| Delivery workers from an office in Kent will strike next week in the latest step in the ongoing campaign to save their town's postal services. Postwomen and postmen will take part in the 24-hour protest action at Whitstable Delivery Office, which is earmarked for closure as part of Royal Mail's restructuring programme, and they have invited members of the local community to join them in a Day of Action. Area delivery rep Jean Roberts explained that the dispute had arisen after local management refused to abide by the national agreement on delivery office closures - an agreement that was reached last year between the union and Royal Mail. "We just want them to follow the national agreement," she said, adding: "The people of Whitstable don't want this and they can't see any reason for it." While the company has said that there has been consultation over the closure, the union points out that this "consultation" has solely consisted of Royal Mail telling them that the office is going to close. If the closure goes ahead, the workforce will have to travel to Canterbury Delivery Office, sort their rounds and then travel back to Whitstable to deliver the mail, while residents will have to make the same trip to pick up any undelivered items. CWU members report strong support from Whitstable residents for their campaign, which was the focus for the town's Postal Workers Day activities in December, when local people joined postal workers at the delivery office to back their stance. Other campaign activities have included public meetings in the town, lobbying of local politicians and businesses, and a petition calling for a rethink has won over 5,000 signatures. Why Whitstable Postal Workers Will Be Taking Action on January 12th. POSTAL workers are spending the festive break planning the next step in their campaign after a ballot revealed union members were overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action. The result of the vote by Whitstable posties angry at plans to shut the town's delivery office was 23 to three in favour of action. The Herne Bay delivery office has already closed, meaning staff have to travel to Canterbury every day to collect mail and customers must also make the journey to collect parcels. Chris Stone, union rep for the Communication Workers Union, said he was delighted with the ballot result. He said: "It is the right thing for postal workers and the right thing for the people. "This result sends a clear message to Royal Mail that we mean business. In spite of what the Royal Mail might say, we were never given anything that could properly be described as a meaningful consultation on this move. "In spite of all our attempts to engage with them, they have fobbed us off so this is our chance to show Royal Mail how strongly we feel." Union members are meeting tonight at Whitstable Labour Club to discuss what form the action should take, and campaigner Julie Wassmer said they had the support of the town. More than 50 people attended a rally outside the delivery office in Cromwell Road last week. She said: "I happened to be in the Victoria arcade in Harbour Street when Chris phoned me with the news. "Other people overheard my delighted reaction and came up to say how pleased they were to know that the posties had voted in favour of industrial action. "I think Royal Mail should consider this as a suitable combined Christmas present from the people of Whitstable and our postal workers. "Let's now see if industrial action, allied to popular support from a community of tens of thousands of people here in Whitstable, will finally stop them trying to steamroller this move through." Royal Mail officials said the move was part of a £70 million project to modernise the business across Kent, including building a state-of-the-art mail centre in Rochester. Delivery director Ray Tompsett said: "These changes will ensure that we significantly reduce our vehicle mileage and carbon emissions overall across Kent as we operate from fewer sites. "They also ensure we have the capability to provide a first class service to our customers now and in the future." He said talks with the union started in June 2010 and the closures were part of the modernisation plan agreed by union officials. (CWU, Canterbury Times, Whitstable People) |