Royal Mail union fight to save postman's job ends after two year battle

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.centralsomersetgazette.co.uk ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?


MEMBERS of staff at Bridgwater mail delivery office are claiming victory after a two-year "David and Goliath" battle with the Royal Mail, the country's second largest employer.

The fight, which culminated with a 24-hour wildcat walkout on November 11 that affect deliveries in central Somerset in the area around Ashcott for up to a week, involved 113 Communications Workers Union (CWU) members at Bridgwater Royal Mail Delivery Office.

The union was fighting to secure the reinstatement of Andrew Mootoo, a profoundly deaf postman stricken with MS.

Mr Mootoo starts back to work on a part-time desk-based computer job, scanning in undelivered packets, on Monday.

On Thursday, the day after his reinstatement was confirmed, a gate meeting was held, with Mr Mootoo and his wife present, to celebrate the decision.

After the gate meeting, the British Sign Language/BSL interpreter for Andrew, said she had never experienced anything like it, the speeches had given her goose bumps!

Dave Chapple, with Darren Granter one of two Bridgwater CWU Reps still under threat of dismissal for their part in the November illegal walkout, said:

"Monday will finalise a victory that should be celebrated, not just as part of the TUC HeartUnions week, not just as the latest in an amazing series of strike victories at the Bridgwater Delivery Office, not just as a truly - even for Bridgwater - remarkable act of working-class solidarity, but,perhaps most of all, as a victory for disabled workers everywhere.

"How many other workplaces would have held a near-unanimous walkout to support someone who hadn't been at work for nearly two years?

The unavoidable fact is that Royal Mail's preferred option was always compulsory transfer out of Bridgwater, or Ill Health Retirement. The most ignorant and prejudiced Royal Mail managers we met, genuinely felt that the dole was the only long-term option. In any other workplace that could or would not risk a lightning strike as a shock tactic, the dole it would have been. "

Mr Mootoo said: "After all this time I didn't expect, suddenly, to find Royal Mail positive about my return to work. I want to say a big thank you to all Bridgwater CWU members who went on strike for me: that was crucial. I cannot believe I have been waiting for 2 years and 1 month to return to work."

[daveyeff]

hopefully Dave Mitchell will be next. there's a branch wide strike on the cards.

[Dorset Plodder]

Great to see Posties making such a gesture to help out a fellow Postie....whose obviously had more than his fair share of problems!