The Communication Workers’ Union has announced an escalation of the level of strike action in Royal Mail. Although postal workers will individually take 2 days of strike action in the next two weeks, the strikes announced mean that there will be two weeks of continuous disruption to mail services. The strikes call out separate functions nationally on different days and the timing is aimed at maximising the impact on mail.
The clear escalation of the strike has been called because Royal Mail have made it clear they are unwilling to engage in any meaningful negotiations
“We have contacted Royal Mail leaders on copious occasions, consistently asking for negotiations to find a resolution to the dispute. Royal Mail management continue to ignore the union and its’ workforce. This is absolutely unacceptable”, said Dave Ward, CWU Deputy General Secretary.
General Secretary Billy Hayes added “stepping up strike action is the inevitable response to an employer that refuses to take the strike seriously. Again, we are calling on Royal Mail’s business leaders to enter fresh and meaningful negotiations aimed at settling the dispute. The fact that they continue to refuse to do so is a failure to their workforce and the public”.
In addition to strike action, the CWU are stepping up their campaign to make pressure groups and the public aware that postal workers are taking this action in an attempt to defend and protect postal services.
Proposed Programme for Industrial Action over 2 Weeks on Functional/Site Basis
Week 1
- Mail Centres and Cash Handling – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 19.00 Wednesday 25th July 2007 until 19.00 Thursday 26th July 2007
- MDECs – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 12 noon Thursday 26th July 2007 until 12 noon Friday 27th July 2007.
- International/HWDC – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 12 noon Friday 27th July 2007 until 12 noon Saturday 28th July 2007
- Deliveries and Separate Collection Hubs - duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 19.00 Friday 27th July 2007 until 19.00 Saturday 28th July 2007.
Week 2
- Airports – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 12 noon Monday 30th July 2007 until 12 noon Tuesday 31st July 2007
- Mail Centres and Cash Handling – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 03.00 Tuesday 31st July 2007 until 03.00 Wednesday 1st August 2007.
- Network - duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 03.00 Wednesday 1st August 2007 until 03.00 Thursday 2nd August 2007.
- Deliveries and Separate Collection Hubs – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 03.00 Thursday 2nd August 2007 until 03.00 Friday 3rd August 2007.
- Airports - duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 19.00 Friday 3rd August 2007 until 19.00 Saturday 4th August 2007.
- MDECs - duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 03.00 Saturday 4th August 2007 until 03.00 Sunday 5th August 2007.
Week 3
- International/HWDC – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 19.00 Monday 6th August 2007 until 19.00 Tuesday 7th August 2007.
- Network – duties, Scheduled Attendance and overtime commencing at or after 12 noon Tuesday 7th August 2007 until 12 noon Wednesday 8th August 2007
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