The NEC welcomes the admission of Emergency Motion 1 to the pad.
Our conference needs to send a clear message to the coalition government – and any of the sharks circling Royal Mail – that the CWU does not accept privatisation as necessary, or inevitable.
Now this Union has fought for many years to resolve the funding of the industry – to end a system of rigged regulation – and for a Government commitment to resolve the deficit in the pension fund.
Not only did we argue for these things before anyone else – we also spent a huge amount of time and effort convincing managers, politicians and staff at the regulators that these problems must be addressed.
Any credit for the concessions achieved in the Postal Services Act 2011, and from the settlement in Brussels, belongs entirely to the people in this hall, and your Union comrades up and down the country.
All of these concessions could, and should, have been made earlier. Had they been, then there would be no apparent evidence for privatisation.
No tears now for spilt milk. Having won for the industry a real chance of revival, we are not going to meekly watch some private investors walk off with easy profits.
Privatisation remains unpopular with the public. As the Motion directs, we will produce new material to give voice to the public’s scepticism.
Certainly the decision of Ofcom to authorise Royal Mail to make huge price increases for universal products has reinforced the case that preparing for privatisation is preparing a rip-off.
Now some will say that it is going to be hard to get the commitment from the Labour leadership that is outlined in Point B.
That is true. But doing the right thing is often difficult in politics.
For Labour to win the next election, it must enthuse its supporters. It must also persuade those becoming disillusioned with the Coalition that Labour represents a better way.
As Polly Toynbee wrote in the Guardian recently, campaigning against Royal Mail privatisation makes good political sense.
The Government says it expects to sell Royal Mail in 2013. Don’t put it past them to try a knock-down sale earlier – just as they did with Northern Rock.
So it is vital to relaunch our campaign. Many private investors are frightened of well organised workers.
Today, we say to them – the CWU is not a push-over – Royal Mail is not for sale!
Emergency Motion 1:
Conference notes that the EU Commission accepted the British government’s application for State Aid on Royal Mails’ covering recovery plan and pension’s deficit relief on 21st March.
Conference welcomes this move. Following a long union campaign to address these issues. However, we must register that the coalition government is now planning to accelerate the privatisation of Royal Mail, despite the state aid application not being contingent upon privatisation.
Conference reaffirms our total opposition to the privatisation, in whole or in part, of Royal Mail. Whatever protective measures the union may need to secure in the event of privatisation, the CWU must continue to campaign against privatisation.
To this end conference instructs the NEC:
a) To produce appropriate pamphlets and briefings arguing against privatisation, and for a positive future as a public service;
b) To campaign inside the Labour Party and TULO to secure a commitment from Labour for an incoming government to repeal the offending parts of the Postal Services Act 2011, and for re-nationalisation in the event of a sale being carried through.
Eastern No 6
Eastern No 5
Scotland No 2
Bristol & District
South Central No 1
South East Wales Amal
York and District Amal
Colchester & District
South Central MT
Merseyside Amal
Central Counties and Thames Valley
Eastern No 4
North East Region
