CWU Follow

The stakes in the dispute between Royal Mail and the CWU union grew today as unofficial strike action in Royal Mail continued to spread. Offices in south east London joined striking colleagues in east and south west London, and there is now a real possibility that all offices and mail centres in London will join the action within the next 24 hours.

There was speculation that management and the CWU union may be approaching an agreement to end the dispute as Socialist Worker went to press.

An argument is raging about the future of the relationship between the postal workers’ CWU union and the Labour Party.

by Gareth Eales, branch secretary, Northamptonshire Amal CWU

The fight between the CWU postal workers' union and Royal Mail is a political dispute in which Gordon Brown is the real power behind the scenes.

The postal workers’ CWU union today announced the start times of the two 48-hour strikes.

Last week’s announcement by the postal workers’ CWU union that strikes against Royal Mail are to be resumed was greeted with enthusiasm by union activists across Britain.

A group of postal workers from London went to lobby the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth on Monday of this week. Martin Walsh, the postal workers’ CWU union London divisional rep, spoke to Socialist Worker about the growing tensions between the union and New Labour.

In a clear case of "If you can’t beat ‘em, close ‘em", Royal Mail announced the proposed closure of Oxford mail centre in 2009 – with the loss of up to 430 jobs – just hours after the CWU union announced further national strike action.

The postal workers’ CWU union has announced a new programme of strikes as part of its dispute with Royal Mail.

Royal Mail has put its cards on the table. For a small compromise on pay – a 6.7 percent rise over two years – it wants to rip up every national and local agreement between the company and the CWU postal workers’ union.

Almost immediately after the break up of talks with the CWU, Royal Mail sent out letters to thousands of postal workers telling them that their start times are to be changed.