KEEP THE POST PUBLIC COALITION

Royal Mail provides a vital public service to our communities, rural and urban alike.  The Government intends to bring forward legislation to privatise and break up Royal Mail.  We are convinced that this will lead to widespread closure of Post Offices; jeopardise the uniform tariff and universal service for letters and a deterioration of services provided, particularly for small businesses, domestic customers, vulnerable groups and communities.  We, therefore, commit ourselves to supporting the Keep the Post Public Coalition.

• The coalition has announced it plans to privatise the Royal Mail and has asked Richard Hooper to update his original report
• Much has changed since the first Hooper report which recommended partial privatisation to ‘modernise’ the Royal Mail
• However the modernisation of the industry has been moving forward and a national agreement is now in place called Business Transformation – 2010 and Beyond  - this deals with all of the challenges the Royal Mail is currently facing and will secure a viable future
• The historic pensions deficit is being resolved without the need for privatisation by extending the repayment period to ensure long term stability
• Privatisation will lead to vital resources being taken out of the industry
• There is no public mandate to privatise the Royal Mail  - only the Lib Dem manifesto carried a commitment for such a plan – the Conservative manifesto made no mention of this plan whatsoever
• Polling has consistently showed that the privatisation of the Royal Mail is hugely unpopular
• Rural communities will be particularly hard hit with the potential of the ‘one prices goes anywhere’ 6 days per week universal service being under threat leading to customers either with reduced deliveries or having to pick the mail up from central locations
• The ‘decline’ in letter volumes is not in line with original forecasts
• The Royal Mail remains successful and profitable
• TNT’s profit in 2009 were down by 25.4% and Deutsche Post’s profits reduced by 36.5% - during the same period the Royal Mail’s profit increased

MODEL MOTION
KEEP THE POST PUBLIC

“That (name of organisation) agrees Royal Mail provides a vital public service to our communities, both rural and urban alike. This (meeting/gathering/conference etc.) is extremely concerned that the coalition Government intends to bring forward legislation to break up and privatise Royal Mail. We are convinced that this will  lead to widespread closure of Post Offices, will jeopardise the ‘one price goes anywhere’ universal service and will lead to increased prices and a deterioration of services to small businesses, domestic customers, vulnerable groups and communities. There is no public mandate for the privatisation of Royal Mail and there is no public support for such a move.

In light of that this, (name of organisation), commits to opposing plans to break up and privatise Royal Mail and to support the “Keep the Post Public Coalition.”

download petition form here

Letters of Support

Dear John,

Thank you for your letter to Jean of 13 August. Because of the summer break, Jean wasn't able to see your letter until recently.

I can now confirm that she is very happy to sign up in support of the campaign and the Keep the Post Public Coalition statement you included in your letter.

As you'll know, the London Green Party is supporting the coalition campaign - see http://london.greenparty.org.uk/region/london/news/18-08-10-Greens-back-campaign-to-protect-Royal-Mail-from-privatisation.html
- and Billy Hayes will be speaking at the national Green Party conference in Birmingham this coming Saturday on a main panel session opposing public service cuts.

Do let us know if Jean can be of any particular support in the ongoing campaign in London.

Perhaps you could confirm receipt of this email?

Thanks and kind regards,

Danny Bates
Constituency Co-ordinator and Researcher for Jean Lambert - London's Green Party MEP

for Jean Lambert MEP
Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London

Web: http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
Facebook: http://www.tinyurl.com/jeanlambert

Dear Mr Denton

Many thanks for your recent letter regarding the Keep the Post Public Coalition.

I am pleased to tell you that Claude is happy to sign the statement enclosed in this letter.

Please do let me know if this email is sufficient support, or if we need do anything further.

Best wishes,

Edward Price
Office of Claude Moraes MEP

Hi Angela,
We have signed your petition. Please see the attached letter.

Kind regards,

Anna
On 16 August 2010 12:36, Angela Colo <angelacolo@btconnect.com> wrote:
Dear Ms Bragga

I enclose a letter relating to the above sent to you on behalf of John Denton.  I am sending this by email to you as I do not have a note of your address.

Kind regards.

Angela Colo
Secretary to John Denton

Anna Bragga
London Press Officer
Green Party of England & Wales

078616 77343 (mob)
020 7561 0282 (press office)

1A Waterlow Road
London N19 5NJ
http://london.greenparty.org.uk

Dear John Denton

Darren Johnson, Green Party Member of the London Assembly has asked me to respond to your letter dated 16 August 2010 on his behalf and to confirm his backing of The Communication Union's 'Keep the Post Public Coalition' statement.

"Royal Mail provides a vital public service to our communities, rural and urban alike. The Government intends to bring forward legislation to privatise and break up Royal Mail. We are convinced that will lead to widespread closure of Post Offices; jeopardise the uniform tariff and unviersal service for letters and a deterioration of services provided, particularly for small busiensses, domestic customers, vulnerable groups and communities. We therefore commit ourselves to supporting the Keep Post Public Coalition"

Regards

George Raszka 
On behalf of Darren Johnson, Green Party member of the London Assembly
The Queen's Walk
London SE1 2AA
0207 983 4411

GREATERLONDONAUTHORITY

Dear John  

Thanks for your letter about Roya Mail which arrived while I was away on holiday.  This is to confirm that I do sign up to and support your statement opposing the privatisation of the post office.
Do let me know f there is  anything I can do in support.
Best wishes
Val
Valerie Shawcross AM
LONDON Assembly Member
Lambeth & Southwark
City Hall
The Queen's Walk
London
SE1 2AA
020 7983 4371
www.london.gov.uk

GREATERLONDONAUTHORITY

Dear John,

Please add the Right to Work Campaign’s name on the Keep the Post Public Coalition.
We are organizing a major demonstration at the Tory Party conference in Birmingham on 3 October and would like to invite a speaker to address the pre-march rally at 12 noon.

Best wishes,

Chris Bambery,
Secretary, Right to Work Campaign

Dear John,

Thank you for your letter to Jenny Jones AM.
Jenny is happy to sign up to the keep the post public coalition statement included in your letter.
Kind regards,
Louise

Louise Jefferies
Assistant to Jenny Jones AM
LONDONASSEMBLY Green Group
City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA
Tel: 02079834358



GREATERLONDONAUTHORITY



John

I have sent this to ASLEF HO for the consideration of my Executive Committee.

Graham Morris
ASLEF District Organiser No.1

John,

Thanks for your recent e-mail. I wanted to let you know ASLEF is happy to support the Keep the Post Public Coalition’s statement. Please let me know if there is anything else we can do to assist.

Regards

James

James McGowan
Head of Policy and Communications
ASLEF
020 7317 8600

“KEEP THE POST PUBLIC COALITION

Royal Mail provides a vital public service to our communities, rural and urban alike.  The Government intends to bring forward legislation to privatise and break up Royal Mail.  We are convinced that this will lead to widespread closure of Post Offices; jeopardise the uniform tariff and universal service for letters and a deterioration of services provided, particularly for small businesses, domestic customers, vulnerable groups and communities.  We therefore commit ourselves to supporting the Keep the Post Public Coalition.”

Noel Lynch
Coordinator, London federation of Green Parties.

Cheers,
noel

Our branch would be happy to add our name to this statement

SP Fox

Seán Fox
UNISON Branch Secretary (LG)
14A Willoughby Road
N8 OHR
TEL 020-84825104/5105/5106/5107 (external)
X3351 or X3320(Internal)
Fax 020-8482-5108
Email branchsecretary@haringeyunison.co.uk

Dear John and comrades,
I certainly support this statement and will forward it to other public sector TUists I know; also some of the Charter supporters.
As I co-ordinate the Campaign Agst Tube Privatisation (passengers' gp set up in 1990s with sppt of RMT London Reg Council) I also think you're getting spprters organised in a very sensible manner! I am also Chair of UCU London Retired Mbrs - if you want to list signatories. The Branch wont be mtg again for a couple of months but I'll forward this statement to the Sec so we can take it as an item on our next agenda.
Best wishes and solidarity,
Jan

Hi John,

I am referring this to the NTA Committee [ and the NUT London Regional Office; london@nut.org.uk] and have no doubt we will be supporting your campaign.

In the mean time if you produce any leaflets we can be sent into Newham schools and to Newham Trade unions if you can supply me with 2000 each time; if it is an A4 flyer we can reproduce them in our office.

NTA Office
Credon Centre
Kirton Road
London E13 9BT

Regards
Peter

Postal Strike in SE18 (Woolwich)on 31 March

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at Royal Mail Delivery office in Powis Street, Woolwich SE18 have overwhelmingly voted to take Industrial Action over a number of issues.

• ·         The sacking of a colleague prior to Christmas
• ·         Proven bullying, harassment & intimidation by managers
• ·         Problems with certain managers towards employees at Woolwich
• ·         Alleged falsification of documents by Royal Mail against the sacked Postman

Royal Mail have failed to implement the terms of a Joint Royal Mail /CWU Independent review that was carried out in the office over 2 years ago to deal with similar problems.

The sacking a colleague on Christmas Eve was the last straw for the members at Woolwich. There followed a brief unofficial stoppage in protest of the dismissal. Members at the office then demanded to be balloted for Industrial Action.

Roy Vargerson Branch Secretary of the CWU South East London Postal and Counter Branch said:

“We have over 80 members at the Woolwich who have returned a 96% vote in favour of taking Industrial Action. Royal Mail must listen to what its employees at Woolwich are saying. “

“Royal Mail claims it has a Zero Tolerance Policy towards Bullying, Harassment & Intimidation in the workplace; however it seems, it does not apply it to their managers. On the contrary one of the managers concerned has been given a better job. The other manager concerned remains in the office at Woolwich and continue to cause CWU members problems.”

Mr Vargerson went on to say:  “ What the CWU  membership in  Woolwich want from Royal Mail is not rhetoric, excuses and double standards over the issues of Bullying & harassment, they want Royal Mail to apply their standards to managers in  same way as they do Postal Workers “

“This dispute can be avoided and we are waiting to hear from Royal Mail. however Royal Mail seem more interested in putting its wagons round the manager concerned rather than dealing with the issues “.

Statement by Brian Simpson MEP re Royal Mail Privatisation

The Royal Mail is an institution with a long history. People in all communities have depended on its services over many generations and still do even to this day.  The men and women who work for the Royal Mail are dedicated, hard working public servants who are committed to giving the general public and Royal Mail customers the best service possible.

It is my view that privatisation puts all of this at risk for no apparent reason save that of helping private operators 'cherry pick' the best bits at the expense of others.

Whilst the European Parliament ensured that a universal service must be guaranteed, we know from past experience that full liberalisation and privatisation will lead to the introduction of minimum service levels and the erosion of the working conditions of Royal Mail staff.

What Royal Mail needs is investment. Public investment so that as a publicly owned company it can compete on equal terms with the private operators.  It needs the Government to take on its responsibilities to ensure the best possible service levels delivered by a motivated workforce.  Privatisation is not the answer.  Part Privatisation is not the answer.  The answer lies in a well funded public institution that is given the tools to do the job.  In such circumstances, I believe the Royal Mail will be a great asset to our nation and deliver the services that the people require, efficiently and profitably.

BRIAN SIMPSON MEP