A grassroots movement in our union of the rank and file and workplace strike committees could deliver the pressure on the national leadership to win, and if necessary take action without them and breaking the anti-union laws with mass walkouts.

Ultimately such a movement could stand alternative candidates on its policies and on the average postal workers wage - not like the £80,000 or more that Hayes and Ward take home every year.

The aim would be to transform the CWU into a democratic, fighting union, taking its place in the struggle for Socialism.

There is no such movement at the moment. TheTelecom’s Broad Left simply stands in elections. The Socialist Workers' Party has for years run the Post Worker paper with a member, Jane Loftus, President of the CWU. Yet the SWP has failed to build an alternative to the current CWU leadership. Their uncritical peace pact with Hayes in particular has blocked developing the left in the union.

CWU activists in Post Worker should demand it meets regularly and democratically decides its policies and leadership if it is to build a real grassroots alternative.