CWU Article - Burslem Rooftop Protest

[TrueBlueTerrier]

3rd March 2009

CWU Midlands Regional Secretary Lee Barron accused Royal Mail bosses of provoking a bizarre protest by a Burslem postal worker on Monday.

The worker - a CWU member and Royal Mail employee - was suspended by the company in 2007 on charges that were later proven to have been utterly false. But, despite his being fully exonerated last March and allowed to return to work with an unblemished record, the company steadfastly refused to give him the formal apology that he asked for.

Frustrated by the stubborn attitude of his employers, the worker decided to launch his own protest by climbing to the roof of Burslem Delivery Office and vowing to remain there until he received his apology.

Fortunately, the company finally saw sense and, six hours later, a full written apology was hand delivered to the worker on behalf of area manager Tom Willis, after which he climbed down.

Relieved that the unorthodox protest had ended without serious incident, Lee insisted that the management must shoulder the blame for the day's drama.

"It's a sad day when someone feels that they have no alternative but to do something like this to get the justice that they deserve," he remarked.

(Burslem has been the centre of a bitter ongoing dispute, which was sparked by the suspension of 12 men in late 2007. Seven of the 12 have won reinstatement, but the union is still fighting for justice on behalf of the remaining five.)