Strike vote at Royal Mail Swansea

Postal June 27 2018

Swansea Delivery Office members will be balloted on strike action after a member was sacked on the basis of a “flawed conduct case” undertaken by local management.

Martin Henwood, who has worked for the company for 32 years with no previous disciplinary record, was sacked last month after bosses accused him of not following a procedure on door-to-door (unaddressed) mail, despite him following the protocol of the office.

“Feelings are running very high at the unit,” says CWU assistant secretary Ray Ellis, who added that a meeting of the workforce had resulted in a call for an industrial action ballot unless the member was re-instated – a ballot request that was endorsed by the union’s postal executive.

Ray continued: “The union’s view is that this is clearly a flawed conduct case and we have attempted to resolve the issue with Royal Mail at a national level – however, despite assurances from Royal Mail senior management that they would listen to our concerns, all we are getting is procrastination.

“Unfortunately, their further ‘investigation’ has taken us no nearer to a solution and therefore, sadly, we’ve got no

alternative but to enact the ballot request.

“We have formally served notice to Royal Mail to inform them that members at Swansea Delivery Office will be balloting for strike action.”

Gary Williams, secretary of the local CWU South West Wales Amal Branch, said: “Members here are furious at the way local management have behaved towards Martin.

“We are absolutely 100 per cent determined to win his full re-instatement and we’re expecting an overwhelming ‘Yes’ vote in the ballot.”

Ray Ellis added: “Despite us having to serve notice for the industrial action ballot to get Royal Mail to take us seriously, we are still open to talks to resolve the injustice.

“But if Royal Mail refuse to put right the injustice, strike action will be required.”

• The ballot will open on Wednesday July 4 and close on Thursday July 12.