POST OFFICE: THE FUTURE OF THE POST OFFICE, JOB SECURITY AND PENSIONS – UPDATE AND NATIONAL BRIEFING MONDAY 14TH NOVEMBER
Dear Colleagues
Further to LTB 627/16 dated 24th October. Branches and members will be aware that further strike action took place on Monday 31st October, which was well supported. We would like to thank Members, Branches, Regional Secretaries and all other Representatives for supporting this important strike and their help in organising local picket lines and attending events to make yesterday a resounding success.
Thanks also go to the Communications Department for their help in organising the publicity stunt in Westminster and Moorgate. The event involved a “funeral procession” carrying coffins representing what could be the death of the Post Office as we know it, should management continue with their managed decline strategy of job cuts, privatisation of Crown Branches and the closure of Supply Chain/Admin units. The procession began at the offices of the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), in Westminster, where the Minister responsible for Post Offices, Greg Clark MP is based. CWU Representatives and members then made their way to the Post Office’s Headquarters in Moorgate, gaining considerable attention from the media and the public. Representatives from Unite were also in attendance at the event.
Full details, including photographs from the day, can be accessed by using the following link:
http://www.cwu.org/media/news/2016/october/31/dave-ward-we-ll-escalate-po-action-in-run-up-to-xmas/
In addition, thanks go to everyone who Tweeted using #PeoplesPost on the day of the strike. The “twitterstorm” reached over 2 million accounts, bringing our serious concerns over the Future of the Post Office to the attention of MPs, the media, the general public and Paula Vennells, Chief Executive, the Post Office. Significant press and media coverage was also achieved on the day. Please visit the CWU facebook page for all links to the press stories and a speech by Dave Ward, GS, outside BEIS.
https://www.facebook.com/ThecommunicationsUnion/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE&fref=nf
Press Release from the Labour Party Press Office
A positive and supportive press release was published on 30th October by the Labour Party Press Office with regards to our strike. Gill Furniss MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Steel, Postal Affairs, and Consumer Protection, said:
“With branches closing, thousands of job losses and real uncertainty for the future, the Government has to take responsibility and set out a proper strategy for the future of the Post Office. It was the Government that split the Post Office from Royal Mail which is now paying out hundreds of millions of pounds in dividends – what we are seeing is a crisis of this Government’s own making.
“The public and businesses which rely on the Post Office have a right to expect more than a programme of managed decline. We are calling for a new strategy to grow revenues and its services as a matter of urgency. The Post Office has been and should be a key part of our infrastructure but it cannot survive relentless cost-cutting.”
Early Day Motion – EDM 571
EDM 571 – Future of the Post Office has now been signed by 43 MPs. Branches are urged to write to their MPs if they haven’t done so already and encourage them to sign EDM 571. The model letter (also associated with LTB 624/16) is attached once again to assist you in this regard.
National Briefing Monday 14th November
We will be holding a National Briefing of Representatives to provide an update on the current situation in regards to the following:
New vision for the Future of the Post Office
Pensions
Crown Office Network (franchising)
Major Challenges Facing Supply Chain
The Following Representatives are invited to attend:
Branch Secretaries (with Post Office members)
Regional Secretaries
CViT/Cash Centre Unit Reps (if the Unit Rep is not available, the Deputy Rep is invited)
Post Office Territorial Reps
Post Office Supply Chain Area Reps (including Deputy Area Reps)
Post Office Area Reps (including Deputy Area Reps)
Regional Health & Safety Reps
The details of the Representatives’ Briefing are as follows:
Monday 14th November
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Indian YMCA
41 Fitzroy Square
London
W1T 6AQ
As this briefing will be focussed on how to resolve this serious Industrial Relations matter, paid release from duty should be provided by the Post Office for CViT/Cash Centre Unit Reps.
It should be noted at the time of publication of this LTB, we have not been invited to attend any further talks at ACAS.
Further developments will be reported.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey Terry Pullinger Dave Ward
Assistant Secretary Deputy General Secretary (Postal) General Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 634/16 – POST OFFICE: THE FUTURE OF THE POST OFFICE, JOB SECURITY AND PENSIONS – UPDATE AND NATIONAL BRIEFING MONDAY 14TH NOVEMBER
Attachment 1 to LTB643-16 – Model letter for EDM 571 November 2016
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