Emergency motion
Congress notes the CWU announced a ballot timetable for strike action in Royal Mail on 22/8/2019 and is holding meetings around the country in the second major national dispute in two years.
In 2017, CWU members delivered an 89% yes vote on a 74% turnout, smashing the legal threshold – we believe this will happen again.
Royal Mail has replaced its senior management team and it is clear that it plans to de-recognise the union’s influence; break current agreements; reduce the vital 6-day USO and good jobs, terms and conditions; and break up this excellent public service the People’s Post.
It has unilaterally announced moves heralding the break-up of the company, starting with Parcelforce, and a new strategy for parcels that will render the core 6-day service unsustainable and leave 20,000 jobs at risk, as well as introducing operational change without agreement, which will leave thousands of jobs under threat.
It has done nothing to tackle a bullying culture that is endemic in Royal Mail, is introducing technology in a way that leaves staff being tagged like criminals and wants to move away from the legal protections agreed with the CWU in 2012 that have prevented it joining the race to the bottom with destructive asset-stripping and insecure employment models.
This dispute is the direct result of liberalisation and
#WeRiseAgain
Mover: Communication Workers Union
Seconder: Unite