal Service Obligation in the UK.  Furthermore, the haste in which this has been carried out clearly denies any debate or scrutiny of the government’s proposals.  

We understand that the Chancellor also confirmed in a speech last night that a further 1% of shares would go to employees.  At this stage we have no further detail on this. 

In response to these developments the union has made it clear that public or private the CWU is going nowhere and prospective institutional investors should know that we will defend our members’ terms and conditions by all means necessary.  These events strengthen our determination to campaign for stronger legislation to protect daily deliveries and the universal service. 

In a separate development yesterday Whistl confirmed that following its 30-day consultation the company is pulling out of its entire UK delivery operation.

It can be seen from the aforementioned that events within the postal sector are moving at a very fast pace and it is more important than ever that the union has a co-ordinated and effective response and our approach to this will be fully discussed at next week’s briefing on the 19th June.  

Finally, we can also confirm that the Union will be holding a parliamentary event before the summer recess and further details on this will follow in due course.  Although the parliamentary event will focus on postal industry issues, it will be our intention to open up this event to CWU Branches across both constituencies.

Any enquiries about the content of this LTB should be addressed to the GS Department quoting the reference LTB379/15. 

Yours sincerely


Dave Ward      

General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union

CWU says 'Jobs before Shares!'

THE Communication Workers Union [CWU] says it is confident that postal workers will vote for strike action in tomorrow’s Royal Mail ballot result as the company’s share price soars further on the full day of trading. 

 

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said:

'The Royal Mail share price has soared further today, bringing more proof that the company was undervalued by the government’s city mates. The taxpayer has lost over £1 billion already in this bungled fire sale of a cherished national institution. Postal workers cannot trade their shares for three years and they are far more concerned about their jobs than the share price. We’re confident our members will return a yes vote in tomorrow’s ballot result for strike action, strengthening our position to secure a deal on protecting jobs, services and terms and conditions in the company.

'The share price increase is making profits for wealthy private investors and faceless institutions – it’s not bringing any money into Royal Mail. The investment argument is a clear myth.  We will not accept people maximising individual profit on the back of minimising the value, terms and conditions of postal workers. We’re determined this privatisation will not lead to the kind of job losses and downward pressure on pay and conditions we’ve seen in other industries and we’re seeking a legally-binding agreement to protect jobs.' 

 

Shares have peaked at 490p during trading this morning (Tuesday), up from their original price of 330p when the company was floated last Friday – an increase of almost 50%.

The ballot result will be announced around 3pm tomorrow afternoon. The result will be press-released and uploaded to the union’s website www.cwu.org and communicated via the union’s Twitter account @CWUnews: https://twitter.com/CWUnews

Bristol CWU: 'Definitely undefeated!'

AFTER nine days of strike action postal workers at the Royal Mail Delivery Office in Friarn Street Bridgwater have voted to end their summer-long dispute about oppressive managers and working conditions.

This follows a mass meeting of workers last night where a proposed agreement was endorsed by a 3:1 majority.

Bristol CWU Branch Secretary David Wilshire said: 

'Following lengthy and difficult negotiations an agreement has been accepted that places the Union back at the centre of all decisions that are made in Royal Mail Bridgwater.  Crucially it states that future changes will not be made until agreement is reached.  In addition Royal Mail must realise that unless the management of the office seriously improves in the near future more disputes are inevitable.'

On the basis of the vote taken yesterday evening the planned week of strike action that was scheduled to take place for a week commencing 9 September 2013 has been cancelled.

Dave Chapple, Bristol CWU Branch Chair and Bridgwater Rep said: 

'110 postmen and women have sustained what is possibly-that epic Burslem struggle apart- the longest and most bitter official dispute in a Royal Mail Delivery Office for 20 years. What were we up against? First, up to 150 Royal Mail managers breaking our every picket line; second, our so-called free country's laws that makes solidarity strikes illegal. Had it not been for the amazing financial support from CWU Branches and other trades unionists nationwide, we would have struggled. Thanks to all those who supported us, we remain defiant and definitely undefeated!'

 

For further information please contact : 

 

David Wilshire on 07909 525740 or Dave Chapple on 0777 6304 276 davechapple@btinternet.com  

Unions pull out of Post Office Mutualisation

THE CWU and Unite – the two unions representing 7,000 Post Office staff and managers – have jointly decided to pull out of the company’s ‘public engagement’ exercise which is being launched today (Friday).

 

CWU is in a six-month long dispute with the company over plans to close and/or franchise 75 Crown Post Offices, cut 1,500 jobs and impose a three-year pay freeze. On top of this, the Post Office is attempting to significantly cut our members’ pension entitlements.

Staff have taken 11 rounds of strike action in this dispute to date, voting by 88% in favour of strike action and by 90% in favour of action short of strike.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: 

'It’s impossible for us to continue being involved in this engagement exercise when the company refuses to listen to the concerns of its own staff. Our members have taken an incredible 11 rounds of strike action in defence of their jobs, services and pay, yet the company has so far refused to budge, choosing instead to spend tens of thousands of pounds on sending managers out to try to cover strike days. And these same managers are now being balloted for strike action in a separate ballot.  The public engagement exercise is an expensive political exercise in preparation for mutualising the Post Office. We don’t believe you can have a successful mutual organisation which refuses to listen to and engage with its staff on the core issues of jobs and services and we cannot be sincere in any continued activity until our dispute is resolved. The timing is unfortunate, but it is not our timetable – it is the Post Office’s.  We have been urging the resolution of this dispute for months and have many suggestions on how to make progress. In the meantime we will be encouraging our members not to take part in this engagement exercise.'

 

CWU and Unite have written to Jo Swinson, Minister for Post Offices, to inform her of the unions’ position.  The CWU has been involved in the preparation stages of the public engagement exercise by contributing to a Stakeholder Forum which includes various other organisations. The CWU and Unite together represent employees at the company.

Bridgewater Post Strike After 8-days

110 Bridgwater Royal Mail strikers, out on the gate for their eighth day tomorrow, Saturday 17th, are more determined than ever to secure a decent settlement from their employer. They have also welcomed an intervention on their behalf from Len McCluskey of the Unite union. 

The Bridgwater postmen and women are in the Bristol Branch of the CWU/Communication Workers Union, which is dealing with scores of local strike ballot requests from all over the country, as the Government prepares for its autumn plan to sell Royal Mail off. 

Most of these local issues are the same: excessive workloads; a punitive managerial regime that disciplines staff of up to 45 years service for working too slow; finally, managers breaking local and national agreements with the CWU that protect health and safety, earnings levels, and permanent and full-time job opportunities. 

Dave Chapple, Bristol CWU Branch Chair and shop steward at Bridgwater’s Friarn St office, said:
'Bridgwater lads and lasses on strike have reacted with calm and a quiet determination to an extremely aggressive supervisory regime that has been trying to provoke wildcat strikes for a month or more now. Managers have secretly spied on us, peeked under toilet doors, bullied us out of tea and fag breaks, refused legitimate overtime claims, taken us off our own duties, changed duty start and finish times without agreement, chivvied us in public for not walking or cycling fast enough, threatened temporary contract staff with reductions in hours, and banned and threatened CWU Reps with disciplinary action for performing their legitimate union activities. All this because we dared to challenge an imposed and un-agreed summer "savings" plan.   Stronger than ever despite your systematic bulling regime, we now have this serious message to send to senior Royal Mail managers at regional and national level:
You have made a serious mistake in trying to beat Bridgwater by starving us back to work. You have seriously underestimated our strength: after 8 days out, we are stronger than ever, thanks to the support we are getting daily from other Royal Mail workplaces, CWU Branches and trades unionists all over the country. Please can you now admit your tactics are misguided: please pension off your hawks, sit down with us and work out a decent future at Friarn St, where there is no place for bullies, a future that can, together, Save our Royal Mail and Keep the Post Office Public!  Bridgwater postmen and women are also on strike this Monday 19th, and have requested their CWU HQ a whole week commencing 2nd September.  Sympathetic members of the public, our friends in the media, and all our brother and sister trade union members are welcome on our picket lines between 5am and 9am. Postcode is TA6 3XX.'

Dave Chapple also said: “We especially welcome members of the Unite union to our picket line. Up to 150 members of Unite-Royal Mail managers-have been crossing our picket lines during our last seven strikes days, and attempting to undertake our delivery work: we now understand that Len McCluskey himself has written to all these managers instructing them not to come to Bridgwater to try and break the strike. That’s great news for us! 

PRESS RELEASE: 1pm Friday August 16th 2013

More CWU Strikes in Bridgewater!

OUR next four days of strike action are this Saturday August 10th, Monday August 12th, Saturday August 17th, Monday August 19th: please continue your support! 

110 members at Bridgwater Delivery Office in Somerset, having already taken 5 days of strike action, are now embarking on another four days of strikes with the possibility of a whole week at the beginning of September.

The original issues are still with us and unresolved: un-agreed cuts to full-time jobs and overtime; failure to negotiate with the union; failure to pay money for previous savings; too many and too many bullying managers.

Royal Mail, unlike many previous legal official and unofficial strikes at Bridgwater, are digging in and refusing to consider reasonable compromises.  In the last few weeks, in between strikes, many local agreements have been ripped up and CWU members increasingly harassed. CWU Reps have been moved from work areas, isolated, and banned from the office on their days off. Postmen and women have been spied on, followed, harangued by three managers at a time for ‘breaking off’ or being too slow, until they break down or go sick.

To complete the hypocrisy, the senior manager remains in charge and un-suspended despite allegations of signing for and opening a Special Delivery letter addressed to a postman who is taking out a bullying and harassment charge against him!

There is a strong feeling in the Delivery Office that the employer is trying to provoke a wildcat walk out on a carefully-chosen issue that might split the office. We ARE trying to keep it legal. 

What has restored morale and determination is the magnificent response to the Bridgwater Dispute Fund Appeal, both within the Communication Workers’ Union and the wider trade union movement.  Over twenty trades unionists from a dozen unions have addressed our Friarn St picket lines which run from 5am to 9am: ‘solidarity hour’ is between 8am and 9am. Our next four strikes are Saturday 10th August, Monday 12th August, Saturday 17th August, and Monday 19th August. See you there! Royal Mail, 25 Friarn St, TA6 3XX

A CWU Rep from the dispute or our Bristol Branch is always available to speak at trade union branch meetings, while financial solidarity-as well as picket-line speakers-is as vital as ever. Please make any cheques payable to ‘Bridgwater Trades Union Council’ and send to Dave Chapple, CWU, 1 Blake Place, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 5AU tel. 0777 6304 276 davechapple@btinternet.com

Friends, 
Please see above news on the latest strikes at Bridgwater Royal Mail Delivery Office which need support from the wider trade union movement more than ever-the employer is out to break us without a doubt! So please get in touch, see you on our next picket line-sorry they are so early in the morning!-and a genuine thank you from 110 strikers for your support so far......five strike days gone, four coming up and another week long strike requested......please let me know if you can come down and speak to our picket lines: overnight accommodation available. 
Could you also please pass this onto all your contacts.
Thanks, 
Dave Chapple: Shop steward/Bristol CWU Branch Chair 0777 6304 276 

Ballot on Strike at Royal Mail

THE Communication Workers Union agreed  yesterday to hold a national strike ballot of Royal Mail workers unless protections for jobs and services can be secured. 

Around 500 CWU reps met at the union's policy forum in London today and voted unanimously in favour of holding a national strike ballot in Royal Mail no later than September 2013. If the ballot goes ahead it will include 115,000 postal workers in Royal Mail (excluding Parcelforce and the Post Office) and would be the first ballot for national strike action in Royal Mail since September 2009.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said yesterday:

'The current situation cannot go on. Postal workers are being squeezed in their workplaces, facing an uncertain future and changes to their pensions. There hasn't yet been a pay rise for staff this year despite healthy company profits of £403 million. But most importantly, we want protections for job security and terms and conditions and these are sadly lacking.  CWU is committed to holding serious negotiations with Royal Mail to achieve settlement on these issues, but efforts to date do not bode well.  The company only began to seriously negotiate with us following our consultative ballot in June, which showed 99% of postal workers back the union's position on pay, 96% are opposed to privatisation and 92% are willing to take part in a boycott of competitors' mail and to withdraw cooperation on workplace changes.  We do not take the decision to hold a strike ballot lightly. However, we will stop at nothing to ensure the future of our members' jobs - and of the services they deliver - are protected.'

Bridgewater Delivery Office Appeal

RE: Bridgwater Delivery Office Official Dispute – Financial Support Needed

110 CWU Members out of 120 Postal Workers at Bridgwater Delivery Office are currently under severe attack from Royal Mail. They have taken five days strike action so far, following a 79.3% “Yes” vote. 

The main issues are Royal Mail's un-agreed implementation of a drastic summer savings plan, also allegations about bullying and a “Performance Management” regime and refusal to pay monies owed for mail sequencing savings. These issues have involved Royal Mail selectively breaking both local and national Agreements with the CWU.

Local representatives, officials from the Bristol & District Amalgamated Branch, CWU Divisional Representatives and Bob Gibson National CWU Officer have attempted to come to an acceptable compromise agreement, including substantial summer only savings, only to be rebuffed by the employer.

Meanwhile Bridgwater CWU Reps Darren Granter, Dave Chapple, CWU Committee Members and striking postal workers are allegedly being harassed on a daily basis. There is a feeling that this is to try and provoke wildcat walkouts in order to weaken the official balloted action. Furthermore, CWU members have complained of being watched during their deliveries, during grace breaks, and at gate meetings with officials, and even at a toilet cubicle. They have had overtime denied for spurious reasons and been summarily taken off their delivery. Some new temporary contracts staff feel they are being placed under severe pressure to attend work on strike days.

Attendances on the Bridgwater picket lines have been excellent and have ranged from 35 up to 70 people; the membership's continued solidarity has shocked Royal Mail. Consequently, the CWU and wider trade union movement cannot afford to stand by in the light of the Con-Dem Government's privatisation attempts and let the strong CWU membership at Bridgwater Delivery Office be starved back to work.

Further strikes are planned to continue the pressure on Royal Mail to negotiate a fair settlement.

Therefore to assist workers who are involved in this protracted dispute please can you help and ensure that you give all you can to the official 'Bridgwater Delivery Office Dispute Fund' this will keep morale to a maximum during the next crucial few weeks.

Please can you make out cheques to –

'Bridgwater Trades Union Council' and sent to –

Dave Chapple CWU,

1 Blake Place,

Bridgwater,

Somerset

TA6 5AU
You can also send messages of support to Dave Chapple at davechapple@btinternet.com  or telephone 0777 6304 276 or to
Dave Wilshire Branch Secretary, CWU Bristol & District Amalgamated Branch at davewilshirecwu@btconnect.com  or telephone 07909525740
Finally, we are requesting speakers from the Trade Union movement and supporters of the Postal Workers to contact Dave Chapple to make arrangements to attend picket lines and also for CWU Reps to speak at your meetings.

Bitter West-Country pre-privatisation dispute:

Postal workers accuse managers of criminal activities:

Some 118 members of the CWU/Communication Workers Union at the Royal Mail Delivery Office at Bridgwater, Somerset, are on strike for their second Saturday this coming weekend.

The initial causes of the strikes are CWU accusations of managers bullying staff and breaking local and national agreements. 

The background is a state of increasing unrest in many West Country Royal Mail workplaces as the ground is prepared for a possible privatisation later this year. 
Despite Saturday’s second official strike, a gate meeting of postmen and women yesterday, July 3rd, saw furious CWU members reject walking out on an extra day’s wildcat strike by only a slim majority. 
Staff are angry that their senior manager has not been suspended pending a serious investigation into evidence of possible interception and theft of a postman’s mail.
They are also protesting that during last Saturday’s strike staff were bussed into work illegally-packed into the back of a windowless and seat-less transit van, which ensured local CWU reps were unable to exercise their legal right to picket strike-breakers. 

Dave Chapple, Bridgwater CWU shop steward said: 
'Why have Royal Mail not suspended this Bridgwater manager after 3 weeks, when a postman or woman suspected of the same thing would have been suspended in three minutes?'
Dave Wilshire, CWU Bristol and District Branch Secretary said:
'We would not expect Royal Mail to make fundamental mistakes :there is the question of breaking laws against dangerous driving, the 11-hour rule between shifts and the carriage of people in an unauthorised vehicle. This smacks of desperation and a snub towards the CWU offer of further negotiations'.

Our members continue to picket peacefully as part of a legitimate trade dispute. 
David went on to say 'Surely at national if not regional level, there is a Royal Mail director with enough common sense to put a stop to this nonsense and realise Royal Mail will not win this dispute by attempting to bypass the strong union organisation at Bridgwater and the wider Bristol CWU Branch?'

Media friends are invited to a picket-line ‘Solidarity Rally’ at 8.15am this Saturday, 25 Friarn St, TA6 5AU

For further information contact Dave Wilshire on 07909 525740 or Dave Chapple on 0777 6304 276

David Wilshire

CWU Branch Secretary 

POSTAL WORKERS TO WALK OUT IN BRIDGWATER ON SATURDAY

OVER 115 postal workers and members of the Communication Workers Union at the Royal Mail depot in Friarn Street Bridgwater are set to strike this coming Saturday (29 June 2013). The walk out is part of an ongoing dispute about job cuts and ongoing allegations of bullying from managers. An £800 lump sum payment to workers at the site is also still outstanding for previous changes that have been made to working practices. 

CWU Bristol Area Official David Wilshire said 'Workers at the depot believe Royal Mail has made no serious attempts to resolve the issues at the heart of this dispute and this is why strike action will go ahead'. 

There will be a large picket line on the day and photo and interview opportunities are available from 0700-0900 hours.
For further information contact David Wilshire on 07909 525740