Communication Workers Union has organised a series of marches and rallies to Keep the Post Public
North Staffs Trades Council Keep the Post Public! Open Meeting June 22nd 09 Hanley
Speakers: Mick Kavanagh – CWU Executive Member (Postal), Lee Barron – CWU Regional Secretary, Dave Nellist – Former MP and Anti-Privatisation Campaigner, Regional Speaker from PCS
to discuss the issues surrounding postal privatisation and how trade unionists and the public can fight against the privatisation of our postal service.
Communication Workers Union MARCH & RALLY BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE assemble VICTORIA SQUARE Saturday 30th MAY 2009 a march through the city, speakers:
Billy Hayes; Paul Kennedy & Lee Barron – CWU, Joe Morgan – GMB, Andrew Lloyd – PCS, Ron Dorman – National Pensioners Convention
The CWU has won the right to refuse to deliver election leaflets for the racist BNP.
Hundreds of postal workers objected to the European Election leaflets. Others had been threatened, chased and spat as they tried to post it, the CWU said.
Royal Mail – legally obliged to deliver the estimated 29million election leaflets featuring foreign actors, due to the lack of Bnp supporters prepared to put their face amongst the lies – yesterday vowed to honour an agreed “conscience clause” allowing staff to choose not to post mail they find “offensive”.
NATIONAL MARCH & RALLY held 14th MARCH 2009 in Bilston
HELD IN THE CONSTITUENCY OF THE POST OFFICE MINISTER – PAT McFadden MP (Wolverhampton SE)
From GURU NANAK SIKH TEMPLE, ARTHUR ST, BILSTON, West Midlands WV14 0DG. Over 1000 took part with branch delegations from as far as Scotland present. The march was led by a huge banner with the message from Bilston postal workers to keep the post public. Local Dhol players led off the lively demo. Followed by a Rally at Imperial Palace Hall in Bilston. Curry was enjoyed by all after the rally.
Speakers:
•Dave Jones Wolverhampton CWU – “privatisation is for fat cats not workers. A divided Labour party will fall but it won’t bring down the CWU we’ll stay strong. He praised the local Labour party councillors that had joined the march
BILLY HAYES – General Secretary CWU – thanked the support from the labour movement. UNITE, UNISON, PCS, POA branches had all joined in solidarity along with Wolverhampton & Bilston trades union council. He answered accusations of xenophobia and praised the postal union’s proud support for apartheid boycotts and the Wolverhampton posties who had walked out after racist comments had been pinned to a notice board by management, to loud cheers from all. “Post Office Minister Pat McFadden must take responsibility. The CWU will organise protests against McFadden and every Labour MP that refuses to support Party policy of a state owned Royal Mail. I didn’t join the Labour party for 33 years for it to privatise. He ended by setting off raucous chants of Royal Mail Not for Sale which lifted the roof off the 1000 strong rally audience which had packed the Imperial Palace Hall in Bilston.
• GERALDINE SMITH – MP former postal worker said ” the 160,000 postal workers were held in higher public esteem than Mandleson.” Bilston’s Saturday crowds had earlier stopped their shopping to line the high street and cheer on the march. “The money is in place and the Royal Mail is on track to deliver. 350 years as a successful public service – keep it that way.”
• ROGER McKenzie – Midlands TUC secretary said “this is part of a general fight against privatisation” he urged support for the G20 demo on March 28th.
• GERARD COYNE – UNITE regional secretary “it was clear from Warwick 1&2 that there would be no privatisation of the Royal Mail, yet an unelected Lord Mandelson of Brussels has overturned this – Post Office Pat – it’s not for sale!”
Brian Simpson MEP spokesperson of Post ” EU Liberalisation should not be about selling off the post office – you don’t see the French selling off their post offices The Postal Service is an important social service He urged those present to lobby their MEPs coming up to the 4th June elections.”
• DAVE WARD – Deputy General Secretary CWU ” I tell the people of Wolverhampton that a vote for Pat McFadden is a vote for profit before service, a vote for the destruction of 1000’s jobs and the loss of cherished services.”
CHAIRED BY:• JANE LOFTUS – CWU Vice President
organised by CWU Midlands Region
ASLEF-BFAWU-CWU-CYWU-FBU-LRC-NAPO-NUJ-NUM-NUS-NUT-PCS-POA-RMT-TSSA-UCU
A joint union campaign to defend public services against privatisation
PUBLIC SERVICES NOT PRIVATE PROFIT
‘Save Royal Mail’
Last December, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced that the Government endorsed the Hooper report which recommended the part-privatisation of Royal Mail. This is real opportunity for local trade unionists and activists network to mobilise in cross-union solidarity and local action opposing the privatisation of Royal Mail.
What you can do?
– Organise a local cross union and cross party ‘Save Royal Mail’ meeting.
– Help with local leafleting / stalls.
– Write to you MP urging them to join the campaign to support Royal Mail. Ask them to sign EDM 428 ‘Royal Mail’.
– For more information about any of these and/or to be put in contact with your local CWU branch please contact the National Campaign at info@publicnotprivate.org.uk or email CWU Executive Members pkeenlyside@cwu.org or mexall@cwu.org
For more information go to www.publicnotprivate.org.uk or www.cwu.org
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.