Gate Meeting Day 2020 – THE DAY THE LION ROARED!
Postal February 26 2020After weeks of management propaganda, an insulting so-called ‘pay offer’ and impositions of drastic changes without agreement, Gate Meeting Day 2020 was the turn of the workforce to make their voices heard…
Just one week before ballot papers start arriving on their doormats, tens of thousands of Royal Mail and Parcelforce members showed their support for their union at hundreds of gate meetings all over the country.
From Kent to Cumbria, from Scotland and Wales, from every part of the UK, postmen and women gathered in numbers to send their collective message to Royal Mail Group leaders:
And like a roused lion, the hard-working people who are this mighty union roared as one: ‘Honour our Four Pillars agreement.’
An estimated 800 workplace meetings involving tens of thousands of CWU members took place on the day, with many more happening in the days before or scheduled for the days afterwards – making this the largest collective event the trade union movement has seen for many years.
And our union’s divisional representatives reported a feeling of steadfast determination everywhere, North East divisional rep Bob Maguire praising members for turning out in large numbers – despite the terrible weather.
“There have been easily over 100 today,” said Bob, “and over the past days, every office and our mail centres have had meetings,” he said, adding that last week’s “so-called pay offer” from the business had strengthened opposition.
“They shot themselves in the foot with that” he commented, and pointed out that, not only was it dependent on acceptance of the company’s restructuring plan, but also less than the offer to management.
“It’s just made people more annoyed and determined – and this feeling has come across loud and clear at meetings in the North East.”
The effects of imposed change through executive action have been particularly acute at Nottingham Mail Centre, where management have already provoked a local dispute with the threat of changed shifts and duty patterns, explains Midlands divisional rep Paul Kennedy.
“What the company are threatening here is outrageous – taking no account whatsoever of people’s longstanding domestic and family arrangements,” says Paul.
But in Nottingham – where members also heard from assistant secretary Davie Robertson – and across the Midlands, where similar events took place at the other mail centres, the big Parcelforce unit and over 100 delivery offices, GMD 2020 was a “fantastic day all round,” Paul reports, adding: “In the Midlands, people are ready.”
“I’ve just come from a meeting at Wigan Delivery Office and I’m heading to another one at Manchester Mail Centre,” reported Ian Taylor, who commented: “I think the union is on solid ground as the balloting approaches.
Ian estimated that “around 80 per cent” of the North Wales/North West division’s delivery units” have either had their gate meetings or have them scheduled for the coming days and that the division’s other mail centres have all had theirs.
“Members are acutely aware that the separation of parcels will have a detrimental effect on them. The executive actions taken by the business are a glimpse of a potential nightmare future and there’s a strong determination in North Wales and the North West to prevent it.”
Got any questions about the dispute? Ask Dave and Terry on this evening’s facebook live – our general secretary and deputy general secretary postal will be on from 7pm
South Central divisional rep Terry Jackson met members at one of the company’s largest units in the country, HWDC/ILC, describing the mood there as “rock-solid,” while delivery unit meetings from Oxfordshire to the south coast provided further proof of the unity of purpose among CWU members.
And executive actions at delivery offices in Brighton and Worthing involving the unagreed removal of CSS machines highlight an issue affecting an increasing number of delivery units around the country.
But there is also staunch opposition, with a South East divisional spokesman, pointing out that that the union’s national messaging was being well received and that area reps were reporting “strong support for the union from their meetings.”
Up in Scotland, members are “angry with management and just waiting for the ballot papers to arrive,” according to divisional rep Tam Dewar.
“There’s been a great response up here, we’ve had about 35 gate meetings all around western Scotland – but I’m getting more reports coming in, so the total is probably higher – ranging from small offices of just a few members to the larger units such as at Kilmarnock and Glasgow – about.”
Delivery offices at Paisley and Motherwell are facing executive action over CSS removal, while changes to shift and duty patterns are being resisted at Glasgow Mail Centre, Tam reports.
CSS removal is also being imposed on Kirkaldy DO in Fife, where Scotland No2 Branch secretary Gary Clark said that two gate meetings have taken place.
“The vast majority of units over on this side of Scotland have had their meetings – approximately 45 meetings,” he said, with Edinburgh Mail Centre set to meet twice to accommodate different shifts.
“The mood here is very strong.”
“Almost all our units have had their gate meetings,” said South Wales/South West divisional rep Les Evans, and the meetings are feeding back “100 per cent support from members.”
He also pointed the executive actions being pushed in “eight or nine units across the division” as a major factor in strengthening feelings among the workforce.
The Anglia division has held “over 100 gate meetings” reports Barry Jennings, “and from the feedback we’ve received, our members are definitely up for it.
“I’ve done a couple of meetings at Southend MPU – the largest delivery unit in the division, and perhaps in the country – and members there are angry with what the company is trying to do.
“There’s been a great response from members and we’ve been stressing the point that this anger needs to be expressed in the ballot box.”
Across the division, virtually all of our workplaces have held gate meetings either today or in the previous days, or, like Cambridge MPU – this division’s second biggest delivery unit – are meeting tomorrow.
Members across the capital have been “in good spirits,” reports London divisional rep Mark Palfrey.
“We’ve got 117 units and from the feedback I’ve heard myself and from reps, it seems clear our members are seeing right through the company’s proposals.
“From the feeling at the meetings, we expect a big turnout and a big YES vote, but it’s vitally important that everyone fills in and sends back their ballot papers promptly next week when they get them.”
Got any questions about the dispute? Ask Dave and Terry on this evening’s facebook live – our general secretary and deputy general secretary postal will be on from 7pm
