tyneside postal workers solidarity group

Important dates coming up this week

2009-11-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

Friday 6th Nov:
Postal worker strike picket lines from early hours at all sorting offices / depots

Saturday 7th Nov - 2pm:
Newcastle monument - collection and leafleting in solidarity with postal workers - all welcome

Monday 9th Nov:
Postal worker strike picket lines from early hours at all sorting offices / depots

Wednesday 11th Nov - 6pm:
3rd Tyneside Post Workers Solidarity group, Gateshead civic, all welcome

2nd meeting of solidarity group 3 November

2009-11-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

2nd meeting of Tyneside Postal Workers Solidarity group
15 people present (activists from 11 different union branches including Unison, CWU, Unite, UCU, NUM as well as students / unemployed activists)
there we also apologies from a number of activists including some who were at Keep Metro Public meeting

Tony from CWU gave brief report:
- at the end of the talks last week Royal Mail failed to respond to CWU proposals
- further action is planned for Friday this week and Monday next week (both dates will include all workers)
- further talks have been taking place at TUC but no statements will be made
- CWU is taking RM to high court about illegally using casual workers to cover work of striking workers

A discussion followed including:
- targetting other couriers and links with other unions for these couriers
- organsing to prevent scab recruitment
- targetting workplaces which had highest level of strike breakers (although it was recognised the dispute was very solid at few had broken picket lines)
- need for CWU leaflet and posters (Tony will get some printed asap)

Practical solidarity was reported on including CWU speakers at a number of union branches including Gateshead, Newcastle Unison branches, UCU branches and due to speak at Unite branch next week over £1000 donates to strike fund from branches reported just the last 7 days alone.

Also students had done collection and raised £36

Report on blog: http://www.tynepostsolidarity.blogspot.com/ which will carry reports of meetings and any practical solidarity actions / events that come out of the local solidarity committee as well as annoucements and information from CWU on strike actions and local stalls / fundraising activities planned

Proposed regular activities
It was agreed to try and keep regular public stalls and Simon agreed to get permission for stall in town for Saturdays from 2om this saturday
Ed will email tony for PDFs and leaflets / collection sheets

Various social / fundraising events were discussed

Proposals to follow up specific union branches to get CWU speakers to meetings / workplaces were discussed

Next meeting will now be on Wednesday 11 November (the day after CWU branch committee) at 6pm Gateshead Civic Centre

Ed Whitby
http://www.tynepostsolidarity.blogspot.com/

CWU announce more strike dates alongside negotiations

2009-10-31T03:56:00.000-07:00

CWU focused on Achieving resolution (from cwu website)

30th October 2009

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: "Talks will continue between CWU and Royal Mail at the TUC next week. We are very grateful to the TUC for their efforts in helping to try and find a resolution to this dispute.

"We advised Royal Mail and all those in the negotiations last night (Thursday) that the CWU would be serving notice for further strike action today. They agreed to keep talks ongoing in the run-up to that action. The Union is consistently frustrated that Royal Mail keep walking away when we get close to a deal but we hope that that will not be the case next week.

"It is not necessary for this strike to take place and the union remains focussed on reaching an agreement. We hope that Royal Mail will also now be equally focussed.

"CWU is determined to reach an agreement or make enough progress to call off strike action next week."

CWU will be making no further statement until after talks take place next week.

Strike action has been set for 121,000 postal workers UK-wide for 24 hours from 3am on Friday 6th November and for 24 hours from 3am Monday 9th November.

Tues 3rd Nov - 6.30pm - next open Solidarity meeting all welcome

2009-10-31T03:53:00.000-07:00

The next meeting is open to all who support the postal workers, all unions, all groups, all individuals. CWU reps will help keep us upto date with the dispute and give us information on what practical support we can offer.

Tues 3rd Nov
6.30pm
Gateshead Civic Centre

ALL WELCOME

Tyneside Postal Workers Solidarity Group launched

2009-10-31T03:44:00.000-07:00

Hi all

Following a rally a fortnight ago with speakers from across the trade union movement (including NEC members / regional officers from RMT, UNISON and PCS) alongside John Woodhouse (branch secretary of Newcastle Amalgamated CWU) the first meeting of the a solidarity group took place on Tues 26th October. The meeting was organised at the last minute and many people gave apologies but the 8 people who attended from Unison, Unite, UCU and CWU branches agreed to organise another meeting, a stall at the monument on Sat 30th October and various collections incuding fundraising gigs.

The proposed solidarity group is open to all who support the postal workers, has the support of the local CWU branch and has no officers as yet so all decisions of how the group will work will be decided at the next meeting. Tues 3rd November at 6.30pn at Gateshead Civic Centre.