POSTAL services across Greater Manchester ground to a halt today as Royal Mail workers joined the nationwide strike.
They are among 120,000 staff staging two days of walkouts across the country over pay and conditions. A picket line gathered outside Manchester's Royal Mail HQ on Oldham Road for three hours this morning.
Around 30 people - including mail workers, students and representatives from other unions - stood outside the mail centre from 6am. Dozens of rush hour motorists honked their horns and punched their fists in support as they passed.
Dad of two Steve Connell, 54, from Failsworth a Royal Mail mechanic said: "It's the first time I have been on strike in 35 years. We are not here because we are frightened of modernisation we have seen a lot of it before. But we are normally involved in it. Now we are just being dictated to. I think most members of the public will be sympathetic to the union. They don't want to see private firms come in."
John Reed, 38, a Royal Mail worker from Ashton said: "It's a sorry time. No one wants to go on strike, lose their wages, and provide a bad service but we feel we are being bullied every day and we have no other choice."
Eleventh-hour talks between Communication Workers Union bosses and Royal Mail collapsed last night. The union warned of further strikes and blasted business secretary Lord Mandelson saying he was working "hand-in-hand with Royal Mail to undermine the dispute".
Prime Minister Gordon Brown today urged postal workers and management to "sit round a table" adding that it was "a self-defeating" strike. There have been a series of regional strikes since June but today's action is the first national strike in two years.
Around 1,000 mail centre staff across Greater Manchester are not working today. A further 3,000 postmen and women will strike tomorrow.
Earlier this week Royal Mail's managing director Mark Higson wrote to the union urging it to abandon the "totally unjustified" strikes and to accept a proposal to provide "a strike free period of calm" in the busy run up to Christmas. Royal Mail announced plans to employ 30,000 extra temporary staff to help beat strike action.
On the picket line Vicky Thompson, 21, welfare officer at Manchester University Students' Union said she feared for students who could be exploited by Royal Mail during future strikes.
She said: "In the last postal strike hundreds of Liverpool students were hired to drive the mail vans. Students are vulnerable people especially in this economic climate and it wouldn't surprise me if hundreds of Manchester students replace the posties and van drivers if strikes continue."
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
geordie scotsman (22/10/2009 at 09:15)
Seemingly Ignored, Heald Green (22/10/2009 at 09:55)
Knowsleyman, Paphos (22/10/2009 at 09:56)
When a very large and powerful union OFFERS to have the problem resolved by Arbitration and the management refuse the offer it does tell me where the fault lies.
In the last 5 years the union have agreed a reduction in the workforce of some 60,000. That is a clear indication that the union are co-operating.
Voter (22/10/2009 at 09:59)
Seemingly Ignored, Heald Green (22/10/2009 at 10:16)
Now, enough of the Postal Workers union reps, what about the BNP...
JohnB, Manchester (22/10/2009 at 10:17)
Rob Wilson (22/10/2009 at 10:27)
gillykins, urmston (22/10/2009 at 10:31)
Ralphmilneshead (22/10/2009 at 10:38)
3 million happy to tale your place - see how you like the job centre.
Kirsty Lawrence (22/10/2009 at 10:43)
palomablanca, manchester (22/10/2009 at 10:44)
22/10/2009 at 09:15 What a load of tripe, If we all took your attitude ,There would be 7 yeard olds cleaning chimneys,Unions have had their power stripped over the years, No surprise when people like you complain about your own misfortune whilst berating anyone else who stands up for their beliefs
Duncan Disorderly (22/10/2009 at 10:48)
Gary Salamander (22/10/2009 at 11:02)
Squire of Newton, Newton nr. Hyde (22/10/2009 at 11:18)
Knowledge Poverty, WIPE OUT THE FERAL SINK ESTATE WHITE TRASH SCUM (22/10/2009 at 11:24)
Pay - no sympathy. If you don't like what you get paid, get another job.
But unfortunately, this strike is a classic 'cut off your nose to spite your face'. Because of this machine, they'll just have to accept some people will lose their jobs.
By striking, they might ALL lose their jobs - when the post office is completely broken up and privatised.
You're just going to have to accept there are going to be casualties. Most of you will keep your jobs, some of you won't. I've lost my job before (and i work in the public sector). It happens.
Get back to work - so that some of you can be saved. Before it's too late.
GET BACK TO WORK.
Seemingly Ignored, Heald Green (22/10/2009 at 11:31)
The unions ruined the British economy by forcing companies to stop manufacturing here. If you want someone to blame for wrecking the UK, don't look to the Blessed Margaret - look at the Labour Party (so called) and their gobby finaciers, the Unions. Goodbye to all that I hope.
Local lad, outsidethebox (22/10/2009 at 11:31)
Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles (22/10/2009 at 11:36)
Well after working 25yrs of 12hr shifts and when the kids were young 7 days a week,lazy is the least of my foibles.
The only constant in the Postal disputes the last few years is a management which regards it's workforce as underlings not worthy of recognising it's elected spokesmen/women. Of course the chairman is a government appointee,(ie) a job for the boys!
We have a management which has run down the service for a number of years in readiness for privatisation which has been rejected twice by the public and whilst letter mail has reduced by 10% because of e-mail..the same e-mail has seen the packet side of mail increase by 40%thanks to on line shopping!
I find it quite ironic that a management that acts like 19th century mill owners and treats it's posties like serfs..it constantly talks of modernisation!
Also find it laughable that while we've all had to forego a pay rise this year..Crozier managed to find himself a £453,000 bonus with another £300,000 put into his pension!
Ran Droid, Manchester (22/10/2009 at 11:43)
As for Vicky Thompson fearing students could be 'exploited'? Sorry? Given the vast amounts of debt students are placed in these days, I'm not seeing how being paid to do a job is exploiting them?
If they're smart enough to go to university, they're smart enough to make their own decisions in life, and I doubt they need a contemptuous little madam looking down their nose at them.
Steve an alternative view (22/10/2009 at 11:46)
Sorry did someone say there is a postal strike, clearly it is having less and less of an effect, in fact its doing me a favour. My doormat won’t be covered in junk mail when I get home which I then have to chuck straight in the recycle.
There is nothing like a monstrous giant thrashing about in its final death roles.
That is a very proud expression on Mr Quinn’s face, would someone like to tell the rest of us exactly what he is so proud off?
Seemingly Ignored, Heald Green (22/10/2009 at 11:46)
Duncan Disorderly (22/10/2009 at 11:54)
I hear what you say, but kicking downwards to hurt the very people who you are paid to serve will never get you much sympathy or support, especially when you are fronted by the old fashioned hard nosed militants who currently represent you.
Knowledge Poverty, WIPE OUT THE FERAL SINK ESTATE WHITE TRASH SCUM (22/10/2009 at 12:00)
The one where the posties said (something like) 'i start my shift at 6am. I'm contracted to work until 2.30pm. But if i've delivered all my letters and got everything ready for tomorrow by noon, then i go home and put my feet up'.
Knowsleyman, Paphos (22/10/2009 at 12:31)
You must have been reading the Daily Mail version of events.
Why would the Union continue to go on strike if the Arbitration THEY had requested was accepted.
Have you got it know?????????????? They wouldn't.
castlefieldres, manchester (22/10/2009 at 12:48)
The simple nature of the job means it was only a matter of time until this machine, that replaces an element of sorting, was invented.
It's been happening for hundreds of years.
The postal workers are no more worthy than any others.
That Union leader in the picture, looking very pleased with himself by the way, is costing his 'people' their jobs.
These knuckle draggers cause more harm to their members than anything else. The only way anyone would give the guys any power was in a union context, and they cherish that.