CWU General Secretary Election: Billy Hayes

CWU General Secretary Election
Billy Hayes

A CAUSE NOT A CAREER

30 years of trade union experience and activity have taught me that.

Post Office, BT and Girobank management have let it be known whom their preferred candidate is, assisting in subtle ways to make life easier for them. I have received no such help from the employers, nor their Cheerleaders.

BACKGROUND

I have been active in the trade union movement since I left school. First as a fitter, then as a member of the Shop Workers Union.

Eight months on the dole taught me the value of a secure job.

24 years ago I became a postman, and a committed member of the Union, having held positions at every level, negotiated major agreements with Girobank, BT and the Post Office.

Because I left school at 15 and in order to assist my trade union work, I have since obtained 5 "O" Levels, 2 "A" Levels and a diploma from Liverpool University.

Currently I am a National Officer with shared responsibilities for 140,000 Post Office members. Being married to a Commo, and a committee member of the London South Central Clerical Branch, working at Delta Point, the problems in BT directly affect my family.

DAYS LIKE THESE

Wage inequality in Britain today is the greatest since records began 100 years ago. Casualisation, short term contracts, contractors, outsourcing, insecurity, all features of the flexible labour market. Our membership across communications and financial services markets are subject to these increasing trends.

EXPERIENCE

BT

100,000 job loses, as a result of privatisation. Outsourcing cleaners, catering, G.A.'s etc. This has increased insecurity for our members. Critchley Labels is proof of that. Job Security and Personal Rights are priorities. The widespread use of contractors needs to be ended.

POST OFFICE

The privatisation of Quadrant was "cautiously welcomed"by the current leadership which demonstrated a lack of understanding and an out of touch manner. We should oppose the sell off of supposedly non core, Transport, SSL, POCL, RoMec, Streamline, Parcelforce, Cleaners, Cashco etc.

We need an integrated Post Office, with permanent contracts, with five day week working for all.

GIROBANK

The forgotten Post Office privatisation, 3,500 job losses since 1988. We should resist the suggested closure of the Bootle site, and any further attempts to "downsize" the workforce through Alliance and Leicester.

A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND

During the election, I have secured the support of CWU Branches across the union, Postal, Clerical, Engineers, Operators, and other businesses.

If we are together this will help us organise those not in trade union membership, which current estimates put at 50,000 Telecom sector, 60,000 Couriers, financial services. This will improve our bargaining position.

Call centre workers, whether they work at Doncaster (BT) or Doxford (SSL) work in clerical factories and face similar problems. Currently 1.1% (300,000 jobs) of the working population perform such work. The number in this field are expected to double by the year 2000.

OUR UNION

Our current leadership seems to believe their job is to go around the country and stir up apathy. We should trust the members' judgement. This would ensure we don't have another Employee Agenda, in the Post Office, and that regrading talks in BT produce real benefits for all.

The role of a national leadership is to focus and unite the members across all the unions' constituencies; to work for and extend the branch based nature of our union. Lay activists are part of the solution not the problem. To encourage all members to participate, particularly women and black members, who are under represented currently. We should maintain and expand the union's work in health and safety.

PRIORITIES

End the scandal of low pay. A shorter working week for all our members has to be key, across the industries.

An overall review of organisation with serious consideration being given to such things as a national helpline number.

Maintain Annual Elections for the National Executive to ensure our lay member union is strengthened.

Change the constitution to allow branches the right to decide on legal industrial action at a time and in a manner that suits the local membership.

Full-time officials to be elected and subject to re-election every 5 years.

THE WIDER MOVEMENT

The election of a Labour Government in May 1997 was important for the direct interest of our members. Whether that be the peace process in Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh devolution or the halting of Crown Office closures and the restoration of trade union rights at GCHQ.

Reports of suggested watering down of recognition rights, minimum wage, and the ideas floated on Post Office privatisation are worrying. We need to drive as hard a bargain with the government as we would do with an employer.

We need to strengthen our ties with Labour. We need more regulation not less. This means we should ensure greater control over events in Europe.

The proposed deregulation of direct mail would see 20% of jobs in Royal Mail go.

More public investment is needed or there will be many more joint ventures of the Quadrant variety.

The pledge given by the late John Smith when he was leader of the Labour Party should be honoured. It should be employment rights from day one of starting work.

2003 AND BEYOND

I am prepared to serve my full term.

All candidates give commitments and pledge to work for a better future. What is a key part of democracy is holding people to account. In 1992 when I put up for election to the Post of Assistant Secretary, I set out my aims and stood by them. In 1997 I was re-elected unopposed. This was the members verdict on my record in that job.

In this election, the most important in the Union's short history, the only national official who can be called to account in 5 years time is me.

Cast your vote for democracy.

UNITY IS STRENGTH.

CWU Officers' Branch
Born 8th June 1953
Entered Post Office 18th February 1974
Joined CWU 18th February 1974

CWU Activity:

CDO 1-3 Committee Member 1978/88
Vice Chairman 1978/79
CDO 1-3 Assistant Secretary 1981-84
Delegate to Postmen/Women's Joint Committee 1978-88
Assistant Secretary PJC (Outdoor) 1980-84
Secretary PJC 1984-88
Branch Committee Member 1978-1992
Finance and General Purposes Committee Member 1978-1992
UPW Delegate to TUC Youth Conference 1979
Branch Editor 1983-88
Branch Secretary 1988-1992
Delegate UCW District Council North West No 4/No 1 - 1984-91
Official Branch Visitor to UCW Conference 1980
Branch Delegate UCW Conference 1984-1992
Liverpool Trades Council Delegate 1978-92; held positions on TC of Executive Committee member
Chairman Youth Committee, Vice-President 1978-79
CWU Delegate To Trades Union Congress 1997
UCW Royal Mail Divisional Representative (May - October 1992)
UCW Executive Council Lay Member (May to October 1992)
Elected UCW Assistant Secretary October 1992
Re-elected unopposed March 1997.

Political Affiliation and Activity:

Member of Mitcham and Morden Labour Party, Figges Marsh
Ward. Former Member of Liverpool Walton Labour Party; Fazakerly Ward.
Held positions of General Management Committee Member, Vice-Chairman of ward, Secretary Young Socialist, District Party Delegate - Auditor Liverpool Postal Employees Workplace Branch. UCW Delegate North West Labour Party Conference 1990 and 1992
Member Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform
UCW Delegate to Labour Party Conference 1986-91
CWU Delegate Labour Party Conference 1997
Member of Greenpeace

Public Service Activity:

Former volunteer Simon Community.

Educational Activity:

UPW Branch Officials Correspondence course
Chairmanship Correspondence Course
UPW Induction School
UPW Course Secondary Schools, Discipline & Superannuation, School Revision Procedure and IWM, Revised Revision Procedure. Tels No 1 Course. Workers Education Association evening classes, Trade Union Studies
TUC Schools, Shop Stewards Course, Law at the Workplace, New Technology Weekend School, Employment Bill, Education and Teaching Methods, Alternative Economic Strategy, Privatisation TUC Media School
UPW Advanced Course
ILO and PTTI
Sponsored Student to Labour Party Summer School
UCW/NCU Merger School
City and Guilds Fitter-Welder - 5 O'Levels and 2 A' Levels. Diploma in Trade Union Studies, University of Liverpool