Postal union chief to quit Labour's NEC

This story from Oliver Morgan, industrial editor Sunday April 29, 2007
The Observer Postal union leader Dave Ward is to step down as a member of Labour's ruling national executive committee, saying there is a conflict of interest between fighting government policy and sitting on the body. The news comes as the Communication Workers Union meets this week to finalise the timing of a strike ballot over Royal Mail's latest pay offer. Ward, who has opposed the introduction of competition into postal services and is fighting plans to close the company's final salary pension scheme to new members, says the union will launch a nationwide campaign against government policy on 15 May

He said: 'I believe this government's policies have been more hostile to postal workers than any previous government.'In a letter to CWU members informing them of his decision to stand down from the NEC, he says: 'I feel there is a growing conflict of interests between my role in representing and defending the views of the CWU and continuing to spend time on the Labour Party NEC.''It is now essential we devote our energies to challenging government policy on competition and their recent commercial agreement with Royal Mail.'

...Good news he had the guts to quit and defend the postal service from decimation or what the government call introducing competition.