Harrow and District CWU » London

Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:57:38 +0000

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This year’s speakers will include TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, CWU senior deputy general Tony Kearns, Community General Secretary and TUC President Michael Leahy, International Trade Union Confederation General Secretary Sharan Burrow, former Unison General Secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe and Shadow Environment Minister Mary Creagh.

The packed programme sees the return of Tolpuddle favourites Robb Johnson, Tony Benn and Billy Bragg, and features a huge range of music – from psychedelic skiffle to ‘dirty south’ rock’n'roll and Tasmanian folk opera. Global musicians Warsaw Village Band, Paddy Nash and the Happy Enchilados, Polkaholix, Grace Petrie, Thomas and the Mock Ups, Maddy Carty, Sean Taylor, Bemis and many more are also part of the musical line up.

This year’s theatre includes Fighting the Cuts by Banner Theatre, Protest, from a Spark to a Flame, performed by children from Theatretrain, and Loveless in Hobart Town, a folk opera about the life of Tolpuddle Martyr George Loveless during his transportation in Van Diemen’s Land, performed by 30 trade unionists from Tasmania.

Festival tickets for Tolpuddle are still a bargain at £25 for adults and £5 for children aged from five to 16 (under-fives are free).

To camp, each tent or gazebo (no caravans) will need a camping tag costing £15 (£25 for camper vans).

Day passes are also available, costing £10 (Friday only) and £15 (Saturday) for adults, with £5 child tickets covering all days.

For more information and to book tickets, visit Tolpuddle Martyrs or catch the latest news and updates on twitter via #tolpuddle and @swtuc as well on Facebook.

Background:

In1834, when six farm workers from the tiny village of Tolpuddle in Dorset were sentenced to seven years’ transportation, a massive protest swept across the country. Thousands of people marched through London and many more organised petitions and protest meetings to demand their freedom.

Their ‘crime’ was to take an oath of solidarity in forming a trade union. The protest campaign proved successful and they returned home in triumph. Their story is now part of the development of a free and democratic society. It is celebrated in the small museum in Tolpuddle and at the Festival on the weekend of the third Sunday in July.

For more information on the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival, please visit www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk.

The Tory council assault on unions

CWU members protest over pensions changes

admin — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:40:41 +0000

Postal executive president Jane Loftus and her deputy Pete Donaghy (pictured with fellow protestors) handed in a giant postcard to Royal Mail Group pensions trustees’ headquarters today in protest at changes to benefits calculations.

People who joined the scheme before 1987 will have their future payments calculated in accordance with the consumer price index (CPI), which averages some 1 to 1.5 per cent below the retail price index (RPI).

A campaign urging the trustees to retain the RPI criteria has been gathering support from thousands of postal workers at hundreds of workplaces around the country and the CWU is determined that the voice of the workers is heard.

Speaking at the central London protest, London divisional rep Martin Walsh said that he was not surprised by the strength of feeling around the subject, which is, he insisted “a massive issue for our members.”

Trustees have, Martin continued “told us they’ve got no choice about these changes, but we’re saying there is an alternative.

“They could have delayed the change, put the issue out to consultation and, subject to that, they could then have legally stayed with the RPI system,” he explained.

There are ongoing discussions taking place involving the CWU, the trustees, the Government’s Postal Affairs Minister Ed Davey and Royal Mail and the union is determined to continue to press its case against the change.

via | Media | News Archive | CWU members protest over pensions changes.

Colleague Shares Update

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 07:47:55 +0000

After the original interim valuation by Royal Mail, which made the shares virtually worthless, the company invited the Union to a series of meetings for them to provide a detailed analysis of how Colleagueshare was valued. At the end of this process the Union told Royal Mail that there was no acceptable explanation which altered the fact that just a few weeks before they were due to pay out, Royal Mail had shifted the goalposts by introducing a new Business Plan that made Colleagueshare virtually worthless. At this point the Union reaffirmed our policy that we either wanted Royal Mail to maintain the value of the payments due, or renegotiate alternative benefits for CWU members.

In a further exchange, the company then indicated that they were again in the process of adjusting their Business Plan. This is part of the process seeking Government support to achieve European State Aid approval on removing the historic pension deficit. The company explained that some of these latest adjustments to their plan may yet improve the final valuation of Colleagueshare, due to take place around May 2012. However, the company were still of the view that there was little prospect of the shares reaching anything like their previous value.

In response the Union reiterated our previous policy and this was subsequently strengthened by the Emergency Motion at Annual Conference. The current position is that following the settlement to the London dispute, Royal Mail and CWU have agreed to re-engage in structured national talks to address the legitimate concerns of CWU members – Colleagueshare will feature in these discussions. In the circumstances, we would ask all CWU Branches to convey to our members that CWU has not accepted Royal Mail’s position on Colleagueshare. The matter of Colleagueshare is subject to ongoing discussions during which the Union will be pursuing our policy alongside the other issues contained in the Emergency Motion.

CWU TV News | April 2011

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:44:25 +0000

Emma Howard brings you the latest headlines from around the CWU this month. CWU TV reports from the TUC March for the Alternative March and Rally in London and from Brighton as part of CWU’s Keep The Post Public. We bring you full details on the London Mail Centre Closures and Royal Mail ColleagueShare Scheme together and the new agreement between CWU and POL over pay and the future of the Crown network.

CWU TV News | TUC March For The Alternative – London

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:42:15 +0000

CWU TV joined up to half a million people and marched on London as part of the TUC’s March For The Alternative campaign. CWU together with other trade unions, political organisations and members of the public voiced their anger and dismay at the government’s public spending cuts plan, which will potentially put more than a million people out of work. CWU’s Billy Hayes joined Brendan Barber, TUC General Secreatry and Labour Leader Ed Miliband at the rally in Hyde Park.

CWU TV News | London Mail Centre Closures

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:30:35 +0000

CWU is outraged at Royal Mail’s decision to close two Mail Centres in London resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs and the possibility of compulsory redundancies. It will also see Mount Pleasant’s full time staff reduced by 55% and twill all be completed by 2012. CWU TV spoke to Martin Walsh, CWU London Divisional Rep outside Rathbone Place, one of the sites earmarked for closure.

CWU TV News | March For The Alternative: Saturday 26th March 2011

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:02:43 +0000

TUC’s March For The Alternative National March and Rally will take place on Saturday 26th March in London. All trade unionists along with other organisations and groups will come together to stand up against public spending cuts and the Conservative and Lib Dem Governement. CWU Senior Deputy General Secretary Tony Kearns explains why it is important that all CWU members, as well as activists, attend this vital key event.

CWU TV News | Keep The Post Public – Kingston

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 22:55:28 +0000

CWU’s Keep The Post Public Campaign came to the Royal Borough of Kingston in Southwest London this month, with over 1000 people including postal workers, friends, family and local supporters marching through the town in their fight to stop the privatisation of Royal Mail. Speakers included …. along with CWU’s Billy Hayes and Dave Ward. And the rally even got the royal seal of approval from “Her Majesty The Queen”

Royal Mail Group Announcement

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:57:35 +0000

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The Union has been told by Royal Mail that the company will be announcing to all employees this week that they are experiencing serious financial difficulties, that they are developing a new business plan and that the value of Colleagueshare is likely to plummet.

The company have explained that the reasons for this are as follows:

-         A harsher fall in revenue, profit and volumes than was forecast in the original business plan agreed with Government
-         Slower than anticipated progress on modernisation
-         A new business plan, in the process of being agreed with Government, that downgrades the future expectations of the company

In response to these announcements the Union has told Royal Mail that we have major concerns about these developments. A letter has been posted to all members’ home addresses and an advanced copy of this is attached.

In the meantime it is important that all CWU Representatives convey the following key messages to our members.

-         The Union does not accept that Colleagueshare could have plummeted from a valuation of around £1400 as late as last September – to virtually nothing.
-         The company must find a way to honour the previous Colleagueshare commitments and maintain the cash benefits due to our members
-         The Union has major concerns around the potential impact that a new business plan may have on all existing Agreements including job security, pay rises, lump sums and the shorter working week
-         We are calling for urgent meetings with the company and Government to address these issues.

Royal Mail to axe 1,700 jobs and close two postal centres (dailymail.co.uk)
Royal Mail Unveils Plans To Axe 3,400 Jobs (news.sky.com)
Royal Mail set to cut 1,700 jobs (bbc.co.uk)

Keep The Post Public Profiles: National Rally and Lobby 15-12-2010

admin — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:54:34 +0000

Branches will have been advised of the date of the National Rally and Lobby on Thursday 9^th December. This date was chosen as this was the day on which the 3^rd Reading of the Postal Services Bill would have been taking place. We have now been advised that this is not the date of the 3^rd Reading.

Added to this Thursday is not a good day to hold a rally and lobby.

We have therefore decided to change the date of the Rally and Lobby to Wednesday December 15^th.

Notwithstanding the difficulties with regard to the Christmas pressure period, it still feels better to put the date of the event back. The details are now as follows:

Central Hall Westminster

Storey’s Gate

London

SW1H 9NH

Nearest Tube: St.James or Westminster

Wednesday 15^th December

11.00 a.m. – 2.00 pm

Branches should see this event as a three line whip to ensure a minimum attendance of three per Branch.

We are also examining the possibility of using this event for report backs on meetings with Coalition MPs and tactics to be deployed when meeting such MPs.

As previously advised we are planning a period of publicity stunts designed to gain media interest for our Keep the Post Office Private Campaign. We also advised you that we already have commitments for speakers from the Green Party, Scottish Nationalist Party and United Kingdom Independent Party and are currently awaiting confirmation from other political parties.

We recognise the inconvenience this change of date will cause but believe it is necessary to take the action as outlined above.