About 100 people joined a rally to show solidarity with Oxford posties at the Cowley sorting office at 5 pm today; not a bad turn out considering it was called with about 2 hours notice.
The issues which led to the strike should have been sorted out last week, if only managers were capable of saying 'sorry; we messed up'. The post workers walked out last week after members were seriously bullied by a group of non-unionised 'casuals' who appear to have been hired by the management to break the back of the union here. These casuals went as far as harassing the 11 year old son of a black worker, following him to school and shouting abuse.
Last Thursday at a meeting between CWU reps and management there was ample opportunity for management to disown and fire those casuals who were responsible for the bullying. Instead they have been given contracts, loads of overtime, and were scabbing away inside the sorting office while the rally was going on.
Representatives from the FBU, Unison, NUJ and the Trades council brought messages of solidarity to the postal workers at the rally. It is recognised that this dispute is about the right to organise to defend human rights at work, and that what is at stake is the union itself and the future of public services in general. The strike has spread to the Headington office, and other offices are likely to come out in support. There is no justification for the harassment which is being meted out, or for the cowardice of the management for supporting and rewarding the bullying tactics.
Last Thursday at a meeting between CWU reps and management there was ample opportunity for management to disown and fire those casuals who were responsible for the bullying. Instead they have been given contracts, loads of overtime, and were scabbing away inside the sorting office while the rally was going on.
Representatives from the FBU, Unison, NUJ and the Trades council brought messages of solidarity to the postal workers at the rally. It is recognised that this dispute is about the right to organise to defend human rights at work, and that what is at stake is the union itself and the future of public services in general. The strike has spread to the Headington office, and other offices are likely to come out in support. There is no justification for the harassment which is being meted out, or for the cowardice of the management for supporting and rewarding the bullying tactics.
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