Postal workers across the country went on a second 24-hour strike on Thursday 12th June. This was in response to the Royal Mail management's refusal to negotiate a decent pay award for postal workers and if their so-called 'business plan' is realised then that will result in 40,000 job losses. The company met with the Communication Worker's Union (C.W.U.) the day before and just re-stated it's 'business plan' that effectively puts the interests of corporations and profit before postal workers and a decent postal service in Britain. Unless the company sees sense and comes back to the negotiating table then further industrial action in the form of strikes is inevitable.
In addition, there are two further strikes taking place this week in Post Office Counters, which is a distinct business unit but part of the Royal Mail Group. This is in protest at plans to 'franchise' 85 offices to WH Smith and a three year pay freeze to be imposed on those postal workers.
In addition, there are two further strikes taking place this week in Post Office Counters, which is a distinct business unit but part of the Royal Mail Group. This is in protest at plans to 'franchise' 85 offices to WH Smith and a three year pay freeze to be imposed on those postal workers.
Some Royal Mail managers did support the last 24 hour strike, but many of them ignored the strike and crossed pickets to do worker's shifts to get extra over-time money. If they actually looked at Royal Mail's 'business plan' then they'd discover that their jobs are just as, if not more at threat. So it would make sense for them to show some solidarity and support the strike.
Speaking from the picket lines at Newtown's sorting office in Birmingham, a postie describes how they went to Birmingham Indymedia and downloaded photos from a report posted on the newswire about the last 24-hour strike. He then came into work and put them up on the CWU's designated notice-board. Management then told workers to take the pictures down claiming they intimidated management and then went onto claim they also offended customers. After two managers were ordered to take the pictures down, workers resigned in protest from the Royal Mail's 'Dignity and Respect at Work' (D.R.A.W.) initiative.
Posties then went onto photocopy and distribute copies of the article to other workers at the mail centre in Birmingham.
Speaking from the picket lines at Newtown's sorting office in Birmingham, a postie describes how they went to Birmingham Indymedia and downloaded photos from a report posted on the newswire about the last 24-hour strike. He then came into work and put them up on the CWU's designated notice-board. Management then told workers to take the pictures down claiming they intimidated management and then went onto claim they also offended customers. After two managers were ordered to take the pictures down, workers resigned in protest from the Royal Mail's 'Dignity and Respect at Work' (D.R.A.W.) initiative.
Posties then went onto photocopy and distribute copies of the article to other workers at the mail centre in Birmingham.
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