![]() ![]() ![]() In return the union offered a pause in the six months strike action clock ticking. This has now effectively happened, with Royal Mail workers being put on the list of 'key workers'. The CWU has sought to put pressure on Royal Mail management and the Tory government by demanding that postal workers should be regarded as providing emergency services during the virus outbreak, such as through delivering urgent medical supplies to people self-isolating and other vulnerable and elderly people. It was even reported that some offices haven't had soap in the toilets, which only goes to highlight the cost cutting which has been taking place throughout Royal Mail. This has resulted in a large number of offices not being properly cleaned, which has come to a head this week, with a number of offices closing when workers have taken unofficial action due to areas not being cleaned to a reasonable standard and concerns around the health implications. What also has become clear over the last few days is a lack of cleaners all over the country, with vacancies having been left unfilled for a period of time as a cost saving by Royal Mail. #Massive mail backlog after postal strikes uk feb 2016 drivers#Postal workers are to keep a two metre gap between them and customers but no guidelines have been issued for collection drivers or caller office workers. New guidelines around packet and 'to sign for' deliveries were issued last Saturday but this was a very slow response to the clear safety issues raised by the CWU. Members have been asking for gloves and hand cleansers which management has been very slow to get, despite weeks of notice that this national crisis and emergency was very likely to explode. Since the result we have seen the issues being overtaken by the spread of Covid-19, which has put a more complex situation in front of the CWU.īut it has seen Royal Mail managers put potentially on the back foot, exposing the extreme weakness in their preparedness for this situation and their disgraceful slowness in protecting our members. This just shows how much the laws in this country are anti-union, and why they must be fought by the whole workers' movement. In the second, over honouring the agreement of the 'four pillars', another massive yes vote was gained, of 96.2%, but only with a 49.4% turnout, so falling short by 0.6% of achieving the required threshold for strike action on this issue. The first was over being 'TUPED' over to a separate trading company and resulted in another massive yes vote of 95.4% in a 51.2% turnout, so achieving the legal threshold for industrial action. We also saw our Parcelforce members being balloted again at the same time, in two separate ballots. Last year's ballot was run over a three week period and this one was only a short campaign over two weeks.Ī number of members would not have been able to vote due to being on annual leave and any members who didn't receive a ballot paper would not have had enough time to request a replacement one.Īlso there was a more aggressive propaganda campaign by Royal Mail management, which while never convincing members to vote against the union, did result in a number not voting.īut it should not be understated that we still smashed the anti-trade union thresholds for industrial action and 94.5% is still a massive vote for strike action. This turnout was a drop from the ballot last year, which had a 76% turnout. The Royal Mail ballot resulted in an amazing 94.5% yes vote with a 63.4% turnout. We are countering Royal Mail management's attempt to walk away from national agreements and turn us into part of the gig economy. Royal Mail workers in the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) supporting a 'yes' vote in the previous ballot for strike action, Leicester Meridian, photo Steve Score (Click to enlarge) Corona crisis brings new issues into the postal dispute Gary Clark, branch secretary, CWU Scotland No.2 branchĬommunication Workers Union (CWU) members have - for the third time in two years - returned a massive yes vote for industrial action. ![]()
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