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Postal Workers Refuse to Deliver BNP Leaflets

Freedom Newspaper | 18.05.2009 08:55 | Anti-racism | Workers' Movements

Postal worker stood firm against management intimidation at the Bridgwater Sorting Office, Somerset this week as bosses attempted to force them to deliver British National Party (BNP) leaflets in the run up to the forthcoming Euro elections.

The workers at the sorting office that covers much of the South West were subjected to days of intense intimidation in order to compel them to deliver the racist literature. Each worker was interviewed separately about their political beliefs and questioned on reasons why they should refuse to deliver such obvious racist and inflammatory material. Some were threatened with suspension and many were misled about their rights concerning the delivery of mail, with one postal worker describing managers as acting like "cheerleaders for the BNP".

The refusal to deliver post, under certain circumstances, is legal under the 'conscience clause' agreed by Royal Mail and Communication Workers Union (CWU). The clause states "delivery will be secured by the individual due to undertake the particular delivery, local management will deal sympathetically with requests to deviate from this arrangement. Such cases may arise as a result of personal circumstances or beliefs……’

This is not the first time Bridgwater postal workers have taken such action. Back in 2004 they was a similar dispute concerning the delivery of BNP election leaflets. Royal Mail has honoured its obligations in the past, and it is not clear why local managers are willing to break the clause now.

One theory is it is part of a renewed attempt to divide the workforce who have a history of militant action. Bridgwater workers have been solid in their support of industrial action over working conditions going back many years. Back in 2002 an indefinite wildcat strike won them concessions over a shorter working week, overtime rates and an end to management bullying. There was a strike late last year over the replacement of full time with part time workers, as was there in 2007 for similar reasons. Ironically the only person to cross the picket line was a former BNP activist expelled from the CWU.

The BNP have spent a considerable amount of money on propaganda for the up and coming Euro elections on June 4 in the hope of gaining seats at the European Parliament and cementing a long standing relationship with other fascist parties like Front National in France and the Forza Nuova in Italy. Militant anti-fascists have been campaigning throughout the country to prevent the BNP spreading their message and securing their first European seat.

So far a third of the 120 Bridgwater workforce has refused to deliver the literature. Union officials put this down to the campaign of fear and intimidation by managers at the sorting office.

[This article appears in the last edition of Freedom Newspaper]

Freedom Newspaper
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- Homepage: http://www.freedompress.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 14 comments

Well done.

18.05.2009 09:42

Well done posties.

Antifa


Well done, the dogfighter on the BNP MEP leaflet is Polish!!RAF,

18.05.2009 09:43

wether its a hurricane or super marine spitfire I cant clarify, but the tags on the front under the prop are definetely polish, cheeky lying nazis.
My grandad was in Polish RAF, he must be doing backlips in his grave about this.

International brigader


70s style nonsense

18.05.2009 09:44

If you're going to join the Royal Mail you must recognise that you will at some point have to deliver post that you don't agree with. If these people can't remain impartial and do their job, they should be fired - it's not as if there aren't hundreds of thousands of unemployed who would like a job. Only in a dinosaur industry like the RM could 70s style nonsense like this happen, and be indulged - anywhere else they'd be told to do their job or leave. No wonder the RM is in such trouble.

not a postie


BNP=Bosses' Party

18.05.2009 10:11

Postal workers at the Firth Park sorting centre in Sheffield have also refused to deliver the BNP's fascist and anti-working class election material.

It's interesting to see how the BNP have responded to this on message boards such as the Sheffield Star's. They have tried to portray themselves in Yorkshire as the friend of ("British") workers but when the posties took action they were demanding they be sacked and replaced by scab workers! They've attacked the unions and demanded that all unemployed people work for benefits! Oops the mask slipped there.....BNP=bosses' party.

Front 242


Support

18.05.2009 10:17

Any way of getting in contact with the posties to offer messages of support for this?

Fuck the Fash


Only a Dinosaur Party

18.05.2009 11:08

The Posties are well within their rights to refuse to deliver mail that will place them in the position of causing distress or alarm. Every single Postie must be sensitive to the threat of being served with an ASBO for distributing the literature of the BNP. Only a dinosaur would suggest otherwise. It hardly needs to be a matter of political belief on the part of Posties, simply a desire to not bring the Royal Mail into disrepute; or, a desire not to be served with an ASBO for distributing leaflets. It is not political to want nothing to do with convicted criminals seeking access to European Funds.

In May 2004 Nottingham City Council, in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service and the police, secured an Anti Social Behaviour Order for flyposting against Glen Clarke, working for Street Media Distribution Limited, The Council applied for a two year Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) on the grounds that flyposting caused "distress" and "alarm" to local residents and businesses. The judge agreed and stated that flyposting clearly demonstrated distress and alarm. The judge granted a two year ASBO on Mr. Clarke, who was not only forbidden to flypost in the city of Nottingham during that period - otherwise he would receive an automatic 28 days in custody - but also was told not be found with posters or paste in his possession or be fined. Similarly, the Directors of Sony avoided an ASBO by bargaining with Camden Council - leaving lower level employees exposed to prosecution.

It is a genuine fear for Posties that they could be simply left to suffer the consequences of a vicious and alien political creed. A party that is - by its own admission - filled with racists, fantasists and criminals. Would a Postie really want to deliver BNP leaflets knowing of the Far Right tactic of slipping razor blades into letters to Jews? Would a Postie really consider that political or simply a matter of their Duty? It is not simply a matter of the Royal Mail having a solicitor look over the leaflets for signs of racism. That does not remove the possibility that recipients of the leaflets might complain of distress and alarm when they receive the leaflet.

The Royal Mail Management are obviously happy to distribute material for the BNP at whatever cost to their employees. This is, in part, due to the BNP systematically targeting middle income, middle managers in order to improve their image. If customers begin to complain that they are suffering distress and alarm because they are in receipt of fascist leaflets and fear for their future as a consequence, then the Postal Management are open to an ASBO.

It is not political. It is simply good sense not to place your directors in a position where they can be threatened with an ASBO.

Nick Griffins Accountant


more inaccuracies

18.05.2009 12:45

i got one of these leaflets through my door this morning unfortunately .. what a load of rubbish.

apparently the models used to represent a british elderly couple are actually italian!
 http://blog.thestraightchoice.org/2009/05/the-telegraph-picks-up-the-story/

the straight choice seems to be a good website monitoring the distribution of leaflets by all political parties

annoyed
- Homepage: http://www.thestraightchoice.org


Leaflets

18.05.2009 13:11

leafleted the posties in cambridge. used these, put together at short notice so feel free to change them

Cambridge antifascist


Wonderful

18.05.2009 15:00

Well done posties for refusing to post this fascist filth! Is there any way of sending messages of support to them directly?

ellie


Blind prejudice!

18.05.2009 15:05

The refusal by postal workers to deliver BNP literature is a result of blind prejudice by many people about what the BNP stands for. Hardly any of the critics of the BNP have ever read any BNP literature or know what BNP policies are about.

Do these people sound like extremists:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFEBMjkKC-0

Unprejudiced


Ooo arrr!

18.05.2009 15:59

Dave Chapple will be the man to get in contact with, he also wrote a brilliant book about Bridgwater's local radical history. Check out the local history website as well!  http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~smedlo/history.htm

 davechapple@btinternet.com

Greg


The Policy of Lies and Victimhood continue

18.05.2009 16:19

Well, what a suprise. The Fascist Trolls turn up to explain they are nice ordinary people being picked on by terrible lefites. The whole of World War II was all a big mistake. They never mention the fantasy land of Collett and his Cronies or the Benefits Fraudsters in Local Government. Just imagine... the BNP is no different to the Tory Party. Except the leader of the Tory party is not a convicted racist criminal.

Should anybody apologise to the professional victims at the BNP? Seems like the truth keeps picking on them. So no. Their vicious alien politics is destroying this country making the white working class ashamed of themselves.

Laughing at Liars


Glad to hear about BNP resistance...

18.05.2009 22:05

...but unfortunately we recieved leaflets through our door today. Not sure if it was postal people, as it could of been our local BNP activists. Either way they appeared...

Taunton radical


BNP=Bosses party

19.05.2009 10:04

I guess the BNP must be the bosses party cos the News of the Screws, Daily Mirror, Sun, Torygraph, etc etc all support them........er what have I got wrong. Well all the bosses newspapers (actually gutter rags) all attack the BNP, why is this......!
You lot are in the bosses pockets you doppy fuckers!

Keith