communications
News and articles about work, policy and struggles in the communications sector, from telecoms to postal and delivery services around the world.
Postal dispute: High court blocks Monday's official action
The High Court has blocked official strike action by postal workers on Monday and Tuesday.
The Royal Mail was granted an injunction to stop CWU members at sorting and delivery offices from striking. Royal Mail says an irregularity in the way the strike notice was issued makes the action illegal. The union insisted the strike was legitimate because it fully complied with the law. Rolling strikes similar to those in August were due to start on Monday.
Agency staff: Don't scab on your fellow workers! - Pracownicy agencji: Nie bądźcie łamistrajkami!
A bilingual English-Polish leaflet produced to counter Royal Mail using casual labour against the 2007 national postal strike. As text in English and Polish and a bilingual pdf laid-out for printing as a double-sided A5 leaflet.
12/10/07 - Reports suggest that the Manpower agency is recruiting casuals during this strike, you may want to print out this pdf and distribute it at your local Manpower branch, or any other agency hiring for Royal Mail.
Post strike wildcats spread
Wildcat strikes at Royal Mail have spread across London and the rest of the UK this week.
Almost all offices in North, East, South East and South West London have walked out, along with Liverpool; Edinburgh, Chester, Fife, Livingston, Peterborough, Dalkeith, Bristol, Leicester, Grangemouth, Kilwinning and Kent, also on unofficial strike. Glasgow walked out earlier in the week but have returned to work.
Royal Mail battle plans leaked
As wildcats erupt across the UK, the royalmailchat.co.uk forum has obtained a copy of Royal Mail's battle plans for the current negotiations with the CWU.
The document, a powerpoint presentation sent to general managers shortly after further strikes were announced in September, outlines Royal Mail's endgames for the talks. It includes a whole range of measures which postal workers said today would destroy the postal service if brought in.
Highlights include:
- No more negotiations with the CWU on every subject at every level
More wildcats at Royal Mail
Wildcat postal strikes have sprung up around the UK at the end of an official 48-hour Royal Mail walkout.
130,000 Communication Workers Union (CWU) members returned to work today after the latest four day strikes, but the introduction of later starts by executive action has led to mass walkouts in Glasgow, Lancaster, Liverpool, and London, with more offices to follow.
Postal workers begin two 48-hour strikes
Royal Mail workers have started the first of two 48-hour walkouts over pay and conditions since the suspension of strike action for talks in August.
Last-minute talks between Royal Mail managers and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) failed to reach a deal, and the strike started at noon. A second two-day strike is scheduled to begin at 3am on Monday, 8 October, after which rolling strikes will occur on a weekly basis with different functions on different days.
Rural mail carriers in Alberta wildcat
Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers in northern Alberta, Canada Wildcatted on Monday September 24th. Mail delivery was cut off in Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Nisku, Edson, Hinton and Delton Depot in Edmonton.
Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers in northern Alberta, Canada Wildcatted on Monday September 24th. Mail delivery was cut off in Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Nisku, Edson, Hinton and Delton Depot in Edmonton. The strike action was in response to Canada Post offering a select group of employees at two depots in Alberta a 35% raise while bypassing the vast majority of Rural and Suburban Workers.
CWU announces further strikes
The CWU yesterday has declared that there will be two 48 hour strikes at the beginning of October. Below is the official statement, reproduced for reference.
Taken from the CWU website:
Postal workers wildcat in Burslem
Workers at Burslem delivery office, Stoke-on-Trent, are on wildcat strikes after twelve members of staff were suspended including all union reps.
Royal Mail management suspended the workers for bullying and harrassment, but has refused to comment on the allegations made. Their colleagues walked out unofficially in support of the twelve suspended and remain on strike.
Royal Mail: Stockport wildcat strikers return to work whilst national talks extended until Sunday
Several hundred workers at Stockport Mail Centre returned to work today having walked out unofficially on Friday. Meanwhile national talks between the CWU leadership and Royal Mail have been extended until Sunday.
Workers at Stockport returned today after agreeing to ballot for official strike action. They had walked out on Friday following a mass meeting in the canteen. The walkout occurred shortly after a driver was sacked due allegations made by a scab during the official strike action last month.
update: according to posters on royalmailchat.co.uk
