Postal strike: Third day of wildcat action expected

Oct 12 2007

A THIRD day of wildcat postal strikes in Liverpool is likely to take place today, after negotiations over working conditions failed last night.

Six hundred staff at several mail depots in the city, including the main site at Copperas Hill, staged unofficial walk-outs for the second day yesterday, protesting against new working hours.

The Commercial Workers Union (CWU) is holding a 10.30am meeting today for all members to discuss the situation, however the location was still unknown last night.

Staff in Wirral are currently working to rule.

The unofficial action started on Wednesday, after two 48-hour strikes staged over conditions, pay and job losses ended in deadlock.

Workers in Liverpool came to work to find changes in hours had already been implemented.

Liverpool branch secretary for the CWU, Mark Walsh, said last night: “We have organised a mass meeting for all members.

“I cannot see the staff working tomorrow (FRI) because management will not budge - there has been no change as far as I can see.

“We hope something will be resolved nationally as local management refused our proposals again earlier.

“We do not want this to carry on, and I feel for people losing money as a result, but we need some level of compromise.

“We are urging members to go back to work but we cannot force them.”

“It is not just about our workers but the postal service as a whole.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “Royal Mail is extremely concerned at the unlawful unofficial strike action taking place.

“Unlawful action is wholly unacceptable and must be condemned by the trade union.

“We are trying to get as much mail out as we can and will continue to talk with the union.” Business Secretary John Hutton was yesterday repeatedly urged by MPs to intervene in the dispute, but he said it was a matter between staff and management.

At Commons Question Time, Mr Hutton said the offer made to Royal Mail staff was a “decent and fair one” and he hoped the dispute would end as “quickly as possible”.

Mr Hutton told MPs: “I am not going to intervene, for example, to provide further funding to support a different offer to Royal Mail staff.

“We have given the Royal Mail substantial investment. It must operate within those investments and make sure that the taxpayer gets a return on those investments.

“The offer made to Royal Mail staff is a decent and a fair one, and I hope that this industrial dispute ends as quickly as possible.”