Lincoln Posties return to work after strike (Full Story ?)

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Postal workers are delivering again today after a three-day wildcat strike in the Lincoln depot caused chaos to mail services in the county.

The strikes began when staff arrived at work on Monday morning to be told about changes to their job descriptions and working practices.

The unofficial walkout was sparked when two workers were suspended after raising questions over health and safety and lack of training for a new "van-sharing" plan.

They say they also have underlying concerns about management practices in the depot.

Royal Mail confirmed the action was over in a statement yesterday.

"Delivery staff at Lincoln Delivery Office who were taking unofficial, unlawful industrial action have indicated they intend to return to work on Thursday morning," said spokesman Wendy Martin.

"Collections were taking place as normal yesterday afternoon."

On Wednesday Royal Mail shipped in 130 managers from the all over the region in an attempt to pick up the workload abandoned during the action.

The Communications Workers Union warned that the situation was not fully resolved as the grievances raised still need to addressed by management at the depot.

"They are going back to work as a result of an informal decision on the picket line," said a spokesman for the CWU.

"Part of it is the fact that they have had three days without wages and that it is always difficult to maintain an illegal strike.

"All the issues still remain unresolved and a request for an official ballot has been filed."

Official ballots can take several weeks to organise and could lead to further action.

When the postmen return tomorrow, they will be accompanied by the union's safety officer who will try to address the health and safety concerns which started the demonstration.

[postie200]

IMO RM are getting this van sharing through the back door. By putting it in through local offices without agreement was their plan, thus bypassing the union and any joint agreement. I do think that the union has to pick it's battles with RM carefully and on a national level. With RM picking offices off one by one we may all be using this method of delivery without any agreement whatsoever. I certainly think now that the union has to earns it's money now. I think regions should have agreements as in if RM try and put somethink like van sharing through by exe action,, at least the whole region could be balloted and maybe stand a chance. Lincoln's wildcat strike has told us one thing. They wont back down easily.