Royal Mail
Content about workers' struggles, strikes, privatisation and events related to the Royal Mail.
Royal Mail strikes suspended for talks as work to rule continues
Royal Mail and the CWU leadership announced the suspension of strike action for three weeks for talks. Meanwhile, on the job and unofficial action continues.
Postal workers were just about to resume a second two weeks of rolling strike action, which has already built up 10-14 days backlog at Royal Mail depots around the country.
Postal workers wildcat in Swindon
More than 500 workers walk out over the transfer of prominent strikers to elsewhere in the company.
The strike at the Hawksworth sorting office lasted two hours until the CWU union persuaded the strikers to return to work. They were angry that two collegues who had taken an active part in the ongoing national strikes were being transferred to another area.
More strikes at the Post Office and Royal Mail
Crown post offices are to go on strike this week against plans to transfer services to WH Smith, while Royal Mail workers begin their third week of rolling strikes.
The Post Office Ltd. wants to shut 85 post offices and shift services over to the much lower-paid workers at WH Smith, as part of its overall plan to close around 1,000 post offices. Post Office Ltd.
Dispatch 1 - Royal Mail strikes, August 2007
First issue of a bulletin about the public sector pay struggles of summer 2007 by a group of workers around libcom.org. This issue focusses on postal workers.
Available here in TIF and here in PDF format. The text follows:
Dispatch
Public sector pay dispute — information for action
Issue 1 - August 2007
Royal Mail workers: Fighting to win
Doing the job as it’s meant to be done
Royal Mail wildcats spread to north of England
The wildcat strikes at Royal Mail which began in Glasgow, spread across Scotland, and ended today also reached Newcastle, Liverpool and Chester yesterday. And Hartlepool today.
Liverpool:
Managers drove mail into the building, which resulted in a wildcat at the Liverpool Mail Centre when workers refused to unload the lorry. The wildcat was supported by Polish agency workers who refused to cross the picket line, and instead went to the pub.
Newcastle:
Scotland: Postal staff vote to end wildcat strike
60% of post workers from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen have voted to return to work after both a wildcat strike that started on Tuesday.
However, the CWU's round of 'staggered stoppages' was due to end on 7 of August but has now been extended by at least two weeks. Therefore workers in Scotland will be back out on strike again, and so staff from working sections of Royal Mail coming in contact with picket lines from striking sections will still be an issue.
Royal Mail: Wildcat strikes spread as post piles up
Wildcat stoppages at Royal Mail offices in Scotland have now spread to thirteen offices. Meanwhile 200 million items of post are now undelivered, and official strikes and further ballots continue.
Thousands of workers at Glasgow mail centre were on an unofficial strike when thirteen drivers who refused to cross the picket line of the official strike at Edinburgh airport were suspended.
Glasgow: 5,000 postal workers in unofficial action
During the ongoing rolling strikes over pay and conditions, thousands of postal workers launched a wildcat strike in support of colleagues who were suspended.
Thirteen workers who had refused to cross a picket line at Edinburgh airport were sent home, and up to 5,000 colleagues walked out in support. The CWU said a deal was offered to bosses which would have averted the unofficial action but it was rejected. The strike began at Glasgow Mail Centre at midnight last night, followed by delivery offices shortly afterwards.
Man killed by Royal Mail scab
Tragedy struck yesterday when one of 5,000 Royal Mail managers acting as scabs drove his lorry into an Astra van, killing one and injuring a second person.
The Daily Mirror reported that a strike breaking Royal Mail boss was arrested yesterday after his lorry had a crash with a van killing the driver.
Office worker Phil Edmonds, 46, was at the wheel of the articulated truck when the vehicles collided, pushing the Astra van into the central reservation of a dual carriageway.
Royal Mail: Secret pensions robbery plan
The Mirror today revealed a secret plan of mail bosses to slash pensions for tens of thousands of workers.
The newspaper stated that Royal Mail workers will have their pensions slashed unless they work five years longer.
The move would cost staff members thousands of pounds a year. Some could see their retirement pay halved.
In addition the posties' final salary scheme would be closed to new members from next year.
