Post Office’s supply chain workers strike

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MORE than 80 per cent of the supply chain workforce at the Post Office warehouse in Dorcan walked out for the first time in its history over a proposed pay freeze yesterday.

From 4.30am yesterday morning until 4.30am today the staff stayed away from their posts at the Wheatstone Road depot in a protest over the plans outlined by their employers to freeze their pay from April 2014.

There were two picket lines formed by members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) yesterday, one in the early hours, slightly less populated due to bad weather, but a second, from 2pm, drew in larger numbers.


The strike was the first of its kind carried out by supply chain workers in Swindon.

Chris Roche, territory representative for the CWU in the South of England, said 100 of the 120-strong workforce at the warehouse stood firm on the strike and stayed away.

Lynn Simpson, area representative for the CWU, said the freeze had been tabled by Post Office management in an effort to make the organisation more sustainable, following three years of pay rises for those working on the supply chain, which provides leaflets and stamps to branches across the UK.

She said: “One of our aims is to get them to lift this pay freeze. They are cutting costs and expecting the workers to pay for it.”

Chris said: “Just last night [Tuesday] they announced five days of talks surrounding this issue next week, which we don’t think would’ve come about had we not done the strike.

“The strike had to be taken. The whole workforce is behind it.”

Shane Poynter, 46, a warehouse operative of nine years from Moredon Road, said: “This was a necessary step and something which had to be done to make our views on how unfair these proposals are. We feel undermined by our employers and that this is all very unfair.”

Jim Murphy, 48, a warehouse operative of more than seven years from Rose Street, said: “We were left with no choice. This is unfair and unjust.

“Everyone has been truly supportive for what we are doing and why we are doing it. You only have to see how much support we are getting from those driving by and beeping. We just hope this action will bring management back around the table for positive talks.”

[biscuit1957]

They said they would strike,and they did.