Workers Revolutionary Party - LIVERPOOL STAYS OUT

The News Line: News Tuesday, 16 October 2007 LIVERPOOL STAYS OUT – NO TO IMPOSED FLEXIBILITY

South London Mail Centre and Delivery Office CWU members picketing last Friday in their unofficial action against management imposed changes

MORE than 800 Liverpool postal workers remain on strike today against the imposition of ‘flexibility’ by Royal Mail.

The action continues while the CWU Executive meets to consider ‘flexible working trials’ and the ending of final salary pensions, agreed last Friday by the Hayes/Ward leadership.

The CWU told News Line yesterday afternoon that the Executive talks began after 3pm and would probably be adjourned until today.

Mark Walsh, Merseyside Amalgamated Branch Secretary, told News Line: ‘A mass meeting this morning rejected a return to work on the grounds of there being no copy of the proposed agreement.

‘We think we should have seen it before the EC.

‘What came from the floor is that they need to see in black and white what is actually being proposed and what relevance it has to the Liverpool situation.

‘Between 850 and 900 of our members are out over the imposition of later start and finishing times.

‘Members have childcare commitments and some of our part-time staff have other jobs to supplement their income.

‘Also it’s the start of the imposition of “flexibility” and we won’t accept any imposition of flexibility.

‘I would also oppose any removal of the final salary pension scheme, including for new starters.

‘But the reason Liverpool walked out was the imposition of later start times and we will continue to oppose the imposition of any changes in terms and conditions.’

Martin Walsh, CWU London Divisional Rep told News Line: ‘We wouldn’t be in favour of accepting the local imposition of conditions by local managements.’

Tony Moss Acting Area Processing Rep at Paddington Mail Centre said: ‘They want the right to move people willy nilly, whenever and wherever they want and we won’t accept it.

‘It would make life intolerable.

‘You would be in a situation when you walk into work and they say they’ve not got much work on but the office over the river has lots so you’ve got to go over there.

‘If these sorts of things are still there, then no, the battle is still on.

‘I call for the agreement to be rejected. The reason people are in unions in the first place is because they want to be protected against things like this.

‘Restore the strikes. The whole public sector wants us to win.

‘I’ve not had one person condemn our action. Every member of the public going past our picket line has been in support.’