Louise Nousratpour
Wednesday June 15, 2011
The Morning Star
More than a quarter of a million civil servants became the latest group of workers today to back nationwide strikes on June 30 over attacks on public-sector pensions.
The PCS union said 61.1 per cent of its members had voted for strikes and 83.6 per cent had backed action short of strike on a turnout of 34.4 per cent.
The union promised to co-ordinate any action with the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the University and College Union (UCU).
The result followed the overwhelming support for strikes expressed by NUT and ATL members on Tuesday.
This means at least 750,000 teachers, jobcentre workers, airport staff, traffic controllers, police support staff and immigration officers will walk out in anger over government plans to make them work longer and pay more for worse pensions.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka branded the TUC-led negotiations between union officials and ministers "a farce" because the government had already announced key changes to the pension scheme, including switching from RPI inflation to CPI and raising the retirement age to 68.
Mr Serwotka warned of further co-ordinated action in October being considered by PCS, Unison and Unite which could involve "three to four million workers" over pay freezes and job losses.
He said the turnout would have been "much higher" if the union was allowed to ballot its members online and in the workplace - prevented by the "hardest union laws in Europe."
And, highlighting the low turnout during elections, he added: "Look at the number of people voted to elect the majority of the MPs in this country."
ATL president Andy Brown said that the June 30 strike date had been picked "to avoid external exams and important school and college events."
NUT general secretary Christine Blower accused the government of not taking the TUC-led negotiations seriously and hoped the strikes would force it to change its attitude.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said unions were "jumping the gun" in planning strikes and boasted that "rigorous contingency plans" were in place to lessen the effect.
He said that the government was "engaging in discussions with the TUC" but was "determined" to push through the unpopular changes.
Labour's David Winnick (Walsall North) told MPs that many workers felt they had no choice.
"Why should the government be surprised that public-sector workers, many of them pretty poorly paid, faced with an onslaught on their pensions and frozen pay, decide to fight back? It would be surprising if they didn't."
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Britain bails out of domestic worker treaty
Louise Nousratpour
Wednesday June 15, 2011
The Morning Star
THE government refused today to sign an international labour treaty aimed at improving protection for exploited domestic workers.
A spokesman for the Departmant for Business, Innovations and Skills (BIS) revealed that Britain will be abstaining from a vote on whether to adopt the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) new Domestic Worker Convention.
Representatives from national governments have been meeting in Geneva to discuss the details of the guidelines, with a final vote taking place tomorrow.
But the department spokesman insisted that Britain already provided "comprehensive protections to domestic workers and we do not consider it appropriate or practical to extend criminal health and safety law, including inspections, to private households employing domestic workers.
"However, we do strongly support the principles the ILO treaty enshrines."
Campaigners and unions condemned the government's "spineless" stance on the issue and dismissed its claim that domestic workers were already protected by law.
They pointed to mounting evidence that many were being ill treated and denied the minimum wage, with employers facing no retribution.
In more extreme cases, domestic workers suffered physical and sexual abuse and were treated like slaves without pay or holidays.
Anti-Slavery International spokeswoman Audrey Guichon said that Britain's decision not to ratify the treaty meant that "it does not think domestic workers are 'real' workers, deserving of the same protections as everyone else.
"The vast majority of countries are expected to vote in favour of this convention and the UK will be standing alone in not supporting what would be an internationally accepted minimum standard of protection of domestic workers' rights."
Unite union assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: "Domestic workers are excluded from basic working rights and face the real threat of abuse such as insults, threats, alongside physical and even sexual abuse.
"This convention is a real step forward for justice for these domestic workers."
Ms Holland demanded that Britan supports the treaty.
She also called on ministers to "lift the threat to the overseas domestic worker visa, which ended modern day slavery in this country and offers essential protections but is now poised to go."
Wednesday June 15, 2011
The Morning Star
THE government refused today to sign an international labour treaty aimed at improving protection for exploited domestic workers.
A spokesman for the Departmant for Business, Innovations and Skills (BIS) revealed that Britain will be abstaining from a vote on whether to adopt the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) new Domestic Worker Convention.
Representatives from national governments have been meeting in Geneva to discuss the details of the guidelines, with a final vote taking place tomorrow.
But the department spokesman insisted that Britain already provided "comprehensive protections to domestic workers and we do not consider it appropriate or practical to extend criminal health and safety law, including inspections, to private households employing domestic workers.
"However, we do strongly support the principles the ILO treaty enshrines."
Campaigners and unions condemned the government's "spineless" stance on the issue and dismissed its claim that domestic workers were already protected by law.
They pointed to mounting evidence that many were being ill treated and denied the minimum wage, with employers facing no retribution.
In more extreme cases, domestic workers suffered physical and sexual abuse and were treated like slaves without pay or holidays.
Anti-Slavery International spokeswoman Audrey Guichon said that Britain's decision not to ratify the treaty meant that "it does not think domestic workers are 'real' workers, deserving of the same protections as everyone else.
"The vast majority of countries are expected to vote in favour of this convention and the UK will be standing alone in not supporting what would be an internationally accepted minimum standard of protection of domestic workers' rights."
Unite union assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: "Domestic workers are excluded from basic working rights and face the real threat of abuse such as insults, threats, alongside physical and even sexual abuse.
"This convention is a real step forward for justice for these domestic workers."
Ms Holland demanded that Britan supports the treaty.
She also called on ministers to "lift the threat to the overseas domestic worker visa, which ended modern day slavery in this country and offers essential protections but is now poised to go."
Access to justice will be 'reserved for rich'
Louise Nousratpour, Equalities Reporter
Tuesday June 14, 2011
The Morning Star
Government plans to cut legal aid are unfair and could leave the poorest denied access to justice, a panel of trade unions and experts warned today.
The Commission of Inquiry into Legal Aid has urged ministers to maintain budget levels "at least at the level they are currently at" to ensure public accountability and fair access to justice.
"There can be no semblance of equality before the law when those who cannot afford to pay a lawyer privately go unrepresented or receive a worse kind representation than those who can," it argued.
The commissioners' report Unequal Before the Law? was published just before the government's announcement of its plans for change.
The panel included Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland, former Lib Dem MP Evan Harris and former canon of Westminster Abbey Reverend Professor Nicholas Sagovsky.
The panel highlighted the Ministry of Justice's own assessments, which found that cuts to legal aid could lead to increased costs for other departments, such as health, housing and education.
Figures supplied to the inquiry by Citizens Advice found that for every pound of legal aid spent on benefits advice, the state saves up to £8.80 and for every pound of legal aid spent on employment advice, the state saves up to £7.13.
"Cutting legal aid is a false economy," commissioners said.
"When coupled with the human cost to the vulnerable and socially excluded of reducing legal aid, these increased economic costs are unacceptable."
They quoted a man identified as AB, who said that his problems spiralled before his solicitor was able to help him achieve stability.
"My benefits stopped. That meant I could not afford to pay my rent and I was evicted ... I had to sleep on the streets ... I was attacked on quite a few occasions," AB said.
"I also became ill very quickly and eventually I ended up in hospital diagnosed with a long-term illness and severe depression."
The commission concluded that cutting the £2.2 billion-a-year legal aid budget by £350 million - at an expected cost of 500,000 instances of legal assistance and 45,000 representations every year - will hit the vulnerable and the poor the hardest.
A MoJ spokeswoman defended the proposals and insisted that the current system encouraged "lengthy and sometimes unnecessary court proceedings."
Tuesday June 14, 2011
The Morning Star
Government plans to cut legal aid are unfair and could leave the poorest denied access to justice, a panel of trade unions and experts warned today.
The Commission of Inquiry into Legal Aid has urged ministers to maintain budget levels "at least at the level they are currently at" to ensure public accountability and fair access to justice.
"There can be no semblance of equality before the law when those who cannot afford to pay a lawyer privately go unrepresented or receive a worse kind representation than those who can," it argued.
The commissioners' report Unequal Before the Law? was published just before the government's announcement of its plans for change.
The panel included Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland, former Lib Dem MP Evan Harris and former canon of Westminster Abbey Reverend Professor Nicholas Sagovsky.
The panel highlighted the Ministry of Justice's own assessments, which found that cuts to legal aid could lead to increased costs for other departments, such as health, housing and education.
Figures supplied to the inquiry by Citizens Advice found that for every pound of legal aid spent on benefits advice, the state saves up to £8.80 and for every pound of legal aid spent on employment advice, the state saves up to £7.13.
"Cutting legal aid is a false economy," commissioners said.
"When coupled with the human cost to the vulnerable and socially excluded of reducing legal aid, these increased economic costs are unacceptable."
They quoted a man identified as AB, who said that his problems spiralled before his solicitor was able to help him achieve stability.
"My benefits stopped. That meant I could not afford to pay my rent and I was evicted ... I had to sleep on the streets ... I was attacked on quite a few occasions," AB said.
"I also became ill very quickly and eventually I ended up in hospital diagnosed with a long-term illness and severe depression."
The commission concluded that cutting the £2.2 billion-a-year legal aid budget by £350 million - at an expected cost of 500,000 instances of legal assistance and 45,000 representations every year - will hit the vulnerable and the poor the hardest.
A MoJ spokeswoman defended the proposals and insisted that the current system encouraged "lengthy and sometimes unnecessary court proceedings."
We've won pensions fight before - we can win again
Louise Nousatpour in Southport
Thursday June 09, 2011
The Morning Star
Community conference: Tata Steel workers have vowed to stand together and fight off the company's plans to cut back on their pension rights, raising the prospect of industrial action.
In a range of motions on pensions on Wednesday, Community conference delegates condemned government plans to raise the retirement age.
Tata Steel's predecessor Corus announced in 2009 that it was to close its final-salary scheme to new members, but the union successfully fought off the plans by threatening strike action.
During the debate on Wednesday, executive committee member Pete Hobson reminded Tata of that campaign, suggesting that the union was prepared to take action if employers took steps toward diluting the British Steel Pension Scheme.
He dismissed management claims about a pension deficit as "scaremongering" and said: "We fended the plans off last time with the threat of industrial action and union campaign.
"We will allocate all the necessary resources to campaign to safeguard the scheme again."
Delegates cheered on Scunthorpe delegate Paul McBean as he warned the government: "It's not your pension to attack, it's ours. Threaten it at your own peril - you will lose."
Conference also promised to resist plans to raise the retirement age to 67, noting that life expectancy among heavy industry workers is years shorter than the average office staff and in the wealthier sections of society.
Teesside delegate Adrian Cook said: "In the steel industry there is no succession plans to deal with an ageing workforce, which means older workers will have to continue to do long hours of dangerous and physically demanding work.
"Any lapse in concentration could lead to serious injuries - or worse, fatalities."
Lackenby delegate Jacue Hatfield, a Tata employee for more than 30 years, noted that on average shift workers die 12 years earlier than those who work regular hours.
"First, Tata raised our retirement age from 50 to 55 and now the government wants to change it to 67. This is unacceptable," he said and urged the union to work with the TUC and lobby MPs to fight the plans.
Thursday June 09, 2011
The Morning Star
Community conference: Tata Steel workers have vowed to stand together and fight off the company's plans to cut back on their pension rights, raising the prospect of industrial action.
In a range of motions on pensions on Wednesday, Community conference delegates condemned government plans to raise the retirement age.
Tata Steel's predecessor Corus announced in 2009 that it was to close its final-salary scheme to new members, but the union successfully fought off the plans by threatening strike action.
During the debate on Wednesday, executive committee member Pete Hobson reminded Tata of that campaign, suggesting that the union was prepared to take action if employers took steps toward diluting the British Steel Pension Scheme.
He dismissed management claims about a pension deficit as "scaremongering" and said: "We fended the plans off last time with the threat of industrial action and union campaign.
"We will allocate all the necessary resources to campaign to safeguard the scheme again."
Delegates cheered on Scunthorpe delegate Paul McBean as he warned the government: "It's not your pension to attack, it's ours. Threaten it at your own peril - you will lose."
Conference also promised to resist plans to raise the retirement age to 67, noting that life expectancy among heavy industry workers is years shorter than the average office staff and in the wealthier sections of society.
Teesside delegate Adrian Cook said: "In the steel industry there is no succession plans to deal with an ageing workforce, which means older workers will have to continue to do long hours of dangerous and physically demanding work.
"Any lapse in concentration could lead to serious injuries - or worse, fatalities."
Lackenby delegate Jacue Hatfield, a Tata employee for more than 30 years, noted that on average shift workers die 12 years earlier than those who work regular hours.
"First, Tata raised our retirement age from 50 to 55 and now the government wants to change it to 67. This is unacceptable," he said and urged the union to work with the TUC and lobby MPs to fight the plans.
Keep boycotting Israel say delegates
Louise Nousratpour in Southport
Tuesday June 07, 2011
The Morning Star
Community union delegates delivered a crushing blow today to the executive's attempt to force through a resolution aimed at undermining the TUC policy of boycotting Israeli goods produced in illegal settlements.
Members at the union's biennial conference in Southport accused the leadership of using it to obtain a "retrospective mandate" from members to support Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine (Tulip), which they labelled "an apologist" for Israeli war crimes.
Tulip was co-founded by the union's general secretary Michael Leahy in 2009 to challenge what he labelled "apologists for Hamas" in the labour movement.
Presenting the Middle East peace process motion to conference on behalf of the executive, Pat Donnelly said: "An enduring peace can only come about through non-violent means and must be based on a viable two-state solution."
Mr Donnelly claimed that "taking sides" in the Palestine-Israel conflict would be counterproductive.
Opposing the motion Scunthorpe delegate Simon Brears argued that the union's national executive was asking members to take the Israeli government's side.
"Since 2009 Community has been part of Tulip without a mandate from members," he said.
"This motion is a retrospective mandate for Tulip, which acts as an apologist for war crimes and human rights abuses committed by the Israeli government.
"Supporting Tulip is taking sides."
Mr Brears warned delegates that the motion's "tacit" rejection of the TUC policy would "isolate the union and send a message to the movement that Community is a nasty, right-wing union."
During a panel discussion before the motion was taken Trade Union Friends of Israel conference guest speaker Eric Lee, who helped to found Tulip, branded the TUC boycott an "extremist position" that sought to "isolate and demonise" Israel.
Mr Lee also claimed that Britain's unions and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) did not support a two-state solution.
But PSC speaker Hugh Lanning hit back.
He stressed the need for two states based on the 1967 borders - a demand recently backed by US President Barack Obama but consistently rejected by Israel.
"At the moment there is only one state - Israel," he said.
"A two-state solution objectively means the creation of a free, independent Palestinian state which does not exist right now."
Tuesday June 07, 2011
The Morning Star
Community union delegates delivered a crushing blow today to the executive's attempt to force through a resolution aimed at undermining the TUC policy of boycotting Israeli goods produced in illegal settlements.
Members at the union's biennial conference in Southport accused the leadership of using it to obtain a "retrospective mandate" from members to support Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine (Tulip), which they labelled "an apologist" for Israeli war crimes.
Tulip was co-founded by the union's general secretary Michael Leahy in 2009 to challenge what he labelled "apologists for Hamas" in the labour movement.
Presenting the Middle East peace process motion to conference on behalf of the executive, Pat Donnelly said: "An enduring peace can only come about through non-violent means and must be based on a viable two-state solution."
Mr Donnelly claimed that "taking sides" in the Palestine-Israel conflict would be counterproductive.
Opposing the motion Scunthorpe delegate Simon Brears argued that the union's national executive was asking members to take the Israeli government's side.
"Since 2009 Community has been part of Tulip without a mandate from members," he said.
"This motion is a retrospective mandate for Tulip, which acts as an apologist for war crimes and human rights abuses committed by the Israeli government.
"Supporting Tulip is taking sides."
Mr Brears warned delegates that the motion's "tacit" rejection of the TUC policy would "isolate the union and send a message to the movement that Community is a nasty, right-wing union."
During a panel discussion before the motion was taken Trade Union Friends of Israel conference guest speaker Eric Lee, who helped to found Tulip, branded the TUC boycott an "extremist position" that sought to "isolate and demonise" Israel.
Mr Lee also claimed that Britain's unions and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) did not support a two-state solution.
But PSC speaker Hugh Lanning hit back.
He stressed the need for two states based on the 1967 borders - a demand recently backed by US President Barack Obama but consistently rejected by Israel.
"At the moment there is only one state - Israel," he said.
"A two-state solution objectively means the creation of a free, independent Palestinian state which does not exist right now."
Postal workers gear up for battle
EXCLUSIVE
Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Wednesday May 25, 2011
The Morning Star
The prospect of national walkouts by Royal Mail workers came a step closer today when delegates to the CWU conference voted unanimously to give full support to London postal workers fighting compulsory redundancies.
During a lively conference debate in Bournemouth, delegates heard that up to 1,500 workers in London could lose their jobs as a result of Royal Mail's decision to close four mail centres.
These include Mount Pleasant, Nine Elms at Vauxhall, East London Mail Centre at Bow and Rathbone Place in central London.
The closure plans prompted 3,300 members working in those centres to vote overwhelmingly for strike action.
Delegates gave their full support to an emergency motion today, which stated that "there will be an industrial action ballot of the whole postal membership if Royal Mail make any postal worker compulsorily redundant."
Moving the motion on behalf of London divisional committee, Martin Walsh refuted Royal Mail claims that there would be no compulsory redundancies because the affected workers would either be redeployed or had agreed to take voluntary redundancy.
"A total of 3,300 people are employed in the threatened mail centres but there is only 1,800 jobs available," he said.
"There is no doubt that the closures are going to lead to compulsory redundancies unless Royal Mail takes a step back.
"This isn't about protecting bricks and mortar. It's about protecting people. This is one of those moments when the union has got to stand up and support its members."
Mr Walsh also warned that Royal Mail wanted to "break" the union by targeting its stronghold in London.
London divisional rep Mark Palfrey warned delegates that if it got away with compulsory redundancies in London, other areas would be next.
"If it crushes us in London, it will crush you," he said.
The motion also received the seal of approval from the union's executive committee, with deputy general secretary Dave Ward urging delegates to "carry this proposition unanimously and let's move this forward."
As the debate was opened to the floor, speaker after speaker representing members across the country took to the rostrum pledging their unwavering support for their London colleagues.
However, delegates could not be named for fear of reprisal from the company.
A speaker from Oxford said: "It's not enough for us to just cheer from the sidelines. This is a national issue and no part of our union - north, south, east or west - should be out fighting on their own on an issue that affects all of us.
"We need to unite and win," he said to cheers.
A Bradford delegate urged conference to hold local meetings to "build support, hold solidarity collections, their fight is our fight. Make sure we win."
And a Midlands speaker reminded conference that "a couple of days ago, conference voted unanimously for a general strike. Now we've got a dispute of our own and we must show full solidarity."
Agency threatened with legal action
Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Tuesday May 24, 2011
The Morning Star
One of Britain's major recruitment agencies was threatened with legal action today for breaching current employment law by denying its registered workers equal pay and conditions.
CWU assistant secretary Sally Bridge said the union had written to Manpower arguing that the contract the agency had issued before the implementation of a European directive this October was in breach of the 1996 employment law.
It was claimed that Manpower, which is the main agency supplying BT with temporary workers, has seized on a loophole in the law to deny future workers equal treatment granted to them under the incoming Temporary Agency Workers Directive.
The union said it had "suspicions" that Manpower was doing this at the behest of BT management because the contracts were being piloted at key BT sites including Doncaster, Warrington, Dundee, Newcastle and Lancaster.
"The union has sought independent legal advice on this matter and it reserves the right to legally challenge Manpower on aspects of this contract," Ms Bridge told the CWU telecom sector conference in Bournemouth.
"We will take the issue all the way to the European courts if necessary," she vowed before moving an emergency motion committing CWU to pursue legal action.
Liverpool clerical delegate Danielle Prout, who is employed at Manpower and has worked for BT for the past two years, said: "I'm doing exactly the same job as my other BT colleagues, but I am on less money and less annual leave and inferior terms and conditions, sick pay, overtime and bank holiday pay."
She said that the directive would be "a huge step forward" in ending exploitation of workers like her, but that Manpower was trying to deny her that right "hand in hand with BT."
Delegates unanimously backed the motion and vowed to launch a campaign to publicly expose Manpower and BT's "cynical and calculated move" unless they agree to tear up the contracts.
Conference also expressed disappointment at the directive, with delegates describing it as "weak and loophole-filled" which would leave the door open for unscrupulous employers like Manpower and BT to bypass the law.
Tuesday May 24, 2011
The Morning Star
One of Britain's major recruitment agencies was threatened with legal action today for breaching current employment law by denying its registered workers equal pay and conditions.
CWU assistant secretary Sally Bridge said the union had written to Manpower arguing that the contract the agency had issued before the implementation of a European directive this October was in breach of the 1996 employment law.
It was claimed that Manpower, which is the main agency supplying BT with temporary workers, has seized on a loophole in the law to deny future workers equal treatment granted to them under the incoming Temporary Agency Workers Directive.
The union said it had "suspicions" that Manpower was doing this at the behest of BT management because the contracts were being piloted at key BT sites including Doncaster, Warrington, Dundee, Newcastle and Lancaster.
"The union has sought independent legal advice on this matter and it reserves the right to legally challenge Manpower on aspects of this contract," Ms Bridge told the CWU telecom sector conference in Bournemouth.
"We will take the issue all the way to the European courts if necessary," she vowed before moving an emergency motion committing CWU to pursue legal action.
Liverpool clerical delegate Danielle Prout, who is employed at Manpower and has worked for BT for the past two years, said: "I'm doing exactly the same job as my other BT colleagues, but I am on less money and less annual leave and inferior terms and conditions, sick pay, overtime and bank holiday pay."
She said that the directive would be "a huge step forward" in ending exploitation of workers like her, but that Manpower was trying to deny her that right "hand in hand with BT."
Delegates unanimously backed the motion and vowed to launch a campaign to publicly expose Manpower and BT's "cynical and calculated move" unless they agree to tear up the contracts.
Conference also expressed disappointment at the directive, with delegates describing it as "weak and loophole-filled" which would leave the door open for unscrupulous employers like Manpower and BT to bypass the law.
Battle rages on to save postal jobs
Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Tuesday May 24, 2011
The Morning Star
Royal Mail was accused today of deviating from national agreements and pushing members to take "industrial action if necessary" to bring management back in line.
CWU deputy general secretary for the postal division Dave Ward said the company had introduced a new business plan which was at odds with the agreed shared vision of modernisation and would threaten workers' jobs and terms and conditions.
"The company's actions threaten existing job security commitments and raise the very real prospect of compulsory redundancies," Mr Ward said in his opening address to the union's postal sector conference in Bournemouth.
"When employers or the government walk away from our agreement, then we must be prepared to take whatever steps necessary, including industrial action, to defend our members."
Up to 3,500 London postal workers have already voted to go on strike over Royal Mail's plans to shut down four mail centres, raising the threat of compulsory redundancies.
Delegates were debating an emergency motion today, calling for a "united strategy" to force Royal Mail to fully comply with the Business Transformation: 2010 and Beyond agreement and stop compulsory redundancies.
The motion, put forward by the postal executive committee, committed the union to take all necessary steps "up to and including national industrial action for all members within the Postal Group" to achieve this aim.
Delegates also reiterated their opposition to Royal Mail privatisation, which is now imminent as the Postal Services Bill is in its final parliamentary stages and likely to receive royal assent.
"The CWU will continue to oppose privatisation beyond the end of the parliamentary process," the motion said.
Mr Ward said that members were facing a "much harsher" environment as they were worried about the effects of privatisation on their jobs and terms and conditions, while struggling to cope with the "sheer scale of change" within Royal Mail.
Tuesday May 24, 2011
The Morning Star
Royal Mail was accused today of deviating from national agreements and pushing members to take "industrial action if necessary" to bring management back in line.
CWU deputy general secretary for the postal division Dave Ward said the company had introduced a new business plan which was at odds with the agreed shared vision of modernisation and would threaten workers' jobs and terms and conditions.
"The company's actions threaten existing job security commitments and raise the very real prospect of compulsory redundancies," Mr Ward said in his opening address to the union's postal sector conference in Bournemouth.
"When employers or the government walk away from our agreement, then we must be prepared to take whatever steps necessary, including industrial action, to defend our members."
Up to 3,500 London postal workers have already voted to go on strike over Royal Mail's plans to shut down four mail centres, raising the threat of compulsory redundancies.
Delegates were debating an emergency motion today, calling for a "united strategy" to force Royal Mail to fully comply with the Business Transformation: 2010 and Beyond agreement and stop compulsory redundancies.
The motion, put forward by the postal executive committee, committed the union to take all necessary steps "up to and including national industrial action for all members within the Postal Group" to achieve this aim.
Delegates also reiterated their opposition to Royal Mail privatisation, which is now imminent as the Postal Services Bill is in its final parliamentary stages and likely to receive royal assent.
"The CWU will continue to oppose privatisation beyond the end of the parliamentary process," the motion said.
Mr Ward said that members were facing a "much harsher" environment as they were worried about the effects of privatisation on their jobs and terms and conditions, while struggling to cope with the "sheer scale of change" within Royal Mail.
Royal Mail staff attack 'grossly unfair' proposals
Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Tuesday May 24, 2011
The Morning Star
Postal sector delegates called for urgent action today to defend members' pensions, warning that thousands of Royal Mail workers were on "grossly inferior" schemes.
The company closed its final-salary scheme in 2008 and moved existing members on to a new scheme called Care.
London division rep Mark Palfrey told delegates in Bournemouth that because Care was closed to new members, there were now 10,000 people in the "grossly inferior and unagreed" Royal Mail pension plan.
He called on union representatives on the Royal Mail trustee board to press for a "clear pension strategy" that would enable all workers to join Care.
Mr Palfrey added: "The union must also ensure that under privatisation, our pensions are protected."
Wolverhampton and District delegate Dave Jones said that the union had missed an opportunity during the 2007 dispute to save the final-salary scheme, but had instead "marched members to the top of the hill and back down again.
"Ever since, our pensions have deteriorated."
But CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward intervened, saying that the proposals dealt with "the reality of today's situation.
"We can't keep on fighting yesterday's battles," he said.
Tuesday May 24, 2011
The Morning Star
Postal sector delegates called for urgent action today to defend members' pensions, warning that thousands of Royal Mail workers were on "grossly inferior" schemes.
The company closed its final-salary scheme in 2008 and moved existing members on to a new scheme called Care.
London division rep Mark Palfrey told delegates in Bournemouth that because Care was closed to new members, there were now 10,000 people in the "grossly inferior and unagreed" Royal Mail pension plan.
He called on union representatives on the Royal Mail trustee board to press for a "clear pension strategy" that would enable all workers to join Care.
Mr Palfrey added: "The union must also ensure that under privatisation, our pensions are protected."
Wolverhampton and District delegate Dave Jones said that the union had missed an opportunity during the 2007 dispute to save the final-salary scheme, but had instead "marched members to the top of the hill and back down again.
"Ever since, our pensions have deteriorated."
But CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward intervened, saying that the proposals dealt with "the reality of today's situation.
"We can't keep on fighting yesterday's battles," he said.
CWU to fight rights attack 'by all means'
Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Monday May 23, 2011
The Morning Star
Delegates vowed to resist "by all means possible" Con-Dem plans to further erode already inadequate workplace rights by allowing employers to hire and fire workers on a whim.
They called on the TUC, its affiliated unions and the Institute for Employment Rights to mount a united campaign against plans to put time limits on unfair dismissal claims and make it easier and cheaper for employers to sack workers.
Chancellor George Osborne intends to bring forward legislation to "relax" employment, redundancy and workplace discrimination laws and further restrict access to Employment Tribunals in the name of economic recovery.
But East Midlands delegate Linda Woodings today dismissed the economic argument as "stupid, stupid, stupid.
"The idiot Tories don't understand the economics of supply and demand," she told conference delegates in Bournemouth.
"These are failed policies rehashed from the 1980s and will do nothing to fix the economy.
"Thousands are losing their jobs and they can't run to their rich daddy to get his friends to slot them into another job," Ms Woodings added in a slighting reference to the employment history of some millionaire Cabinet ministers.
Conference expressed concern that restrictions proposed on workplace discrimination claims would undermine the fight to eradicate workplace sexism, racism, homophobia and prejudice against vulnerable people.
Delegates also urged the CWU leadership to put pressure on the Labour Party to commit to "restoring and improving" trade union, employment and equality rights when it returns to power.
Deputy general secretary Andy Kerr said the union was involved in a range of political and industrial campaigns to resist the plans.
Supporting the motion on behalf of the executive committee, he said: "We are involved with the employment rights support group and have submitted a response to the government's consultation."
Mr Kerr also highlighted Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins's early day motion 172 on the issue and said the union was putting pressure on the Labour Party executive to campaign against any detrimental changes to the employment laws.
"The whole trade union movement needs to get a grip and campaign against this. The CWU will be at the forefront of that campaign," he said.
Monday May 23, 2011
The Morning Star
Delegates vowed to resist "by all means possible" Con-Dem plans to further erode already inadequate workplace rights by allowing employers to hire and fire workers on a whim.
They called on the TUC, its affiliated unions and the Institute for Employment Rights to mount a united campaign against plans to put time limits on unfair dismissal claims and make it easier and cheaper for employers to sack workers.
Chancellor George Osborne intends to bring forward legislation to "relax" employment, redundancy and workplace discrimination laws and further restrict access to Employment Tribunals in the name of economic recovery.
But East Midlands delegate Linda Woodings today dismissed the economic argument as "stupid, stupid, stupid.
"The idiot Tories don't understand the economics of supply and demand," she told conference delegates in Bournemouth.
"These are failed policies rehashed from the 1980s and will do nothing to fix the economy.
"Thousands are losing their jobs and they can't run to their rich daddy to get his friends to slot them into another job," Ms Woodings added in a slighting reference to the employment history of some millionaire Cabinet ministers.
Conference expressed concern that restrictions proposed on workplace discrimination claims would undermine the fight to eradicate workplace sexism, racism, homophobia and prejudice against vulnerable people.
Delegates also urged the CWU leadership to put pressure on the Labour Party to commit to "restoring and improving" trade union, employment and equality rights when it returns to power.
Deputy general secretary Andy Kerr said the union was involved in a range of political and industrial campaigns to resist the plans.
Supporting the motion on behalf of the executive committee, he said: "We are involved with the employment rights support group and have submitted a response to the government's consultation."
Mr Kerr also highlighted Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins's early day motion 172 on the issue and said the union was putting pressure on the Labour Party executive to campaign against any detrimental changes to the employment laws.
"The whole trade union movement needs to get a grip and campaign against this. The CWU will be at the forefront of that campaign," he said.
Trade unions 'must challenge kettling'
Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Monday May 23, 2011
The Morning Star
Unions must campaign against the increasingly widespread use of "kettling" as seen during recent student demonstrations to protect basic democratic rights, delegates at the CWU conference in Bournemouth said today.
The conference was warned that if not addressed "violent and indiscriminate" police tactics would only get worse as the ruling class becomes increasingly nervous about the prospect of co-ordinated union action or even a potential general strike over spending cuts in the coming months.
Birmingham delegate Clive Walder warned that the state was "beefing up its own powers.
"As their policies increase poverty and unemployment the government wants to ensure that people, especially young people, are too afraid to go out and demonstrate."
Steve Granville of London and South-East branch called for individual police officers to be prosecuted and sacked if found guilty of violence, saying that "they are not (currently) accountable to the public, but to their political masters."
Addressing a fringe meeting on Sunday night Defend the Right to Protest activist Mark Bergfeld said young people were planning mass demonstrations across the country on June 30 to show solidarity with public-sector workers expected to walk out en masse over attacks on their pensions.
Monday May 23, 2011
The Morning Star
Unions must campaign against the increasingly widespread use of "kettling" as seen during recent student demonstrations to protect basic democratic rights, delegates at the CWU conference in Bournemouth said today.
The conference was warned that if not addressed "violent and indiscriminate" police tactics would only get worse as the ruling class becomes increasingly nervous about the prospect of co-ordinated union action or even a potential general strike over spending cuts in the coming months.
Birmingham delegate Clive Walder warned that the state was "beefing up its own powers.
"As their policies increase poverty and unemployment the government wants to ensure that people, especially young people, are too afraid to go out and demonstrate."
Steve Granville of London and South-East branch called for individual police officers to be prosecuted and sacked if found guilty of violence, saying that "they are not (currently) accountable to the public, but to their political masters."
Addressing a fringe meeting on Sunday night Defend the Right to Protest activist Mark Bergfeld said young people were planning mass demonstrations across the country on June 30 to show solidarity with public-sector workers expected to walk out en masse over attacks on their pensions.
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