Post Office pay latest

TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS

Dear Colleague

POST OFFICE: PAY 2012 AND BEYOND AND THE FUTURE OF THE CROWN OFFICE NETWORK – NOTICE FOR INDUSTRIAL ACTION

Further to LTB 235, dated 10th April.

We wish to advise branches and members that formal notice has now been served on the Post Office with regards to industrial action for Crown members which will take place as follows:

- Friday, 19th April – from 14:30 until the completion of normal duties

This industrial action is necessary given that the Post Office is still refusing to enter into meaningful negotiations to resolve this dispute over pay and job security. Whilst talks were held earlier this week, these effectively broke down with no progress being made.

Crown Offices Earmarked For Closure or Franchising – Community Campaigns

On the strike afternoon, the plan is to organise activities on the ground that promote our community campaigns. Branches are urged to liaise with their Territorial or Area Representatives with regards to coordinating campaigning arrangements and public demonstrations of support outside those Crowns which are presently earmarked for closure/franchising. This is necessary in order to highlight to the public at large that their local Crown Office is under threat. We also need to raise the profile of our campaigns; accordingly, this industrial action needs to be brought to the attention of the local press and media in order to ensure maximum publicity.

During the Easter Saturday strike, a number of MPs joined our picket lines to offer their support. As the majority of MPs will be back in their constituencies on Friday afternoon, where appropriate they should be approached and invited to join our members in protesting against the Post Office’s plans for closures and franchising.

Two highly successful public meetings have been held in Alloa and Carmarthen. MPs were present at both these public meetings and were fully supportive of our campaign and of protecting the status of the Crown Post Offices.

It should be noted that further public meetings have been organised as follows:

Monday, 29th April – Hastings

Agreed attendees: Jeremy Birch, leader of Hastings borough council, Sarah Owen, Labour PCC, Hastings and Rye. Amber Rudd, Conservative MP, Hastings and Rye, has been invited.

Thursday, 2nd May – Perth

Agreed attendees: Pete Wishart MP, SNP, Perth and North Perthshire. Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Community Safety and Legal Affairs and/or John Swinney MSP, Minster for Finances and Public Services.

Friday, 3rd May – Holloway

Agreed attendees: Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP, Islington North, has agreed to address this meeting and an invitation has also been extended to Emily Thornberry, Labour MP, Islington South & Finsbury.

Our thanks are extended to those representatives who have organised the public meetings. Obviously all branches impacted by Crown Office franchising / closures should seek to initiate similar meetings.

The above demonstrates that this Union can be extremely effectively when engaging politicians and the public. The Post Office’s plans for Crown Transformation are fundamentally flawed and, consequently, we need to highlight this at every opportunity. Next Friday’s strike will present us with an ideal opportunity to raise the profile of our campaign for a fair pay agreement and job security.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey Dave Ward
Assistant Secretary Deputy General Secretary (Postal)