Royal Mail Privatisation condemed by Postal Workers

Lee Baron, CWU Regional Secretary

Today (Thursday 9th June) marks a dark day for public services as MP’s get ready to take a final vote on the privatisation of the Royal Mail. Postal services face a very uncertain future on the Postal Services Bill passes through Parliament, which it is expected to do later today.The Bill will receive Royal Accent, expected later this month, which will lead to the largest privatisation of a public service since the Thatcherite days of the 1980’s. The link between the Royal Mail and the Post Office Network will be broken threatening the future viability of Post Offices.
Lee Barron, Midlands Regional Secretary of the Communication Workers Union said, “This is a sad day for a cherished institution. The spivs and gamblers in the Cabinet are putting our postal services out to the highest bidder with very little and indeed in some cases no guarantees whatsoever. When the vultures start circling over the industry the future of thousands of Post Offices, the one price goes anywhere principle and the amount of deliveries received will inevitably be cut to maximise profit whilst they diminish the public service. In the private postal operators across Europe standards are extremely worse with rural locations in the Netherlands receiving just 3 deliveries per week and prices in Germany twice as high as in the UK.
“Price rises are inevitable as once the Royal Mail moves into the private sector it will lose its VAT exemption resulting in a 20% hike in prices as no private company, who’s only interest is to maximise the returns for its shareholders, will absorb such a cost.


“We remain committed to opposing privatisation of the Royal Mail and will use every tactic we can to frustrate such a sale and retain the Royal Mail firmly where it belongs, in the public sector serving the public interest.”

For further information contact:: Lee Barron, Midlands Regional Secretary on 07850 - 247191



CWU Defending jobs in Stoke-on-Trent

Lee Baron

The Communication Workers Union is organising a march and rally to oppose the loss of jobs in the Stoke-on-Trent area.


Lee Baron, CWU Regional Secretary and Chair of the Midlands TUC said, "This demonstration is being organised to defend the 400 threatened jobs at the Royal Mail Customer Service Centre along with other job losses in the public sector. Our campaign is aligned with community campaigns which stand against far right organisations. The far right seek to exploit job losses and service cuts for their own warped political agenda. With 17 openly fascist candidates standing we must ensure that we take the real opportunity these elections provide for trade unionists to stand shoulder to shoulder with communities in opposing job losses and cuts, whilst making the statement that far right political parties are not the answer.


Oppose the plans to close the Royal Mail Customer Service Centre
Stand up for local jobs
Stand together with our communities
Saturday 30th April 2011. March assembles from 1pm at Cannon Street, Hanley, ST1 4EB

Speakers for the Rally: Christine Blower, General Secretary NUT: Billy Hayes General Secretary, CWU. Other speakers from Community Groups, Anti Fascist Organisations and Trade Unions.

Come and join us and march for an alternative!

CWU Keep the Post Public campaign visits Beeston

The CWU march and rally in Beeston was the biggest yet in the Midlands. View the march and rally here:

CWU March to save postal services in Nottingham

The Communication Workers Union organised a very successful march and rally in Beeston, Nottingham, on Saturday 19th February. The march went from the Royal Mail Centre in Beeston, through the centre of the suburb, to the rally at The New Venture Social Club near Beeston railway station.
Speakers included Cheryl Pidgeon, Midlands TUC Regional Secretary, Billy Hayes and Lee Baron from the CWU, and Nottingham South MP Lillian Greenwood.
The march was well supported by members of the CWU with many travelling from outside the region to  show their solidarity. There was also excellent support from other unions with UNISON and the National Union of Mineworkers banners flying proudly on the march.

CWU march and rally to Keep the Post public

Marching to Keep the Post Public

The CWU is holding the Nottingham leg of its' Keep the Post Public campaign tommorrow. Speakers include CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes and Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood.
Assemble: From 1 p.m. at the Mail Centre, Padge Road, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2RR. March commences at 2 p.m.
Rally at New Venture Social Club, Tehcnology Drive. off Meadow Road, Beeston, Nottingham

CWU vote to take strike action

The Communication Workers Union today (Thursday) can report a yes vote in the national ballot for strike action in Royal Mail. Postal workers voted by 76 per cent in favour in favour of strike action.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: “This is a huge vote of no confidence in Royal Mail management. The company has tried to make out that problems only exist in some local offices, but postal workers across the UK have now spoken and they say no to Royal Mail’s arrogance.

“Royal Mail has never really been engaged in modernisation. They’ve been running down the business, running down services and cutting costs and it’s that business plan that postal workers have overwhelmingly rejected today.

“There’s still an opportunity to reach an agreement before any national strike action takes place.

“We need a national agreement which secures a fair deal on modernisation and reward for the efforts of postal workers in transforming the business. We want reassurances on job security, covering both redundancies and full-time part-time ratios.

“Crucial to an agreement is fair workloads with agreed standards of measurement. Constantly disciplining postal workers will not improve efficiencies but will drive an ever bigger wedge between workers and what they are told is modernisation.

“We’ve seen cuts and increased workloads and now we need an agreed roll-out of real modernisation. Aligning the interests of customers, employees and the company as a whole is a pre-requisite for the successful modernisation of Royal Mail.

“The Government must act now to resolve the pensions deficit which is crippling the Royal Mail’s finances and chances to modernise effectively.”

Notes to editors:


• 121,000 postal workers were sent ballot papers from 17th September 2009. The ballot closed on 8th October 2009.

• Postal workers outside of London start on £16,268

• The last national post strike was in 2007.

• Local strikes have been ongoing in places across the UK since the last week of June. Postal workers in London have now taken strike action every week for 15 weeks.

• The turnout was 67 per cent.