Postal strikes across large parts of Scotland moved a step closer this morning, following yesterday’s approval by the CWU postal executive committee of a strike ballot request from Scottish members in support of a postman who was unlawfully sacked by Royal Mail.
In accordance with this formal process, all Royal Mail members in Scotland 2 Branch will be asked to vote for strike action, which will, if voted for, affect mail processing, distribution and delivery services in Edinburgh, Edinburgh Airport, Dunfermline, Falkirk, Kirkaldy and throughout the EH, TD, KY and FT post codes.
For more than six months now, the company has refused to obey a Court Reinstatement Order to rescind its summary dismissal of David Mitchell from his job as a delivery worker at Cupar, Fife, back in December 2014.

David, who has over 27 years of service to the business, won judgement in his favour from Judge Ian MacFatridge, who ruled last September that “the dismissal was unfair and the primary remedy contained in the legislation is reinstatement.”
At a Remedy Hearing last November, the company was again ordered to reinstate David – an Order with which they refused to comply, making unsubstantiated allegations of dishonesty against him.
David’s workmates at Cupar Delivery Office have rallied round him – voting by 97 per cent to strike in his support and then walking out on two separate occasions – while the local community in this small town of 9,000 residents have backed him too, holding protests and signing a petition demanding that the company obeys the court.
But after the strikes at Cupar failed to persuade the company to obey the Court, it was decided to seek the support of the whole branch, which held an Extraordinary General Meeting and unanimously voted to request permission from the executive for a branch-wide strike ballot.
Formally moving a motion to approve the strike ballot at the postal executive meeting, CWU assistant secretary Ray Ellis said: “The Procurator Fiscal did not believe there was a case and the Tribunal said: ‘Royal Mail did not have reasonable grounds to believe David was guilty’. Royal Mail did not appeal – the company simply refused to reinstate him.”
Reacting to the news, Scotland 2 Branch secretary Kenny Logan said: “I’m delighted that the postal executive has passed this decision for members to go to ballot.
“With the full support of Scotland 2 Branch and all our members in processing, distribution and delivery, we will convince Royal Mail that we’re serious about winning justice for David.
“This issue is not just one affecting postal members in Cupar, not just in Scotland 2 Branch, it affects all postal workers and all workers in all other industries and businesses across the country – David must be reinstated.”