North West Region Writes To All NW MPs

Dear Member of Parliament

Can I start by thanking the majority of North West MPs who took time out of their busy schedules to meet with the CWU delegation this Tuesday. It was a useful opportunity for local CWU activists and officials to meet individually with MPs and to give each of you a personal briefing about the dispute. It was also useful to hear your views and make sure they are fed back to our national officers. Overall the support we are currently receiving from MPs of all parties is encouraging.
                                                                   
There were two points that MPs raised consistently. The first was a request to be kept fully briefed - especially as the situation currently is very fluid and the understanding that there are regular meetings within Parliament for MPs (organised regionally and nationally) which give you the opportunity to raise matters with senior Party officials or Ministers. The second was a request to describe our objectives with additional clarity.

On the first matter you will by now know that a first round of lawful strikes has been announced to commence next Thursday 22nd October. Can I stress immediately that our commitment is to find an agreeable solution? The CWU regrets the disruption that strikes will have on your constituents – including those many postal workers and their families who will be losing pay; however Royal Mail seems intent on testing the resolve of postal workers before they next sit meaningfully around the table, which inevitably for now means disruption. Our only hope is that once the first wave of lawful strikes is over, Royal Mail will see that the resolve of postal workers is strong and that the only way forward is an agreed settlement.

Regarding an agreed settlement you will be aware of EDM 2035 calling for a resolution and supporting the CWU offer of 3rd party mediation. The CWU is comfortable with 3rd party involvement because we are confident that an independent look at the issues will show how the CWU has carried out all that was asked in the 2007 agreement, and that our concerns are genuine and the solutions we are offering are reasonable, achievable and affordable.

What we want to see and what we believe the British public want to see is a successful, profitable and publicly owned Royal Mail; one that is fit for purpose. This will be only achieved by ensuring we have a truly modernised industry - One that includes the workforce meaningfully, which is why we are insisting that postal workers share the rewards for their part in delivering this success not only in their pay packet but also in their working conditions now and into the future.

Another issue concerns increased Productivity. Hard work has always been a corner stone of a postal workers DNA. We accept that change will bring with it increased productivity - including a new delivery model - however the daily workload must be based on fair and objective measurement based on industry standards not diktat.

Finally, although not directly included in this dispute but clearly in the minds of all involved, is the issue of Regulation and the Royal Mail’s pension fund coupled with the spectre of a scheme with a £10 Billion shortfall. Our hope is that we can resolve the current dispute quickly, and then, in a spirit of cooperation, join forces with senior Royal Mail managers and approach the government with the aim of sorting out once and for all how we can underpin and safeguard the pensions of all postal workers.

Yours sincerely

Carl Webb                                                                                         
Regional Secretary                                                                               

Kieran Quinn
Regional Political Secretary

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