‘WE ARE going to escalate the strike action,’ a Communication Workers Union spokeswoman told News Line yesterday evening.
However, she added that after a long national postal executive committee meeting ‘final details are being ironed out tonight and there will be an announcement in the morning.’
Billy Colvill, a CWU rep in south-east London, said: ‘While the one-day strikes have shown the strength of the union, as a rep the feeling I gauge off the floor is that we have to escalate the action now.
‘Royal Mail are not budging and the attacks on our conditions are going ahead.
‘We are firm that we have to defend our jobs and conditions.’
Rob Bolton, chairman of CWU south-central No.1 branch (HP section), said: ‘We welcome the fact that the executive has decided to escalate the action and we look forward to the next strike.
‘What we really need to do now is to call for a public sector workers’ alliance, because we’re not the only ones fighting to defend their jobs and services.
‘We should force the TUC to support us, because as of yet they have said nothing or done nothing in our support.
‘We should have a national demonstration calling for support from every trade union in the country, to make sure we win this struggle.’
Meanwhile, workers at the Oxford Mail Centre have walked out in protest at the suspension of a CWU official and lay member.
‘The mail centre walked out because they suspended a rep and a driver,’ said Bob Cullen, CWU Area Processing Rep for Oxfordshire.
‘There was a meeting today, where it was put to the workforce by the union’s divisional rep that there should be a return to work and there was a unanimous vote not to.
‘The workforce voted to stay out until these people are reinstated and they will meet again on Thursday at 11.00am.’
Greenford Mail Centre CWU Area Processing Rep Geoff Loftus said: ‘This is going to be a long drawn out battle. We are going to win the war not just for ourselves, but for the public.’
Speaking about the situation in Oxford, he said: ‘Without a shadow of a doubt this is management trying to lay down the law after last week’s strike. We won’t accept intimidation.’
