Last minute talks held to avoid postal strike - Weston

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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POSTAL workers in Weston-super-Mare are due to strike for a second time tomorrow (Thursday) as part of an ongoing dispute about working practices.

Workers at the Royal Mail depot will walk out after Royal Mail management turned down an offer from Communication Workers Union (CWU) representatives to delay the strike.

Union bosses said the action could be delayed if managers agreed to allow its senior representatives to step in on the current disciplinary cases.

It is understood that talks took place between the union and Royal Mail last week in a bid to resolve the situation.

A final meeting between Royal Mail and the CWU is due to take place today in a final effort to avoid strike action.

If the strike goes ahead it will fall on the same day as the Government plans to make an announcement regarding the mooted sell-off of Royal Mail.

Postal workers in Weston are striking in an ongoing dispute about the length of deliveries and disciplinary action that has been threatened against a number of workers.

CWU area official, Rob Wotherspoon, said; “We offered Royal Mail managers a common sense opportunity to avert the strike on Thursday.

“We do not believe correct procedures are being followed and the individuals being targeted are experienced postal workers who were simply trying to do their job in the hottest part of the year, during the record temperatures in July.”

“Unfortunately the management we are currently speaking to are either unable or unwilling to avert strike action, and the responsibility for the disruption caused falls squarely on their shoulders.

“Our door remains open for a negotiated settlement.”

This is the second time that postal workers have staged a walk out.

More than 130 staff walked out in August as a result of the dispute about overloaded deliveries and allegations of bullying and harassment from managers and the alleged use of unagreed conduct procedures.

Workers at the depot say that managers are running amok and targeting individuals they perceive are not working hard enough.

They claim local managers will not accept the word of workers who perform delivery rounds day in day out, that they are overloaded and cannot be completed on time

Mail is delivered to areas including Kewstoke, Wick St Lawrence, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Locking, Bleadon and Hutton from the depot.

Deliveries are expected to be disrupted as a result of the strike.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: “It is disappointing that our colleagues have decided to take further industrial action in Weston-Super-Mare tomorrow and we will do everything we can to minimise the disruption to our customers.

“Royal Mail is fully committed to the process of trying to resolve concerns of postal workers based in these offices by continuing to follow the national jointly agreed framework with the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

"We are calling the CWU to a meeting this afternoon in a final effort to avoid this action.”

[UnhappyGremlin]

"We are calling the CWU to a meeting this afternoon in a final effort to avoid this action.”

Or to tell them that RM's position is final and the blame is entirely the staff and the unions fault.
Definitely not the managers or the company.......

[Red Robbo]

What's the latest on WSM ?

[Red Robbo]

They have to take industrial action by the 9th October or any further action will be illegal !

[Shambles]

Erm can you break that down, ie will the ballot papers be appropriate to time constraints for Strike Action?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Erm can you break that down, ie will the ballot papers be appropriate to time constraints for Strike Action?

This is about a local action Shambles, not the national one.

[Shambles]

Erm can you break that down, ie will the ballot papers be appropriate to time constraints for Strike Action?

This is about a local action Shambles, not the national one.