Stoke Postal workers to vote on strike action

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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POSTAL workers who face losing their jobs under plans to close a sorting office are to be balloted for industrial action.

They will vote within weeks after receiving the backing of their union's national executive.

It is thought most of the 80 distribution and 20 processing jobs will go when Royal Mail shuts its Stoke sorting office and moves operations to Wolverhampton.

Now the Communication Workers Union (CWU) is pressing ahead with its ballot after negotiations with Royal Mail broke down.

CWU Midlands branch secretary Andy Plant said: "The employers have refused to negotiate. They know our views that their proposals are unacceptable, but they have said that in this economic climate they will be going forward with their business strategy and it was not up for discussion.


"That has left us nowhere to go, and we passed a request for a ballot for industrial action to our national offices.

"This has now been agreed for the staff who will be directly affected. It's very unfortunate that we have had to go down this route."

Under Royal Mail's plans, items posted in North Staffordshire destined for another address in the same area will still be taken to a base in the city after being collected from a post box.

But existing Wolverhampton staff will drive to Stoke-on-Trent to pick up the post, sort it in Wolverhampton and then return it to the city, rather than Stoke workers doing the driving.

Union officials must give Royal Mail at least seven days' notice of the date of the ballot.

Mr Plant added: "The employers know our position.

"After we have informed them of the date, the ballot will be rolled out and the votes collected.

"Once the papers have been returned and counted, if the majority of our members are in favour of industrial action, the employers will again be given seven days' notice of the first date to strike.

"Ballots are taking place across the country over this same issue of cost-cutting measures being proposed by Royal Mail.

"We hope that while we are preparing to hold the ballot, Royal Mail will see some sense and negotiations will be settled.

"But it does look like that will not happen."

A Royal Mail spokesman said consultation about the proposed job losses was continuing.

He said: "We have not received official notification of a ballot for industrial action from the CWU.

"We continue to talk to the union and individual employees about details of the changes to our operation at Stoke.

"The threat of industrial action helps no-one."

[andy2007]

"The threat of industrial action helps no-one". Can they really think that we're that nieve?
The threat of strike action, may well fail to save these jobs. But if we just gave up, and accepted this type of thing. They'd do it more often. There's always a chance, that we can win battles. But even if we don't: If we show that we're willing to stand up to them. They'll think twice about it. After all: These things probably wouldn't even get into the news, if it wereb't for us standing up to them. The more embarrassment we can cause them, the safer everyone will be.