Wed, 30 Jan 2019
The Communication Worker’s Union has announced postal workers on the Isle of Man will go on strike for three days next month.
Following strike action taken in December, the Union has allowed the employer a period of calm in the hope that common sense would prevail. Instead, the CWU has received no reply to its submission on the 4th January of a pragmatic programme for the future of the Isle of Man Post Office.
The business has decided to attempt to consult with our members on an individual basis rather than working through the CWU proposal in line with the process that had been agreed with the assistance of the Isle of Man Industrial Relations Officer.
Commenting on this announcement, Terry Pullinger, CWU Deputy General Secretary (Postal) said: “Our members clearly see management’s approach as an underhand and deliberate attempt to undermine the collective bargaining process.
This has caused further and unnecessary stress to the members of the Union and has hardened their collective determination.
We have received excellent support from the public and we genuinely hope they understand that our action is a legitimate protest to the ridiculous nature of these negotiations. We hope that they can see that the involvement of management, board members and government officials show that there are far too many fingers in the pie, making it almost impossible to make progress in these discussions.
These talks feel increasingly as though the government is seeking to achieve precedence that could apply more widely to the rest of the public sector rather than developing an agreed vision for the Isle of Man Post Office in the best interest of loyal post workers, postal services in general and the commercial and social fabric of the Isle of Man.”
The industrial action is due to be held on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of February 2019.