Postal Dispute - Media Coverage

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No. 769/09
Ref KPS/AT
Date: 10/09/09

(All Branches)

TO: THE BRANCH SECRETARY

Dear Colleague

Postal Dispute - Media Coverage

We have been extremely successful in the last few days in securing huge media interest in the current dispute with Royal Mail. Particularly, we have been able to centre this interest around the growing effects that the action taken so far has had on mail services across the UK.

Today, The Daily Mail splashed with the front-page headline: "Postal strike traps 20m letters," the story - by the paper's consumer affairs editor Sean Poulter - opening with: "Tens of millions of letters are sitting undelivered after rolling strikes brought chaos to the system."

Poulter's report also filled the whole of the Mail's Page Four with photos supplied by the union.

In the Daily Mirror, deputy business editor Graham Hiscott's Page 30 lead reported the deputy general secretary (postal) Dave Ward's explanation that it is Royal Mail bosses who are refusing to move with the times, quoting Dave saying: "Royal Mail's head-in-the-sand attitude to the problems in our industry is now severely damaging service for customers - with backlogs bigger than in the national strike of 2007."

The same story also ran in the Daily Express, The Sun and Morning Star - its impact hugely increased by photographs of york mail containers filled to the brim with undelivered post.

Sky News, the BBC, GMTV, Channel 4 and ITN all featured the developing crisis too, sparking a government statement insisting: "It is not for us to intervene in this dispute." And: "Strike action is damaging to all customers." These TV stories are due to continue into this evening.

Obviously, given the nature of the coverage many of our members will have seen much of the media stories, but please ensure we continue to make them aware. This kind of coverage shows the strength and success of the union's action and bolsters support.

Please attempt to follow these stories up in your local media with examples of backlogs in your areas.

We are also keen to continue to develop national stories from local newsworthy events. Please contact Sian Jones in communications on 0208 971 7267 with any stories. Please bear in mind that we need to have as much evidence/proof of events to stand these stories up.

Your assistance is appreciated.

Any queries, please contact Marcia Murray on mmurray@cwu.org

Kevin Slocombe
Head of Communications

[TrueBlueTerrier]

This page will show you links to various stories on the current difficulties.

http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&n ... GWM&cf=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BELIAL]

By all means ,fight the good fight but if you think for one minute that some lard arse fat cat media billionaire is going to publish owt that may threaten his extra pina colada on the beach in the Seychelles, then I give up