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we can win much more get the strikes backon

ondays national strike has been called off as union leaders announce progress in talks. With little detail of whats on the table, many are questioning whether its right to call off action. The LTB from headquarters states that theres been movement on a number of key issues in our dispute. Royal Mail bosses fear of our strike has shifted them to some degree. On legal protections, the progress reported includes an extension beyond the current three year offer. Even the threat of action can force movement. CWU leaders also report theres been an improved pay offer and a seperate pensions agreement. This is of course progress, but without any detail the significance of it is unclear, and its hard to see how bosses would have offered something worth calling off strikes for. What is clear is that Royal Mail bosses would much rather concede a little now and get the strikes pulled, than allow the strikes to go ahead. Striking is the most effective weapon in our arsenal.

Royal Mail bosses fear a strike of 125,000 post workers...

Postal workers on the picket lines during the last national strike in 2009

When FBU leaders called off a strike planned for 19 October, activists put pressure on them to get the action back on, and now theyre out on Friday and Monday in an escalation of their dispute. Postal workers can do the same and push our union leaders to put our strikes back on and fight for more.

Shuddered

Christmas

The fact that big parcel companies who use Royal Mail threatened to withdraw their Christmas contract if the dispute wasnt resolved shows the pressure the bosses must be under. But CWU should be using this to its advantage and strike for more than whats on the table now. Lets not forget our huge vote in the ballot. Despite the Tories move to block the union by driving forwards with the sell off, members showed they were ready to strike. The vote should have given our leaders confidence that members are up for a serious fight over pay, pensions and workload and are enraged by the privatisation on Royal Mail. It would be a massive boost for members to get onto the picket lines together and see our collective strength. We are not fighting alone. Before our action was called off, we were set to strike alongside firefighters who are now out on Monday. Last month thousands of FBU firefighters marched through London against the attacks on the fire service and their pensions.

The unions have the strength to take the Tories onand members are clearly willing to fight back. The steer our union leaders give is crucial. We need to begin to build networks of activists to develop pressure for a strategy that can win. Trade unionists shuddered last week at the events at Grangemouth oil refinery. Unite leaders accepted a catastrophic assault after bosses threatened to shut down the plant. Their deal means a three year nostrike agreement, a pay freeze, attacks on pensions and the removal of full time Unite officials from the site. Workers who took Unites initial advice and didnt

Shaped

sign the survival plan will now be re-employed on a worse pension scheme than those who did sign up! The Tories and bosses want to tame our unions. But unions are not powerless, they can win if they use all their power. Strong unions are a threat to the bosses raking in profits at workers expense. The lessonthe stakes for workers are high and our union must not blink first. Now its time to show the employers our strength, not to back off at the first offer.

Strikes can win more than anything Royal Mail may offer now. What we win will be shaped by the strength of the strikes. In September, reps voted to ensure that any offer is put to a special conference so members can discuss it before momentum is lost. At Mondays national rally it is vital that members let union leaders know that they are ready to strike to win more. CWU should get the strikes back on, escalate to win and link up with others to beat back the Tories together.

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