Angry CWU telecoms members meet

Written by Socialist Party England and Wales Monday, 13 June 2011 17:06

CWU telecoms conference reflected the anger of members in the industry. Motions calling for changes to the attendance agreements that have been used to invoke the use of compulsory overtime were carried. Motions calling for pension increases to be linked to RPI and for changes to the 'parking at home' agreements, which are being used to force members to work extra hours, were also carried.

CWU conference - unanimous call for 24-hour general strike

Written by Administrator Monday, 13 June 2011 09:08

At the Communications Workers Union (CWU) conference at the end of May the scale of the attacks on postal and telecoms workers was put alongside the wider government attacks. Delegates called unanimously for a 24-hour general strike and on the CWU to participate in local anti-cuts bodies.

BT pay deal - “We still feel like we deserve more”

Written by theSocialist Tuesday, 12 October 2010 15:59

TheSocialist spoke to a worker in BT’s Customer Service contact centre after the recent 9.3% pay deal over three and half years - the equivalent to nearly 3% each year.

“With inflation in August running at 4.7% and VAT set to hit 20% in January, this pay deal will not match inflation and is in effect a pay cut. We still feel like we deserve more. For someone on A1 (the lowest pay band in BT) who earns £14,197 a year before any deductions, it is getting very difficult to pay the bills. The new pay deal isn’t going to cover it. Yet BT has reported massive pre-tax profits of £1billion so far this year!

Postal service will be destroyed by privatisation

Written by Paddy Meehan, South Belfast Socialist Party Spokesperson Monday, 13 September 2010 10:40

The Socialist Party today condemned the decision of the Business Secretary Vince Cable to privatise Royal Mail. This move to create a new private company to handle sorting and deliveries will devastate a vital service for the general public and destroy terms and conditions for the workforce.

Socialist Party MEP opposes privatisation of postal services across Europe
Report from European postal workers’ meeting co-hosted by Joe Higgins MEP - Click here to read more

CWU ballots BT workers for strike over pay

Written by Clive Walder, CWU Birmingham, Black Country and Worcester Branch, personal capacity Friday, 11 June 2010 15:29

The CWU is set to ballot its members in BT for industrial action over pay for the first time since 1987.

Last year the union recommended its members accepted only a £400 non consolidated payment and reductions in pension benefits because the company pleaded poverty after making its first loss since the 1970s.

Fight BT’s National Pay Deal

Written by CWU member Wednesday, 09 June 2010 08:30

BT has offered workers a 2% pay rise with two one-off payments of £250 – one of which will be at the managers discretion. This pathetic offer is nothing in comparison to BT’s profits which were up 11% in the third quarter of 2009. BT rejected the CWU’s claim of 5% despite the fact that this would only equate to just 1.1% of the companies £5.7 billion projected annual profit. Meanwhile, BT’s profits look set to go up. The recent volcanic ash cloud and its lingering problems for air travel will mean a surge in conference calling – a definite unexpected increase in BT’s profits.

Royal Mail deal not acceptable

Written by Gary Clark, assistant branch secretary, Scotland No.2 branch CWU Wednesday, 17 March 2010 12:00

Fight needed to safeguard jobs and working conditions

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) leadership have agreed a deal with Royal Mail that they say “delivers on the major issues which postal workers have fought for”. The 80 page agreement has been met with a wide range of views amongst CWU members, as it has produced many “winners” but also a large amount of losers. Many delivery workers could lose between £10 and £30 a week.