London Postal Workers Ballot Against Anti-Modernisation Cuts

[TrueBlueTerrier]

15th May 2009

Postal workers from 160 workplaces in the Greater London area are being balloted for strike action over Royal Mail's cuts in services to the public and their jobs, terms and conditions.

Royal Mail is imposing 10 per cent arbitrary cost savings on all offices, regardless of workload and without the introduction of machinery or delivery improvements. These cuts are not linked to a modernisation agenda and could cost 1,600 jobs.

Martin Walsh, CWU spokesperson for London, said: "It is clear that Royal Mail is deliberately running down the Royal Mail service ahead of partial privatisation.

"This has nothing whatsoever to do with modernising the postal service as walk sorting machines have still not been introduced despite the funding being available for the purchase of this equipment for the last three years. Instead, this is about the destruction of services, the erosion of full time jobs and reducing the terms and conditions of the lowest paid workers in Royal Mail whilst at the same time managers continue to profit from fat cat bonuses and obscene rates of pay.

"London postal workers want a nationally negotiated Agreement, not a strike. However, whilst Royal Mail continues to virtually derecognise the CWU and break existing National Agreements including, in our view, breaking the law on redundancy, then we will take whatever means necessary to preserve Royal Mail as a respected and cherished public service.

"The strike ballot in London is about defending the future of Royal Mail and the services it provides to the public. We're also protecting our members against Royal Mail's slash and burn policy and attempts to try and fool the public with that old trick of rubbish the system so privatisation looks better. The public are a lot more sophisticated and won't fall for that old trick.

"Despite the lies espoused in some quarters, Royal Mail is not in crisis. Unlike TNT and Deutsche Post, Royal Mail announced record profits yesterday with profit doubling."

The ballot opens on Monday 18th May and runs for two weeks. The result will be announced as soon as possible once the ballot closes.

[Martin Walsh]

Not a bad press statement at all !!

[johnnyp]

Got my ballot paper today a yes from the Mrs and me will be posting them back in the morning