After Irish Ferries - The future of Trade Unionism

by Michael Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:54

On how the event went?

by Seanie Tue Feb 07, 2006 19:15

The lack of comments is instructive in itself. The future of unions is in the bin.

by Michael Thu Feb 09, 2006 15:14

How did it go?

by Sorter - sortit party Thu Feb 09, 2006 16:50

Sorry I couldn't make it to your event. I wanted to go because as a postal worker I was very interested in hearing what Eamonn McNally had to say about the situation in An Post. Can anyone enlighten me?

by Fanya Kaplan Thu Feb 09, 2006 17:10

Another SWP Front bites the dust. And dust will gather on it until its suddenly ressurected again. Bit like the ANL, any reports of its existence lately?

by Susan F. - Socialist Party Thu Feb 09, 2006 17:37

Sorter,

Eamonn knew nothing about either the meeting or his name being used on any advertisements so wasn't there. But for your info below is a copy of a leaflet he and other An Post activists produced in the run up to the AGM last Sunday, where Eamonn was elected Chairman of the Branch.

_____________________________________________________________
Vote Eamonn McNally for chairperson

Dear colleagues,

The recent collection and delivery deal will have a major impact on all of our wages and working conditions. Senior management and the government have fought for these changes and are seeking more in order to prepare the company for "liberalisation" and privatisation. We are in the middle of the most important period in the history of An Post and how our union responds to these challenges will determine the quality of life for you and future employees.
We are faced with the choice of making major concessions to senior management’s restructuring plans or resisting these changes to protect jobs, wages and conditions. I strongly believe that it was a mistake for our leading union officials to have recommended acceptance of the collection and delivery deal.
In December 2004 An Post members took strike action and marched in the belief we were fighting to save SDS, to get our pay increases with no strings attached and to defeat Curtin and his management’s agenda. Instead of mobilising our members in a campaign to resist management the union leadership put their faith in the LRC. Now look where we have ended up! We face redundancies, major changes in overtime, changes to our routes, and work practices. Management are to be given the power to carry out "time and motion" studies the results of which can completely change your job, and will greatly increase your workload.
Many of the most serious changes have been left open to further negotiations. Our union leadership will say that they will protect our members conditions during these negotiations – but can you trust them to do that after they have spent the last 18 months messing around and have squandered the opportunity to defeat the company? At the end of the day the leadership of the CWU walked away from the fight and have accepted many of the company’s proposals and have left the door open for them to implement even more draconian changes.
We need to elect members to positions in the union who are prepared to stand up to the company and to our full time union officials to defend the jobs, wages and conditions of our members. This is why I am standing for the position of chairperson of our branch at the AGM.
The collection and delivery deal is one part of the management’s overall restructuring plans that aim to make postal workers subsidise the running costs of the company through job cuts, wages cuts and increased productivity. Instead of going along with this agenda the CWU should be campaigning to force the government to provide state funds to subsidise An Post’s social obligation.
Our members are forced to work overtime to make ends meet because our basic pay is so low (now even this overtime is threatened by the new deal). Our union officials should be taking on the company in a campaign to get us a decent basic wage.
In the last 18 months the CWU leadership has shown itself to be incapable of defending our jobs and conditions. The "partnership" approach has failed and has led to us being sold-out. During the recent ballot many of our members around the country were not fully informed of the terms of the collection and delivery deal nor were they given the opportunity to discuss and debate it. We cannot allow these undemocratic practices to continue. Postal workers need a democratic, fighting union to defend their jobs and conditions and to fight for the future of our publicly owned postal service.
I stand for the regular election of our full time union officials and that they should be paid the average wage of the members they represent. Only then can we ensure that we have full time officials who are accountable to the members and will be prepared to take a militant stance in the face of the company’s attacks.
our AGM.

If elected I will campaign for:

The branch officers to be fully involved in collection and delivery negotiations.
Resistance to changes to our work practices and conditions.
To protect the take home pay of members and to campaign for a radical increase in our basic pay.
To develop better communications in the branch so that all members will be fully informed.
For the regular election of full time officials, to receive the average pay of our members.
To work with other members throughout the union to build a campaign for radical change in the CWU to transform it into a democratic, fighting union that defends and fights for our rights.

by Ha Ha Thu Feb 09, 2006 18:45

The SWP used the name of a prominent CWU activist and member of the SP without even telling him his name was on the list.

Typical of the SWP

And people wonder why they can't be trusted.

by Trade Unionist - SIPTU Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:36

Can someone who was at this meeting post a report?

by Michael Tue Feb 14, 2006 16:58

Socialist Democracy have a typically scathing review of the O'Reilly O'Connor debate.