Burslem - More posties to strike as all-out action looms

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POSTIES in Burslem have voted to stage a 24-hour strike in protest against changes to their working conditions.

Around 100 delivery staff are expected to form a picket at the depot in Scotia Road on Friday, meaning no letters will be delivered across the ST6 postcode.

It is the latest in a series of strikes by different sections of Royal Mail staff to show opposition to new rules for workers on September 1, intended to 'modernise' the service.

A ballot of Communication Workers' Union (CWU) members in Burslem, held last week, showed 80 per cent of the workforce supported industrial action.

CWU representative for the branch, Jason Cornwall, aged 38, pictured, said: "Royal Mail's plans have thrown the office into chaos.

"They want to bring in changes without any negotiation, cutting 12 jobs and extended all the delivery routes, meaning more work for the rest of us.

"They are just railroading everything through and our calls for negotiation are falling on deaf ears.

"At the moment, a one-day strike is planned but we are going to be stepping it up if they do not agree to talks. I think it amounts to bullying tactics from Royal Mail. The workers are very angry about it. One manager described how he wanted to rip the heart out of Burslem with the changes, but he'll have a fight on his hands."

This latest of industrial action comes as scores of distribution staff carry on their indefinite strike in Stoke over plans to move their work to Wolverhampton.

That action started on Tuesday last week at the Leek Road sorting office.

Under the modernisation plans only 18 distribution jobs would remain there. But workers have vowed to remain on strike for "as long as it takes" to get Royal Mail back to the negotiating table

Nationally, the union is planning to carry out a country-wide ballot for an all-out strike in September

CWU divisional representative Mick Kavanagh said: "Changes in working practices are affecting everyone in Royal Mail.

"The managers are being deliberately provocative.

"Two years ago during a different national dispute, Royal Mail signed up to an agreement to negotiate any modernisation changes with the union.

"They are breaching that and taking executive action, changing the terms and conditions of people's employment without discussing it.

"For example, in Stoke they are trying to pressurise people into moving to Wolverhampton, and in Burslem they are changing the workers' terms of employment."