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Royal Mail still on the attack...
now IT’S TIME TO
REstart strikes
N
ational strikes meed
to start again in Royal
Mail. Managers are using
divide and rule tactics in a bid
to fracture resistance and force
through the cuts and union-busting
revealed weeks ago in their secret
documents.
Bosses are brushing aside key
elements of the deal they signed and are
acting so brutally that there have been
strong calls—from London reps for
example—for the executive to restart
the strikes.
At a meeting on Wednesday, London
reps said they would call for strikes to
be put back on unless bosses retreat by
Friday.
The “interim agreement” signed
earlier this month that put an end to
strike action stipulated that the company
must negotiate changes to workers’
terms and conditions rather than using
executive action.
But it is clear that managers in
some parts of the country—including
East Anglia, Essex and London—are
continuing their offensive.
They are refusing to even discuss
the most contentious changes, such
as new delivery rounds that cannot be
completed in normal working hours.
Opportunity missed
In some areas Royal Mail seems
prepared to enter negotiations.
But it’s crucial that workers are
not divided on the basis of whether
their local management is smiling or
frowning.
The attacks taking place are designed
to break the union.
They are a strategy to win national
gains against workers, and need a
national response.
The attacks taking place now
underline the weakness of the interim
agreement.
There was no reason for the union to
sign up to it.
The proposed escalation of strike
action—that would have seen two
24-hour strikes in close succession last
week—had widespread support within
the union. ‘we need a
We would be in a much stronger
position now if they had gone ahead.
fightback’
And the prospect of further hard- “Management are trying to turn
hitting action had both management and us against each other.
the government on the ropes. “Managers here are being
deliberately obstructive. Last
It’s not all over week I asked for a meeting to
discuss the executive action
It is testimony to the strength of
imposed on delivery offices. I was
the union that Royal Mail was forced given a flat ‘no’.
repeatedly to return to talks—and to “Instead they said they wanted
offer a number of concessions. to talk about doing a deal to
But a significant victory was within ensure that Christmas working
postal workers’ grasp. patterns were to their advantage.”
Now national strike action must be Ryan Ward, CWU rep Romford
restored quickly in order for the union
to regain the initiative. “The interim agreement says
CWU members can be united and clearly that there should be no
motivated—if the decision to restart settling of scores and that there
strikes is made soon. should be a period of calm.
“If that’s the case, why did
No cooperation with management. managers at our mail centre
Lift all disciplinaries/sackings now. choose to sack one of our reps
CWU activists have set up a petition on trumped-up charges when all
calling for strikes at Royal Mail to be our senior reps were attending a
reinstated. meeting in London?
Postal workers can sign the petition “I believe that this was a
on the web at www.petitiononline. calculated act of revenge on the
com/CWU1109/petition.html (note union. We asked for our local
the CWU is in capitals), or ask your strikes to be put back on after
Socialist Worker seller for a paper Royal Mail refused to enter
copy of the petition
If you would like to join the SWP or
meaningful negotiations about
changes to our conditions.”
John Hunt, CWU branch
get these leaflets direct through email,
secretary Chelmsford
please email industrial@swp.org.uk or
phone/text 07986 936094.
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