Postal Strike in Bristol
ffwd by i-Contact video network | 15.01.2001 15:14
POST office managers were today delivering mail to thousands of addresses in Bristol as a strike by mail workers spread.
About 120 postal workers covering three key areas of the city have joined the unofficial walkout.
The strike started on Friday when 70 delivery staff based at the Easton Business Park stopped work in a row about changes to working practices, including overtime payments.
Communications Workers Union (CWU) official David Wilshire said talks had broken down at the weekend and that new negotiations were being held today.
The initial stoppage affected people living and working in the BS1 central Bristol postcode area. But, at the weekend, another 50 workers covering the BS2 and BS99 areas refused to cross the picket line.
The BS1 and BS2 areas cover the city centre and the BS99 code applies to some of the city’s largest organisations, such as the Bristol and West Bank, NatWest, the Evening Post, Avon Health Authority, Bristol Children’s Hospital and the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
The stoppage has affected an estimated 20,000 addresses, with at least 500,000 items of mail held up.
The dispute hinges on a 45-minute period, which the workers used to receive as overtime for sorting mail on behalf of colleagues who were sick or on holiday.
Royal Mail has stopped paying them for that period, after telling them they are already receiving cash for this work and that it is not overtime.
Further talks were being held today between Royal Mail and officials from the Communications Workers Union (CWU) to try to break the deadlock.
Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth said managers were determined that customers would not be inconvenienced.
Mr Booth said they were prepared to deliver the mail themselves to all the areas affected after being drafted in to cover the BS1 area at the weekend.
CWU official Kevin Beazer said: “We have asked for negotiations in the past on this issue and they (Royal Mail) have refused.
“They want our people to return to work but are not prepared to discuss the issues that caused them to walk out in the first place.
“The onus is certainly on the employer here to get the situation sorted out.”
Royal Mail advised people not to go to the business park to collect their post.
It said mail was being sorted and delivered, although it would arrive later than normal.
About 120 postal workers covering three key areas of the city have joined the unofficial walkout.
The strike started on Friday when 70 delivery staff based at the Easton Business Park stopped work in a row about changes to working practices, including overtime payments.
Communications Workers Union (CWU) official David Wilshire said talks had broken down at the weekend and that new negotiations were being held today.
The initial stoppage affected people living and working in the BS1 central Bristol postcode area. But, at the weekend, another 50 workers covering the BS2 and BS99 areas refused to cross the picket line.
The BS1 and BS2 areas cover the city centre and the BS99 code applies to some of the city’s largest organisations, such as the Bristol and West Bank, NatWest, the Evening Post, Avon Health Authority, Bristol Children’s Hospital and the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
The stoppage has affected an estimated 20,000 addresses, with at least 500,000 items of mail held up.
The dispute hinges on a 45-minute period, which the workers used to receive as overtime for sorting mail on behalf of colleagues who were sick or on holiday.
Royal Mail has stopped paying them for that period, after telling them they are already receiving cash for this work and that it is not overtime.
Further talks were being held today between Royal Mail and officials from the Communications Workers Union (CWU) to try to break the deadlock.
Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth said managers were determined that customers would not be inconvenienced.
Mr Booth said they were prepared to deliver the mail themselves to all the areas affected after being drafted in to cover the BS1 area at the weekend.
CWU official Kevin Beazer said: “We have asked for negotiations in the past on this issue and they (Royal Mail) have refused.
“They want our people to return to work but are not prepared to discuss the issues that caused them to walk out in the first place.
“The onus is certainly on the employer here to get the situation sorted out.”
Royal Mail advised people not to go to the business park to collect their post.
It said mail was being sorted and delivered, although it would arrive later than normal.
ffwd by i-Contact video network
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