Postal workers ballot against sell-off

Submitted by on 13 November, 2002 - 2:05

by a CWU member
The 3,000 workers of the Cash Handling and Distribution division of the Post Office are being balloted for strike action over the privatisation of their work. The ballot of the cash handling workers takes place after unofficial action.
They are certain to deliver a massive yes vote, and the ballot is due to be extended to the rest of the postal membership of the Communication Workers' Union. The Post Office could be facing a national strike against privatisation during the Christmas pressure period.
How can we stop the campaign of these workers turning into another sell-out like the RoMEC disaster?
At RoMEC, office maintenance staff were transferred into a joint venture with Balfour Beatty without a fight - on spurious grounds that workers would get "unprecedented safeguards" for their wages and conditions.

If we've learned anything from RoMEC it is that CWU postal side leader John Keggie and the rest of our leadership cannot be trusted to lead any action.

Keggie is already trying to stall the dispute by running two ballots consecutively. Past experience shows that waiting for the result of the second, national, ballot could be fatal.

Branches need to act immediately and organise to get CHD workers to picket out depots and mail centres as soon as they get their result. That way postal workers can control the strike rather than leaving it in the hands of Keggie, who will be quick to settle for a "joint venture" compromise or some such thing.

All postal workers need to oppose any privatisation in the post office without delay!

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