Postal workers try to refuse to carry BNP mail!
Worker Independence | 03.06.2004 01:41 | Anti-racism
p to 30 postal workers in the Grimsby area initially refused to deliver election literature for the British National Party (BNP).
) 31 May 2004
Up to 30 postal workers in the Grimsby area initially refused to deliver election literature for the British National Party (BNP).
Up to 30 postal workers in the Grimsby area initially refused to deliver election literature for the British National Party (BNP).
But according to a source, the protesters' numbers were whittled down as yesterday's deadline for delivering political pamphlets approached. The source, who did not wish to be named, said: "There were originally between 20 to 30 staff but it seems the majority of them were told they had to take them out. But a couple of us stood firm."
He told the Grimsby Telegraph the situation was eased when the BNP failed to put forward any candidates for next month's council elections.
However six BNP candidates are standing in the European elections for the Yorkshire and Humber area.
All political parties are entitled to a free mail drop near election time, and a Royal Mail spokesman said the company had a legal obligation to deliver.
He said: "We accept that some staff have strong feelings about certain things" and added that the Royal Mail would not "force anyone" into taking out the pamphlets.
If enough workers had refused, he said, temporary staff and managers would have ensured that the leaflets reached letter boxes.
Meanwhile, Chris Proctor, spokesman for the Communication Workers Union (CWU) could not confirm if a statement allegedly given by CWU general secretary Billy Hayes was accurate.
In a leaflet circulated to postal workers in the North East, Mr Hayes is reported as saying: "For any postal worker - if you don't want to deliver any racist filth, you have got my backing."
However Mr Proctor said he was sure management would deal with any worker's concerns "sympathetically".
He added: "It's the same if someone has strong views on abortion, and we had leaflets to post on that."
A statement slating the CWU for "encouraging" postal workers not to deliver BNP literature has been posted on the party's website. And a spokesman said: "When do postmen decide who gets their mail and who doesn't?"
The postal worker added that the BNP had been delivering their own literature across North East Lincolnshire.
He said: "We are going to have this every time there's an election unless we change the policy."
Up to 30 postal workers in the Grimsby area initially refused to deliver election literature for the British National Party (BNP).
Up to 30 postal workers in the Grimsby area initially refused to deliver election literature for the British National Party (BNP).
But according to a source, the protesters' numbers were whittled down as yesterday's deadline for delivering political pamphlets approached. The source, who did not wish to be named, said: "There were originally between 20 to 30 staff but it seems the majority of them were told they had to take them out. But a couple of us stood firm."
He told the Grimsby Telegraph the situation was eased when the BNP failed to put forward any candidates for next month's council elections.
However six BNP candidates are standing in the European elections for the Yorkshire and Humber area.
All political parties are entitled to a free mail drop near election time, and a Royal Mail spokesman said the company had a legal obligation to deliver.
He said: "We accept that some staff have strong feelings about certain things" and added that the Royal Mail would not "force anyone" into taking out the pamphlets.
If enough workers had refused, he said, temporary staff and managers would have ensured that the leaflets reached letter boxes.
Meanwhile, Chris Proctor, spokesman for the Communication Workers Union (CWU) could not confirm if a statement allegedly given by CWU general secretary Billy Hayes was accurate.
In a leaflet circulated to postal workers in the North East, Mr Hayes is reported as saying: "For any postal worker - if you don't want to deliver any racist filth, you have got my backing."
However Mr Proctor said he was sure management would deal with any worker's concerns "sympathetically".
He added: "It's the same if someone has strong views on abortion, and we had leaflets to post on that."
A statement slating the CWU for "encouraging" postal workers not to deliver BNP literature has been posted on the party's website. And a spokesman said: "When do postmen decide who gets their mail and who doesn't?"
The postal worker added that the BNP had been delivering their own literature across North East Lincolnshire.
He said: "We are going to have this every time there's an election unless we change the policy."
Worker Independence
Comments
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Similar is happening in Wales and the SW...
03.06.2004 10:21
THREE quarters, maybe more, of the BNP leaflets did not get delivered last week. There is a real feeling from our 2,000 grassroots members that they do not want to act as election helpers for the BNP in any way. In general postal workers accept that as part of their job they have to deliver material from political parties even if they disagree with them.
But the BNP is different because it is a fascist party and a direct threat to CWU members as trade unionists, as workers, as Muslims, as members of ethnic minorities. One of the first acts of conscientious refusal was by a driver who declined to take BNP material to Pontypridd and the Rhondda. He is white, his wife is Somali.
The BNP is saying his wife is second class, and ought not to be here. The BNP's rhetoric encourages attacks on people like this man's wife. So why should he be putting out their propaganda? Management threatened to suspend this driver but then it was dropped when they realised he had support.
It is not just black and Asian workers who are outraged at the BNP. The Ferndale office up the Rhondda, which is all white, came out 100 percent against delivering.
In Cardiff itself very many workers said no. We work in all sorts of communities 52 weeks a year. Many postal workers say they are not going to imperil their relationships with the people they serve and are not going to help the BNP. South Wales has a tradition of standing up to fascism. During the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s 174 people went from Wales to fight against the fascist forces. Of those 118 came from the mining valleys. Thirty three people gave their lives. We should be proud to remember that tradition today by standing with those who are confronting the BNP.
Postal workers are within their rights to use the nationally agreed conscience clause to refuse to deliver. Their protest is a very effective way of highlighting that the BNP is not a normal political party.
A lot of people in the media and in the political class would look down their noses at postal workers. But by their actions they have shown they are a lot more clued up about the world than lots of fancily educated experts. Postal workers in the south west of England have also been refusing to deliver leaflets. The Bristol office of the CWU had to be evacuated last week after a package containing white powder was sent to it.
Apologies: This articel is from Socialist Worker. I know we are not supposed to post partisan comments but I cannot find reference to this anywhere else (ie from more neutral sources)?? I am not a party member, just a reader!
Inspired
BNP Face opposition in Milton Keynes too
03.06.2004 11:45
NEWS
BNP in threat to sue in poll leaflets dispute
The far right British National Party is threatening to sue Royal Mail if city postmen refuse to deliver its election leaflets.
The union says it believes "a number" of postmen will refuse to handle leaflets expected to arrive at local mail depots this week.
Royal Mail and the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) have agreed that individual postmen can refuse as a matter of conscience to deliver election material they consider offensive.
Management stressed the agreement made no reference to specific political parties.
The BNP is fighting an election in Milton Keynes for the first time next week, with a former vet from Tattenhoe trying to get a seat in the European Parliament.
The party – attacked as anti-democratic because of its stance on immigration – reacted after a CWU official in the south-west said he would tell his members not to deliver any BNP material.
It said the union was misleading its members about the nature of the material and it would take legal
action against it and Royal Mail if leaflets were not delivered.
CWU regional secretary John Colbert said he
believed a number of Milton Keynes postmen would choose not to take out BNP leaflets.
"There is quite a high ethnic mix among postmen in Milton Keynes. There are a number of areas, such as Duncombe Street and Oldbrook, where some members delivering BNP mail could feel that they are at risk."
He said the union would not be advising individual members on appropriate action.
BNP spokesman Phil Edwards said: "There is nothing wrong with our mail. It is not racist. We pay for this stuff to be delivered. How dare postmen take this action."
01 June 2004
postie anarchist
Hope RM goes to court
03.06.2004 17:41
Hmm - maybe if the posties put some racist bollox through my door, I'll take legal action too.
Posties have your implied consent to put stuff through your door and this normally includes 'circulars' - but in my case that doesn't extend to bnp leaflets.
That said, don't necessarily blame the messenger (unless they tell you they're bnp voters themselves).
bobby