Royal Mail Hiring 30,000 Scabs

By CH, submitted on Sat, 17/10/2009 - 20:51

Royal Mail is heading for a bitter confrontation with postal workers after announcing plans to recruit an army of 30,000 temporary staff in an attempt to crush the national strike that starts this week.

In a move that stunned union leaders and raised tensions between management and workers to new levels, Royal Mail said it had ordered the biggest recruitment drive in its history "to help keep the mail moving during the strikes called by the Communication Workers Union (CWU)". Sources inside the CWU, which has called national strikes for Thursday and Friday, questioned whether the move was legal and suggested that it could be challenged in the courts.

The Guardian

Comments

Re: Royal Mail Hiring 30,000 Scabs

By Brendan Elliott Canada, submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 18/10/2009 - 02:20

I have been a stamp collector here in Canada for 25-years. The money I spend on Royal Mail products builds up over a year.

As soon as the first scab crosses the picket line, I will cancel my subscription. I urge collectors all over the word to follow suit.

Re: Royal Mail Hiring 30,000 Scabs

By Anonymous, submitted on Mon, 02/11/2009 - 10:42

Anonymous wrote:
I have been a stamp collector here in Canada for 25-years. The money I spend on Royal Mail products builds up over a year.

As soon as the first scab crosses the picket line, I will cancel my subscription. I urge collectors all over the word to follow suit.

I want my mail delivered, people should get on with their jobs instead of striking all the time.

Re: Royal Mail Hiring 30,000 Scabs

By Jon B, submitted on Mon, 02/11/2009 - 14:57

Anonymous wrote:
I want my mail delivered, people should get on with their jobs instead of striking all the time.

There is more at stake here than your mail being delayed, mate.

The government wants to smash everyones working conditions, and increase the numbers of agency and casual workers in the public sector. They want to smash the unions that are (usually) doing their best to protect our working conditions and standard of living.

The unions (although they definitely not perfect!) are the reason why we have a 5 day week, and an 8 hour day, and they are why our health and safety conditions have improved so much over the last 100 years. If things continue as they are, unions will be crushed, and all of these gains will be eroded until we are all in a much shitter position.

For many people this shit situation has already happened - look at all those people who are permanently working as temporary workers - they have no sick pay, no holidays, no pensions, no guaranteed hours. This is how the bosses want us all to work. A "flexible" and "modern" workforce. This is what "modernisation" looks like, and this is what the posties and bin-men are opposing.

So, fuck that, im supporting the strikes, and im gonna put up with some delayed xmas presents.