The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has voted for another round ofstrikes at Royal Mail in response to pension changes, post office closures and job losses.
The postal union, which last year organised a major strike thatseverely hit the UK postal operator, voted in favour of action at its conference last week.Delegates backed a resolution authorising the union’s executive to begin gearing up for strikes.Protests outside the September conference of the ruling Labour Party is another option.
Speaking at the conference, CWU deputy general secretary Dave Wardcalled for Royal Mail CEO Adam Crozier and Royal Mail chairman Allan Leighton to be sacked. “Oneweek the company is in crisis, then they announce there has been a fundamental turnaround, thenthey are in crisis again. It is unacceptable and Crozier has to go. The business needs a new visionto succeed,” he declared.
Despite the CWU’s resolution after last year’s strikes to concentrateon supporting the government rather than resorting to industrial action, the union began theprocess of moving towards possible strikes to maximise pressure on Royal Mail and the government,UK media wrote. Last year’s strike cost the direct mail sector £8 million.
The strike also put CWU under pressure in terms of finances and fallingmembership numbers. The union admitted that it needed to make some difficult decisions and toidentify savings in its budget.
In spite of its financial difficulties, CWU still sees itself in astrong enough position to protect its members’ rights. CWU senior deputy general secretary TonyKearns said: “Let Royal Mail – or whoever else – be in no doubt that if they take us on we will dowhatever is necessary to ensure we are in a position to fight on behalf of our members.”
