Somerset post action spreads with coordinated strikes

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Somerset post action spreads with coordinated strikes at Bridgwater and Weston-super-Mare

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art/34 ... super-Mare" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some 240 post workers struck at delivery offices in Bridgwater and Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset on Saturday of last week.

The workers are members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

They walked out in separate local disputes over similar issues—including allegations of bullying by managers, large workloads and management breaking health and safety rules.

It was the first time in 20 years that workers at Weston-Super-Mare struck. Some 130 were out on Saturday.

For the 110 Bridgwater workers it was the eighth day in their current dispute—and they walked for a ninth time on Monday of this week.

Solidarity has been pouring in to support the striking workers. Turnouts have been solid, with 79 people attending the picket lines.

The striking workers were visited by trade unionists from Bristol Unite health, Unite members from a local Argos distribution centre and from the PCS, FBU and RMT unions.

CWU Croydon branch gave the workers a £2,000 donation.

Dave Chapple, Bristol CWU shop steward, said, “Royal Mail managers have made a serious mistake in trying to beat Bridgwater by starving us back to work.

“They have seriously underestimated our strength—after nine days out, we are stronger than ever, thanks to the support we are getting daily from other Royal Mail workplaces, CWU branches and trades unionists all over the country.”

Bridgwater post workers have put in a request to escalate their strike to a whole week from 2 September.

Some 500 postal workers in Plymouth could strike over similar issues in early September.

Workers say they are furious at harassment and bullying by management and also increased workloads.

If they come out at the same time as the other two disputes, it would mean 700 workers striking in the south west of England.

It’s clear that there is a mood to fight back amongst postal workers.Agitating around these local disputes and linking up the strikes can help to feed into the national dispute against the privatisation of Royal Mail.

[worktotime]

Somerset post action spreads with coordinated strikes at Bridgwater and Weston-super-Mare

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art/34 ... super-Mare" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some 240 post workers struck at delivery offices in Bridgwater and Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset on Saturday of last week.

The workers are members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

They walked out in separate local disputes over similar issues—including allegations of bullying by managers, large workloads and management breaking health and safety rules.

It was the first time in 20 years that workers at Weston-Super-Mare struck. Some 130 were out on Saturday.

For the 110 Bridgwater workers it was the eighth day in their current dispute—and they walked for a ninth time on Monday of this week.

Solidarity has been pouring in to support the striking workers. Turnouts have been solid, with 79 people attending the picket lines.

The striking workers were visited by trade unionists from Bristol Unite health, Unite members from a local Argos distribution centre and from the PCS, FBU and RMT unions.

CWU Croydon branch gave the workers a £2,000 donation.

Dave Chapple, Bristol CWU shop steward, said, “Royal Mail managers have made a serious mistake in trying to beat Bridgwater by starving us back to work.

“They have seriously underestimated our strength—after nine days out, we are stronger than ever, thanks to the support we are getting daily from other Royal Mail workplaces, CWU branches and trades unionists all over the country.”

Bridgwater post workers have put in a request to escalate their strike to a whole week from 2 September.

Some 500 postal workers in Plymouth could strike over similar issues in early September.

Workers say they are furious at harassment and bullying by management and also increased workloads.

If they come out at the same time as the other two disputes, it would mean 700 workers striking in the south west of England.

It’s clear that there is a mood to fight back amongst postal workers.Agitating around these local disputes and linking up the strikes can help to feed into the national dispute against the privatisation of Royal Mail.

I can not understand the cwu why they haven't started balloting for ia yet this is rife in delivery offices all over the country and it shouldn't be down to individual offices to act on this , r/m wont change so there is no point trying , lets all get out and support each other on this.

[Red Robbo]

RM are waiting to see if the big dispute kicks off, in the meantime they will not negotiate with individual offices, the delivery offices taking I/A now will have "flat batteries" by the time the national dispute materialises.
The leadership of these offices should get them back to work and make sure their issues are dealt with under the national dispute negotiations !

[Phantom]

All thanks to this wank NEW way of work that CWU agreed to! f***ing shambles, the workers told you so but you still went ahead agreed a deal thats lost thousands of jobs.

[barbario]

I said weeks ago that these local disputes should be dealt with at national level. I was on strike a couple of years ago in London and all that happened was Royal Mail sent the work around us.It was only when things went national that we got anywhere.It seems to me that local area's are not strong enough on their own, so lets go national and get this crap sorted out once and for all....hopefully.

[k979aaa]

I said weeks ago that these local disputes should be dealt with at national level. I was on strike a couple of years ago in London and all that happened was Royal Mail sent the work around us.It was only when things went national that we got anywhere.It seems to me that local area's are not strong enough on their own, so lets go national and get this crap sorted out once and for all....hopefully.

Good call.

[Red Robbo]

I said weeks ago that these local disputes should be dealt with at national level. I was on strike a couple of years ago in London and all that happened was Royal Mail sent the work around us.It was only when things went national that we got anywhere.It seems to me that local area's are not strong enough on their own, so lets go national and get this crap sorted out once and for all....hopefully.

Good call.

Yeah all this local industrial action is only building up local reps egos and filling up pages in the broad left newspaper who wouldn't have anything else to write about except fragging !

[daveyeff]

on the op, it says its the first time in 20 years the workers (weston super mare) have been on strike??? were they not out with the rest of us in 2009 like?

[Red Robbo]

Yeah, what about 2007 , did they think that RM would treat them any different because they didn't go on strike, if they did then their all living in "cloud cuckoo land"

ps did the broad left know this ?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

on the op, it says its the first time in 20 years the workers (weston super mare) have been on strike??? were they not out with the rest of us in 2009 like?

yes they were http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 18&t=18300" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, what about 2007 , did they think that RM would treat them any different because they didn't go on strike, if they did then their all living in "cloud cuckoo land"

ps did the broad left know this ?

again yes they did strike http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=16992" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[daveyeff]

and 1996 when we were out for 18 days. or was it 95.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

and 1996 when we were out for 18 days. or was it 95.

No idea RMC only started 2006/07

[Red Robbo]

on the op, it says its the first time in 20 years the workers (weston super mare) have been on strike??? were they not out with the rest of us in 2009 like?

yes they were http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 18&t=18300" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, what about 2007 , did they think that RM would treat them any different because they didn't go on strike, if they did then their all living in "cloud cuckoo land"

ps did the broad left know this ?

again yes they did strike http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=16992" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers, TrueBlueTerrier, it goes to show don't believe everything you read in a Broad Left newspaper

[daveyeff]

and 1996 when we were out for 18 days. or was it 95.

No idea RMC only started 2006/07

1996. i got 50 quid strike pay on the 14th day. we still went back to a load of shyte. no change there then

[daveyeff]

spent 15 quid of it in the boozer over the road from the office after we had been on the picket line.,,,,,happy days