THOUSANDS of postal workers at huge mail centres across the capital are taking action today, the third day of the London postal strike.
Union leaders are expecting a solid turn out following yesterday’s strikes at Royal Mail distribution centres and Monday’s strikes at delivery offices, against the imposition of job cuts and attacks on pay and conditions through ‘executive action’ by management.
Yesterday saw picket lines at Princess Royal Distribution Centre, Willesden, East London Distribution Centre, Canning Town, Worldwide Distribution Centre, Heathrow and Nine Elms south London from early morning.
A Communication Workers Union (CWU) spokesman told News Line yesterday: ‘The strike has been solid throughout.
‘It was exceptionally well represented at the delivery offices yesterday, it is at the distribution centres today and will be at the mail centres tomorrow.
‘We call on Royal Mail to get back into negotiations with our union leaders.’
On the Willesden picket line yesterday, Princess Royal Distribution Centre CWU rep Andy Wiffen said: ‘We are trying to protect the future of Royal Mail.
‘It is being sabotaged from inside with help from our current government.
‘(Business secretary) Mandelson shelved the part privatisation because he couldn’t get the price he wanted.
‘If he had got the right price, Royal Mail would be sold off already.
‘It needs the whole workforce out, including the managers’ union.
‘Our union need to take the dispute nationwide as this is a nationwide problem. ‘Royal Mail’s programme is slash and cut, not modernisation.
‘They call it a pay freeze but for us it’s a pay cut.
‘Also, they are changing working conditions and duty patterns, plus they plan to axe thousands of jobs.
‘They say they want to protect the universal service but how can you protect it when there is no-one to deliver the post.
‘We should have all the public services out and see the unions unite and fight to defend jobs and livelihoods.
‘We need a general strike.’
Picket lines will be operating from 6am today at Mount Pleasant mail centre, Farringdon, Nine Elms mail centre, Vauxhall, East London mail centre, Proligis Business Park, Bromley By Bow and Rathbone Place mail centre, just off Oxford Street.
Next Friday July 17, the CWU will be holding a national day of action combining industrial action and demonstrations.
