Carl Harper, Peterborough Socialist Party
Royal Mail workers at Peterborough Delivery Office left work on the morning of 16 May after learning a line manager had tested positive for Covid-19.
The members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) were unhappy that the manager had been ‘operating’ around the workplace and failing to adhere to social distancing prior to the result. Management had not even informed the union the test was taking place.
We understand that 95% of the office walked out. Many went home rather than return to an unsafe workplace. Royal Mail bosses say a “deep clean” has taken place.
Many members have requested they be tested too. One worker reports at least three more staff have tested positive, and delivery workers exposed to the manager in question have been tested.
The Socialist Party supports any collective action that workers at Royal Mail and elsewhere take in defence of their members against unsafe conditions.
Postal workers have already died as a result of this horrific coronavirus pandemic. It shows how the private sector is incapable of running vital public services such as Royal Mail. We stand for bringing those services back into public ownership.
But to finally solve all the problems, they should be run under democratic workers’ control and management, and as part of a planned, socialist economy.
Then the safety and needs of workers and wider society can replace the search for big business profits at our expense.