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Royal Mail 'aims to smash union'
5:30am Thursday 20th September 2007
Comments (15)Postal workers union leaders in Oxford believe they are being deliberately targeted by Royal Mail management in a bid to force through sweeping changes to the service.
Officials from the Oxfordshire branch of the Communication Workers Union say the dismissal of two workers in the past week is clear evidence that management is trying to "break" the union, not just locally but nationally.
CWU representative Bob Cullen said: "We are the strongest branch in the country and half the management now want to smash it.
"What happened to these people was the biggest kangaroo court I have ever seen - and I have been around for a long time.
"Oxford is central to the union and this is an attempt to overthrow us."
In recent months, an increasingly bitter battle has been waged between the CWU nationally and directors of the Royal Mail, with the last round of talks breaking down over a range of proposals covering pay, operational changes and pensions.
Now the CWU believes new tactics are being employed in Oxford in a bid to derail the union and force through the changes which, it is feared, could lead to thousands of job losses across the UK.
But Royal Mail bosses declined to be drawn on the "union bashing" charge. Spokesman Jacquie Stenson said: "We have an agreed conduct procedure relating to all employees, including elected union representatives, and we have followed the procedure correctly in these cases.
"Given that the individuals have the right of appeal under this process, there is nothing to be gained by threatening industrial action and risking more inconvenience for customers."
A fast track ballot for strike action by Oxfordshire postal workers will open on Tuesday, with the result being announced a week later.
The move follows the sacking of postmen Steven Gill and John Doran at the Oxford Mail Centre in Cowley for gross misconduct.
CWU spokesman Sian Jones said notice of any action would be decided on when the vote came in.
If a strike is announced, it will run separately from national strike action, an announcement about which is expected soon.
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anon, oxon says...
7:46am Thu 20 Sep 07
If changes are to happen then the role for the union is to negotiate. However in many cases union officers are appointed to post because of who they will vote for -not necessarily the best person for the job -thus keeping high paid officials in a job.
When push comes to shove will a Union hesitate to sacrafice a few lambs in order to save thousands of members contributions ?
Gerry, Oxford says...
8:55am Thu 20 Sep 07
Steven, Oxford says...
9:31am Thu 20 Sep 07
Strike Breaker, Oxford says...
10:05am Thu 20 Sep 07
Guy Bailey, Bicester says...
10:23am Thu 20 Sep 07
The actions of the CWU at Oxford recently has left a lot to be desired and maybe some new brooms at the head and a more conciliatory apporach would win back public support.
Dave, Oxford says...
11:31am Thu 20 Sep 07
Oxford CWU should be congratulated for standing up for their stewards.
99% of the time trade unions capitulate to the detriment of their members. Oxford CWU is a rare example of a branch that is prepared to fight.
That is why it is a strong branch.
Every steward should serve an aprentiship at Oxford.
As for the Royal Mail branches like Oxford are the only thing standing between a national subsidised post service and a fragmented expensive privatised mess.
Suddenly people will realise that there is no money to be made delivering medical test results to old age pensioners in blocks of flats and wonder where the cheap effecient service they have been use to all their lives has gone.
C, says...
12:40pm Thu 20 Sep 07
smithy wrote:While I'm no fan of the union's militancy, that's putting an awful lot of faith in the Post Office managers, faith which I'm afraid I don't have. I'm afraid to say that anyone who thinks things would magically get better if the union just ceased to exist is being hopelessly naïve.
perhaps it wouldn't be a bad thing to smash the union! It seems that the union in oxford are the ones who cause so much hassle for the general public anyway.....
Insider, Oxford says...
3:05pm Thu 20 Sep 07
Geezer, says...
3:57pm Thu 20 Sep 07
Royal Mail bosses are fat cats, most have two or three other directorships, and all they car about are their bonuses.
Go CWU, Go!
Ian Sternberg, Harwell says...
8:11pm Thu 20 Sep 07
I should have been made Crystal Clear to Management that sacking Branch Officials on totally spurious charges - and even worse creating a situation with their intimidating & disrespectful behaviour that led to a Union Representative being taken to Hospital with suspected heart problems - will not be tolerated !!!
The Oxfordshire Public should be contacting Management to complain about Their appalling behaviour & to ask Them why They are again trying to provoke Their workforce into taking Strike Action ?
My Comrades & I in the Trade Union Movement will support the Oxford Posties 100% to defend Them from Management Harassssment & Victimisation in Their Struggle to defend Our Royal Mail Services .
Insider, Oxford says...
8:40pm Thu 20 Sep 07
Mick, oxfordish says...
7:46pm Fri 21 Sep 07
A friend, Oxford says...
12:58am Tue 25 Sep 07
And the whole notion that if we just scream loudly enough the whole world will change and adjust to our demands is just a childish, silly idea. And now it is too late. The militants have won. They can lay on thier backs very soon.
Onya Bacyabich, Lancashire says...
4:10am Sat 29 Sep 07
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smithy, oxford says...
6:35am Thu 20 Sep 07