CWU Reps to decide on Royal Mail strike ballot

Union reps from Royal Mail workplaces across the UK will meet next week to decide on actions to protect postal jobs and services, including whether to hold a national strike ballot of all Royal Mail workers.

The two-day policy forum takes place at Logan Hall, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL on Wednesday 31 July and Thursday 1 August. The strike ballot debate will be heard from 9:30 on Thursday morning. If passed, the CWU will then set out a timetable to hold a ballot of 115,000 members across Royal Mail Group (excludes Parcelforce and the Post Office). Around 500 reps will debate a range of issues, including securing job protections in Royal Mail, alternative business models to privatisation, changes to pensions, and workplace pressure.

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: “UK postal services are facing unprecedented change and threats. We will always embrace innovation and changes in the industry, but only on terms which maintain decent jobs and protect quality services. This policy forum is all about anticipating what may lie around the corner and how CWU can react to protect the interests of our members and customers they serve in the increasingly changing world of postal services.”

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: “We want to secure the best possible protections for our members’ jobs and we will stop at nothing to ensure that their future, and that of the UK’s postal services, are protected.

“The offer on job protection made by Royal Mail earlier this month wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. Patience is wearing thin and unless we can secure robust protections for jobs, pay and terms and conditions soon we are asking our reps to endorse a policy of holding a national industrial action ballot no later than September.”

Agenda for the policy forum:
Logan Hall, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL

Policy Forum Day 1: Wednesday 31st July 2013
1200 – 1300 Registration
1300 – 1600 Pensions
1600 – 1800 Taking the Consultative Ballot Forward

Policy Forum Day 2: Thursday 1st August 2013

0930 – 1200 Taking National Talks Forward – decision on whether to hold a strike ballot
1200 – 1300 Lunch
1300 – 1430 CWU Alternative Business Model
1430 – 1600 Save our Royal Mail Campaign

Some sessions will be closed but media is welcome to attend the Forum. The Thursday morning session and vote on whether to hold a national strike ballot will be open to journalists.