by Chris McLaughlin
More than two-thirds of the Cabinet have ignored a plea from postal workers for talks on the Royal Mail dispute amid a national ballot for industrial action.
The failure of a response has prompted unprecedented action from the Communication Workers Union, which has taken out adverts in newspapers and magazines, including Tribune, to “name and shame” the silent ministers.
The adverts, headed “NO REPLY”, are being placed to coincide with the Labour Party conference and refer to a letter from general secretary Billy Hayes sent on July 23
In it, he refers to the “underlying pension fund deficit, regulation and the need to modernise the company to take account of changing market conditions” and requests a meeting to discuss the future of a successful Royal Mail.
Only five Cabinet members have replied: Harriet Harman, Peter Hain, Alan Johnson, Bob Ainsworth and Lord Adonis. Business Secretary Peter Mandelson was not one of the recipients.

