12.09.1996

CWU must escalate to win

Earlier this week the postal executive of the Communications Workers Union decided to resume strike action against Royal Mail’s ‘teamworking’ attacks on members’ conditions and union rights. It has called two further one-day strikes on September 20 and 22. It is also to ballot 5,000 technical engineering staff on joining the dispute.

The decision came as a leaked document showed how Royal Mail was planning to defeat the union action by the use of strikebreakers. In a move widely believed to be typical of what local managers across the country are scheming, East Anglian employment agencies were circulated with a letter “in strictest commercial confidence”, informing them that “Royal Mail Anglia is looking to recruit 4,600 casual employees for use in the event of industrial action being stepped up”. The letter further asked companies to provide transport for scabs, “possibly crossing picket lines”.

“It doesn’t surprise me that they would stoop to such depths,” Steve Royal, secretary of Eastern No3 CWU branch, told me. “It would step up the dispute no end. At the moment people are picketing peacefully, but they would not accept this willingly and there would be a response management wouldn’t expect.”

Steve estimates that 98% of the 600 workforce in Norwich are solidly behind the strike action, and it is the same in all the major offices. In East Anglia as a whole he reckons there is 90% support: “In the small offices where we are weaker, some members are afraid of the managers.”

Steve believes that CWU joint general secretary Alan Johnson could end up with egg on his face: “I believe a new ballot would show that the members would reject the whole deal, including the six ‘acceptable’ elements which the negotiators agreed. Teamworking can’t be forced upon us.

“I entered this dispute hoping to win it, but I have got to carry the members with me,” he added, concerned that that would not be the case if the action was escalated.

However, workers will support action which looks to have a good chance of winning. That is why endless one-day actions lead to demoralisation when they bring no result. Last month’s rank and file meeting in London showed that activists overwhelmingly want to fight on and throw out the whole teamworking scheme. That can only be done now through escalation, despite the appeals to ‘see sense’ from Tory and Labour leaders alike.

Peter Manson