Coventry postal service strike
Cov Boyz Wobble | 20.07.2007 14:49 | Workers' Movements | Birmingham
Coventry Post Office Picket
IWW supporters in Coventry supplied donuts and solidarity to counter staff at the threatened Crown Post Office branch.
The context of the dispute:
80% of Crown Post Office counter staff have been given a pay freeze for three years with loss of premiums; 20% have been given a below inflation pay rise.
85 Crown Post Offices are to be closed or franchised mainly to WH Smiths which could lead to 1,500 jobs lost. WH Smiths have publicly said they won’t take on many of the current staff. Usually there is legal protection of terms and conditions when people’s jobs are transferred (under TUPE legislation) but workers have been told this won’t apply. WH Smiths counter staff workers will have worse pay, conditions and union organisation.
Post Offices Ltd say counter services are running at a loss. The CWU union and Royal Mail devised a business plan, a joint venture with the Bank of Ireland to provide new financial services which would make £200 million profit in the next 5 years. Unfortunately Royal Mail have broken away from this and plan to worsen pay and conditions as well as break up union recognition instead.
This has left counter staff with no other option than to strike. This is not an action that any worker can take lightly. To go on strike is to make a sacrifice that few can afford to make. Because of the sacrifice that a strike represents it is vital that all workers support those who are striking whether they are directly involved in the dispute or not.
The context of the dispute:
80% of Crown Post Office counter staff have been given a pay freeze for three years with loss of premiums; 20% have been given a below inflation pay rise.
85 Crown Post Offices are to be closed or franchised mainly to WH Smiths which could lead to 1,500 jobs lost. WH Smiths have publicly said they won’t take on many of the current staff. Usually there is legal protection of terms and conditions when people’s jobs are transferred (under TUPE legislation) but workers have been told this won’t apply. WH Smiths counter staff workers will have worse pay, conditions and union organisation.
Post Offices Ltd say counter services are running at a loss. The CWU union and Royal Mail devised a business plan, a joint venture with the Bank of Ireland to provide new financial services which would make £200 million profit in the next 5 years. Unfortunately Royal Mail have broken away from this and plan to worsen pay and conditions as well as break up union recognition instead.
This has left counter staff with no other option than to strike. This is not an action that any worker can take lightly. To go on strike is to make a sacrifice that few can afford to make. Because of the sacrifice that a strike represents it is vital that all workers support those who are striking whether they are directly involved in the dispute or not.
Cov Boyz Wobble