December 15, 2009

BNP leaflets will go undelivered

The extremist British National Party face the prospect of seeing their election leaflets go undelivered, the postal workers leader has warned.

Billy Hayes, who leads the Communication Workers Union, sent a reminder that his members are fully entitled to refuse to handle any BNP material. Hayes told OBV: “The union’s position is we negotiated a conscience clause where every individual members is entitled to refuse to deliver if the find it offensive to deliver leaflets for fascist parties.”

Asked whether that could mean widespread refusal to deliver BNP leaflets, he said: “It’s quite common, yes. You don’t get many people in Stockwell [for instance] wanting to deliver BNP leaflets.”

The union leader was speaking during a visit to Operation Black Vote’s east London offices. Hayes stressed that it was important for political parties to get his members on their side, but added that he had no intention of following his predecessor into politics.

Asked if he was ever tempted to follow the CWU’s former general-secretary Alan Johnson, he replied: “Only in so far as representing my members. I have no desire to be the Home Secretary just yet.”

OBV

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm a postman & i hate the labour party,but i deliver their leaflets if they've paid,it's my job.

:ancaster Postie (Fenton) said...

"I'm a postman & i hate the labour party,but i deliver their leaflets if they've paid,it's my job."

That's up to you isn't it. That's what Billy Hayes meant when he said “The union’s position is we negotiated a conscience clause where every individual members is entitled to refuse to deliver if the find it offensive to deliver leaflets for fascist parties.”

Or don't you think there should be a choice when it comes to delivering leaflets for the nazis?

Calder Valley Postie said...

"Or don't you think there should be a choice when it comes to delivering leaflets for the nazis?"

I'm a part-time postman and don't fancy delivering BNP leaflets.
That said, i see very little difference between them and the Labour Party, a party who took us into a war without any sound reason.
They promised a referendum on ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and then decided not to allow one. So, come election time i'll refuse to deliver any political leaflets, unless a genuine working class party emerge!

Anonymous said...

Surely the postman's hatred for the Labour Party is different from his hatred for a Nazi organisation?

Anonymous said...

Well I think that makes it clear. Anyone delivering leaflets for the BNP is doing so by choice and as such can be held accountable for their actions.

Anonymous said...

I thought when I initially heard this that there was a rouge postman going round hiding and destroying BNP leaflets
if there is such a man he deserves to be knighted
so strange that a party can become so prominent only just over half a century after a war against fascism...