APPOINTMENT OF NEW GROUP CEO INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS SERVICES

APPOINTMENT OF NEW GROUP CEO INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS SERVICES

Dear Colleagues,

After a significant period where the company has been without leadership and direction, the appointment of new Group CEO Martin Seidenberg is cautiously welcomed.

We also await with interest, the forthcoming appointment of the Royal Mail CEO.

The truth is though, this is not a time for words. It is a moment for actions. If we do not see a complete shift from the attitudes and approach of the current senior management team then this company has no future.

We are now well beyond the fall out from an industrial dispute. We are into the territory where the strategy of the company’s current leadership is destroying quality of service and the universal service obligation, has completely eroded the trust of the workforce and put Royal Mail in the most serious position in it’s 500 year history.

CWU members overwhelmingly endorsed the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth agreement little over a week ago. They are seeing and feeling no change at local level. We have seen breaches of the agreement both material and in spirit. This is unprecedented so early into an agreement. Whilst our members want to move on from the dispute, senior management cannot shake off their union busting mentality. The new CEO has to oversee a significant change in both personnel and approach.

We are absolutely committed to working with the new CEOs and improving industrial relations but the union must also focus on our own actions. We cannot just sit back hoping for better.

Our strategy will be built upon the following key principles:

1. Immediate re-engagement with our reps and members in the workplace.

2. How we counter and challenge Royal Mail senior managements approach.

3. Putting forward CWU solutions to turn around the fortunes of the company.

Yesterday, we held a senior field officials briefing and on Tuesday we have a national briefing which will bring together representatives from every branch in the UK.

We are putting in place plans to brief all of our local representatives.

We are going to organise, recruit and drive the positive change we want to see in every workplace.

Our Postal Executive and Divisional Reps will oversee the restoration of the IR Framework alongside the development of our own agenda. We will not be sitting back and waiting for Royal Mail to table their plans. We will be on the front foot and demanding things such as more innovative attendance patterns.

Once we have met all of our representatives we will host an open session with our members where you will be able to input into this strategy but crucially we will give you a role too. We need reps in every office.

We need union committees in every office.

We need CWU advocates in every office and we need all new entrants to join the union.Every single one of us has a role to play in winning in the workplace.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary

Andy Furey

Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)