POST OFFICE: KEEP THE POST PUBLIC – THE FUTURE OF THE POST OFFICE – PEOPLE’S POST BUS TOUR 18TH-22ND JULY
Dear Colleagues
You will be aware from Emergency Motion E3, recent LTBs and National Briefings of the serious issues currently facing our members in the Post Office and indeed the bleak outlook for the future of this great British institution given the current management strategy of severe cost cutting. We would therefore urge all Branches and activists to provide as much assistance as possible in the next phase of the People’s Post campaign which is now focussed on the future of the Post Office.
We have been working alongside colleagues in the Communications Departments to organise a major event commencing next Monday 18th July called the People’s Post Bus Tour.
It is vital we gain widespread publicity in our campaign in order to highlight to the wider public that this Great British institution is being systematically dismantled. Our members in the Post Office are facing oblivion with management attacking jobs in all areas including the ongoing Privatisation of Crown Offices into WHSmith.
With all that is going on politically across the UK, we need to expose the fact that the Post Office is not safe in the hands of the Conservative Government. This is why we need to put pressure on Sajid Javid, the current Secretary of State for BIS, and the new Cabinet as a whole.
The destruction of the Post Office cannot continue with so many jobs at risk – the public need to know that this is potentially another British Steel. So please do everything possible to support the People’s Post Bus Tour.
People’s Post Bus Tour – Key Highlights
The open-top bus will begin its journey in Edinburgh on Monday 18th July and then travel to Glasgow and Paisley later that day. On Tuesday 19th it will travel to Manchester and then St Helens, and on Wednesday 20th it will visit Bromsgrove. It will travel to Cardiff and Bristol on Thursday 21st and end the trip in London on Friday 22nd.
There will be a huge postcard on the side of the bus (copy attached to this LTB) with a strong message about the future of the Post Office which we will be encouraging our members, politicians and the public up and down the country to sign.
Members of the Postal Executive, National Officers and CWU Headquarters staff will be joining the bus at various places along the route. Regional Secretaries, Branch Secretaries, Political Officers and all Representatives are encouraged to participate in activities in their areas. We are involving the press, politicians from across the country, as well as Mayors and councillors – Regional Secretaries will be co-ordinating activities in their local areas and we would ask Branches to contact them to assist in ensuring local politicians are invited to sign the postcard. We will be publishing press releases tailored for local press where appropriate on each day.
The giant postcard, signed by as many people as possible will be handed in to BIS on the afternoon of Friday 22nd July. Prior to that, on the morning of Friday 22nd we will be taking the postcard off the bus, framing it and taking it onto the steps of City Hall (from around 11am). London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been invited to this (timings to be confirmed). The aim is to get as much publicity and political support as possible. Dave Ward and Andy Furey will also be in attendance. Branches in the London area are encouraged to join this event.
Attached to this LTB is a provisional timetable for the bus tour. The exact timings may alter slightly depending on traffic or parking restrictions. Also attached is a leaflet which will be distributed from the bus in each location.
We want to make this event a great success so please provide your support to ensure maximum publicity.
If you have any queries in regard to the People’s Post Bus Tour, please contact your Regional Secretary or email Marcia Murray in the Communications Department mmurray@cwu.org.
Please ensure the content of this LTB is distributed to all members.
Finally, thank you in advance for your participation in this activity.
Yours sincerely
Dave Ward Ray Ellis Andy Furey
General Secretary Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary
General Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB422/16 Post Office: Keep The Post Public – The Future of The Post Office – People’s Post Bus Tour 18th-22nd July
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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