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CWU Targets Euro Election Candidates in National Lobbying Campaign to Protect Postal Services



The Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) in Ireland has rolled out a national campaign that is targeting candidates in the European elections as part of a pan-Europe campaign to protect postal services that is being co-ordinated by Union Network International (UNI).



UNI has developed a pledge that all candidates are being asked to sign which outlines a number of commitments that the candidates are being invited to honour.  The CWU has adapted this pledge to suit the Irish context and under the heading ‘Protect Postal Services’ has rolled out a campaign across the country through its extensive branch network. CWU members will, on an individual basis, ask the candidates who visit their homes to sign the pledge.  In conjunction with this, the branch committees have arranged meetings around the country with their local candidates to discuss their concerns around postal liberalisation and to get their pledges signed.  This is working very well and the branches have reported back that the candidates are keen to engage on members on their concerns and have committed to seriously addressing the risks involved in liberalisation.



In addition to this some branches have used a new web site that has been developed to make the European candidates more accessible to their constituents. http://www.candidatewatch.ie/ allows members of the public to put questions directly to individual MEPs and the answers are available for everyone to read – if they answer that is.  It is interesting to note the candidates that have not, as yet, answered any questions put to them.



There are local government elections taking place in Ireland on the same day as the European elections which has proved a good opportunity for the CWU to target two different groups of politicians as part of their campaigning – at the national and EU level.