To:  Branches with Postal Members

Dear Colleague,

Royal Mail Letters Industrial Action Ballot

Further to LTB 310/06, the Union's Postal Executive met this morning to discuss Royal Mail's unilateral imposition of a 2.9% increase in basic pay.

At the meeting the Postal Executive took an important decision in response to Royal Mail's imposed pay settlement. An emergency motion is being taken to our Annual Conference, with the aim of allowing the Union to secure objectives that will strengthen us in the immediate future. The motion is also designed to give us the opportunity to launch a major campaign with our members. A copy of the Postal Executive document and the accompanying emergency motion are attached for information.

As set out in our previous LTB, we will be writing directly to members' home addresses today explaining the Union's position.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Circulated to the Postal                                                                                A DOCUMENT

Executive on  12 May 2006                                                                         PE No. 126/06

For consideration at the

Special Postal Executive Meeting

to be held on 12th  May 006

ROYAL MAIL LETTERS INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT

Royal Mail's imposition of pay and disruption of our Consultative Ballot is a calculated act to undermine CWU in the workplace and weaken the Union as we prepare to deal with the major challenges that lie ahead.

The CWU has no alternative but to respond in the strongest way possible.

Our response must also take account of the prevailing attitude displayed by Royal Mail on a number of fronts - all linked to their business plan.

The trial sites are reaching a critical stage and we still have no agreement on the deployment of walk sequencing and the framework for moving forward.  There are outstanding efficiency issues that will need to be tackled as we approach the 31^st May.  We must also remember that Royal Mail's actions to impose pay are in breach of last year's pay agreement voted on by CWU members.

The truth is, set against the toughest environment we have ever worked in, both national parties have been moving towards serious conflict for some time.   At today's meeting we will elaborate on some of the reasons why Royal Mail have taken this position  

In the meantime the National Officers are proposing we take the attached emergency motion (Appendix A) to our Annual Conference.  The intention would be to announce the result of our Consultative Ballot and follow this immediately with the Emergency Motion debate.  We have arranged for full media coverage at the Conference and we will be holding press and TV interviews immediately following the decision. 

We have already had considerable coverage in all the newspapers in the last few days including a front page headline in the Daily Mirror saying 'postal strike looms'. 

Also attached to this document is a copy of press articles and other union communications (Appendix B).

The objective of the motion is to allow the Union to regroup and secure objectives that will strengthen us in the immediate future.  It will be our intention to continue dialogue with Royal Mail in order to avoid the need for a ballot taking place or any subsequent industrial action.

We will be sending out an individual letter to members' home addresses today explaining the Union's position. 

The Motion is also designed to give us sufficient time to launch a major campaign with our members.  This time the campaign must utilise all resource available including external professional support.  We will be arranging a special PEC meeting very shortly to deal exclusively with how the campaign should be run.

Recommendations : 

1.        That the Postal Executive endorse the terms of the Emergency Motion

2.        That the Postal Executive meeting next Tuesday will consider options on how the campaign will be run.  The intention will be to make a presentation on the campaign at the Postal Group Conference.

3.        The campaign will also utilise external professional support.

Dave Ward

DGS(P)

Ray Ellis

Assistant Secretary

Martin Collins

Assistant Secretary

Bob Gibson

Assistant Secretary

Terry Pullinger

Assistant Secretary

                                                                                                            Appendix A

This conference agrees Royal Mail's decision to impose a rejected pay offer is a calculated act of hostility towards CWU members.  

Royal Mail's continued actions to marginalise the CWU, including their attempts to frustrate our consultative ballot, are tantamount to an act of Union de-recognition.  Conference recognises the real anger this has caused amongst CWU members who are being denied their say on pay and their future.

Conference also acknowledges the significant challenges that lie ahead and agrees that the company's future plans to axe a further 40,000 jobs and introduce backdoor privatisation is completely unacceptable to the Union. 

Through our consultative ballot the CWU has set out a clear vision for dealing with the future which now requires the following meaningful next steps

1. In order to restore normal industrial relations Royal Mail must reopen pay negotiations and resolve outstanding efficiency issues to ensure our members have their say on a final settlement.

2. An agreement that continues to reward our members for change and an agreement to deal with the wider ranging elements of Royal Mail Letters strategy, eg. Walk Sequencing.  This must include a serious commitment for CWU to help shape the future.

3. We need an agreement for the trial offices that moves the CWU vision forward.

4. We must ensure Royal Mail and the government fulfil their moral obligations to the pension fund without detrimental impact on our members' pensions.

If acceptable progress is not made on these objectives within the next four weeks we will implement a timetable for an Industrial Action ballot.