Postal strike may start in ten days' time

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b ... 869029.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Postal union leaders will decide in a critical meeting on Monday whether to announce the required seven-day notice period that they intend to call a national strike.

At the meeting, leaders of the Communications Workers Union, which represents the 121,000 postal workers, will also decide how long they will strike. In a nationwide ballot this week, 76 per cent of postal workers who voted were in favour of a countrywide walkout.

Unionists expect the meeting to continue late on Monday with any seven-day notice unlikely to be delivered until Tuesday at the earliest. Such a move would mean that postal workers could not begin a national strike until the following Tuesday. It would mark the first national walkout since 2007.

Postal workers feel aggrieved that they have not been consulted by Royal Mail management over reform plans and argue that they have been treated aggressively by bosses.

Among their complaints, postal workers are angry about plans for flexible working, a reduction in the number of postmen on bicycles and an increased use of vans.

A national strike would disrupt postal deliveries for much longer than the walkout period, threatening businesses that rely on direct mailing and some internet-related deliveries.

[stokes11eg]

What's the betting Big Billy will do a dodgy deal?

[tailfly12]

Evens

[savo]

1.01 ( in betfair terms )

[Red Postie]

It will be thrown out if Hayes and Ward do (Ward is more a mover and shaker in negotiations than Billy, though Hayes gets takes all the stick!) but it would be damaging, delaying things and losing workers' trust in the ability of the union to win the strike.

[goinpostal]

I bet they are working like mad to cut a deal but we should say no way, its taken ages to get to this point they announced the strike ballot in early July ffs! No to secret negotiations, build rank and file control!