Royal Mail workers' walkout, 8.5.17, photo by E Mids CWU

Royal Mail workers’ walkout, 8.5.17, photo by E Mids CWU   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Royal Mail walkout over suspension of union reps

By a Royal Mail worker and Socialist Party member

Communication Workers Union (CWU) members took unofficial industrial action across nine Royal Mail offices on Monday.

Workers in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, part of the Eastern 6 branch of the CWU, walked out in defence of two union representatives who have been suspended over allegations of unauthorised overtime.

It is believed that Royal Mail bosses have taken advantage of an opportunity to target senior representatives and have suspended the workers without following nationally agreed procedures.

The suspensions are well timed for the bosses, with a national dispute around pensions and employment terms and conditions brewing.

CWU members working in Royal Mail are to be balloted for national strike action soon unless Royal Mail backs down over its plans to move to a less generous pensions scheme.

Royal Mail workers walkout, 8.5.17, photo by E Mids CWU

Royal Mail workers walkout, 8.5.17, photo by E Mids CWU   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

This isn’t the first time that the business has used the conduct code to target representatives ahead of local and national disputes.

CWU general secretary, Dave Ward, tweeted: “Offices across MK/LU postcode have walked out this morning in support of @CWUnews reps under attack. Solidarity and full support #TheCWU”.

The willingness to walk out undoubtedly shows the underlying anger felt by members towards the approach taken by management since privatisation, ruthlessly searching for profits for wealthy shareholders.

The Socialist Party calls for the immediate nationalisation of the telecommunications industry, returning it to a public service run under democratic working class control and management for the benefit of the many and not the few.


This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 9 May 2017 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.