Post workers have intensified the resistance with a second mass strike against bosses' attacks on their jobs and their union.
Almost 80,000 postmen and women defied threats from bullying Royal Mail managers and refused to work, shutting down mail services across Britain to prevent a colossal 135 million letters and parcels from being delivered.
The strike follows Thursday's solid industrial action by more than 40,000 of their colleagues who stopped work at mail sorting centres and truck depots in a stand against job cuts and longer working hours.
The workers will strike for a further three days next week, unless Royal Mail executives concede to talks with the CWU union.
CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward offered to negotiate "without preconditions" and told management there are "six days before any further strike action will take place - this should be enough time to reach an agreement."
But on Friday night, hard-line Royal Mail bosses seemed to prefer to wage total war against their own staff, as the recruitment of illegal strikebreakers in advance of the Christmas season continued.
Employment agencies Manpower and Reed have been exposed providing casual workers paid at minimum wage to Royal Mail to sort letters at a huge temporary warehouse in Dartford, near London.
But as CWU leader Billy Hayes declared that Royal Mail was intent on using scab labour to "try to break the power of the union and its influence in the workplace," a union spokesman revealed that a legal challenge could soon be made to foil the plan.
"We have sought legal advice on a High Court injunction from labour lawyer John Hendy QC, and we are compiling evidence," he warned.
Post workers remained defiant on dawn picket lines on Friday, confident that the strike was proving to be 100 per cent solid.
Aberdeen CWU rep George Ross said that although postmen and women were "losing about £70 each day to go on strike, we are determined to see it through."
Scottish Highlands union rep Donnie Smith agreed that "we are in this for the long haul - until Royal Mail management learn to negotiate, not dictate."
Leeds postwoman Pauline Bell pointed out that workers were fighting over "much more than pay."
"This strike is about management harassment and intimidation caused by having less staff and more and more work," she insisted.
CWU rep Roger Charles, speaking on the picket line at London's huge Mount Pleasant sorting office, explained that "everyone feels very strongly about the way they've been mistreated by management."
But he stressed that although "this strike is about worker exploitation, we are also striking in order to save the postal service for the public."
www.morningstaronline.co.uk - 23.10.09
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário