UK National Postal Strike - On/Off?

Submitted by Spikymike on November 15, 2019

So this Oct strike announcement and reasons reported here:
https://anarchistcommunism.org/2019/10/21/posties-vote-for-sttrike-action/
Then this losing legal battle reported by the CWO union here:
http://cwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/19LTB659-Royal-Mail-Dispute-High-Court-judgement.pdf
Despite my usual criticism of the trade unions I put up the CWU 'I support the Posties' notice in my window failing anything else to hand, but what now surely some wildcat strike or other disruptive action will emerge before the general election and the Xmas rush or am I just wishful thinking?

Spikymike

4 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on November 15, 2019

Edit: That first link should be:
https://anarchistcommunism.org/2019/10/21/posties-vote-for-strike-action/
and the second link here:
https://cwu.org/news/cwus-voice-of-defiance-rings-out-around-the-country/

R Totale

4 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by R Totale on November 17, 2019

Thanks for starting this thread, I had been thinking it needed one, and it would be very interested to hear an update from the ACG postie interviewed in that first link.
In terms of what next, the CWU have called a "national gate meeting day" for Friday 22nd:

I dunno if non-posties would be welcome to join in, but it's not impossible, since the CWU has been very keen to involve outside support in this dispute. For those who haven't seen it, they've set up a "supporters' network" thing here.

R Totale

4 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by R Totale on November 21, 2019

For anyone in that bit of East London, Waltham Forest Trades Council are hosting an open meeting with Dave Ward soon: https://community-languages.org.uk/waltham-forest-trades-council/?p=281

rat

4 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by rat on November 22, 2019

R Totale

Thanks for starting this thread, I had been thinking it needed one, and it would be very interested to hear an update from the ACG postie interviewed in that first link.

Will look into that idea.

Joe Hell

4 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Joe Hell on November 24, 2019

Not much to say really

CWU are appealing the court verdict (im starting to suspect that the leadership maybe never wanted to strike over xmas)

and we had a meeting on friday where people were told that the issues with royal mail isnt going away etc
the legal fuckups on technicalities (this time about posties in some offices taking their ballot papers out of sorting before it being delivered to there house which is'nt allowed) makes me think that perhaps since this is the 2nd time the CWU leadership screw up on the legal even though they have a big legal department
all they really wanted is a seat around the table with management and only wanted to show the support from members rather than industrial action.
there is speculation that the new head of RM Rico might be pushed to go in 2020 by shareholders because of the share value decline. CWU also advices members to vote labour to nationalise the business. perhaps the CWU tactic is more about campaigning rather than industrial action?

Spikymike

3 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on May 2, 2020

Well the second massively supported national strike called by the CWU was then suspended in response to the Coronavirus outbreak and government measures belatedly aimed at trying to control its spread in the UK and then - 'surprise-surprise' the Royal Mail Management take that as an opportunity to start chipping away at postal workers conditions as reported here:
https://anarchistcommunism.org/2020/05/01/royal-mail-uses-pandemic-to-attack-postal-workers/
There have earlier been several localised unofficial disputes/strikes in response to poor working conditions during the pandemic so maybe more to come now?

Spikymike

3 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on May 22, 2020

And then insult to injury......
https://anarchistcommunism.org/2020/05/21/bye-bye-rico

Spikymike

3 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on September 11, 2020

And this recent update from a UK postal worker:
https://letsgetrooted.wordpress.com/2020/09/07/lockdown-interviews-royal-mail-worker/
Also picked this report up from a trot site about restructuring proposals in the Australian Postal Service on the back of union cooperation during the pandemic which sounds familiar to here, though I can't verify everything in it:
https://wsws.org/en/articles/2020/09/11/post-s11.html

Spikymike

3 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on October 15, 2020

More on UK posties issues:
https://anarchistcommunism.org/2020/10/15/back-on-the-vans/

Spikymike

3 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on January 30, 2021

A deal of sorts now:
https://anarchistcommunism.org/2021/01/30/royal-mail-deal/

ajjohnstone

3 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by ajjohnstone on January 30, 2021

How things change.

I have been away now for over a decade but when i was a postal worker, it was the parcels division which was the orphan of the industry.