Derek Fraser of Manchester Respect offers some ideas about how to support striking CWU members defeat the management attacks.

Members of Manchester Respect have been visiting Communication Workers Union (CWU) picket lines during the last week and the comments from postal workers have been strikingly similar. On Thurs 29^th October at Manchester APC (Automatic Processing Centre), Oldham Rd, M/C (known to posties as ‘Ancoats Penal Colony’), CWU pickets said, ‘bullying management only seemed interested in hitting unrealistic targets that left posties exhausted when they finished their shift’. On Sat 31^st Oct Postal workers said it was ‘clear from Peter Mandelson’s lack of ‘intervention’ that this government was responsible for this current dispute and that the money the CWU gives to the Labour Party needs stopping now’!!! A few things became clear from conversations with CWU members:

1. They knew there was no alternative but to fight (and some recognised it might be a long fight), Royal Mail (RM) didn’t want a solution by negotiation

2. The government were to blame just as much as RM management

3. they wanted to get their message across to the public what ‘modernisation’ meant for them and postal workers.

Many postal workers were also starting to talk about the strategy/tactics which would be needed to win this bitter dispute, some thought a deal could be done if they stayed out long enough, whilst others thought the trade union movement needed to be asked for more support; what was common was that workers were beginning to discuss which way forward.

Respect along with others others who want to see the CWU knock back the RM management and so send a signal to Brown (and Cameron if the Tories win) wants to encourage a discussion of the way forward for workers when under attack. It was clear from visiting the various CWU picket lines over the last week that different people have different ideas about how to win, this article would like to suggest (for discussion) some tactics for the way forward for the CWU and other unions currently involved in disputes.

1. Setting up (immediately of ) Solidarity groups for postal workers in localities. Weekly levies at your workplace, twinning with postal depot.

2. Union motions – all trade unionists to visit local CWU picket lines to ask them to speak at their next union meeting about dispute, to get message of support, financial aid to them.

3. Labour MPs – in conjunction with CWU local reps to ‘visit’ local Mps to discuss their position, if not supporting strikes withdrawal of support for them at next election.

4. Rallies/protests/meetings – to set up in solidarity CWU groups local/regional rallies. CWU members need to know they have support, this can comein way through a rally/protest, etc.

These are just some suggestions to take the fight to make workers not pay the consequences of this recession. They are a starting point and I and Respect would welcome criticism/suggestions/ideas to take this struggle (our struggle) forward in a period when the unions are beginning to flex their muscles again.

I have purposely not included the development of rank & file movement within the CWU as I think this needs to come from someone who works in and recieves the crap of RM management on a daily basis!! Also others will comment much better than myself on the strategy of the CWU leadership (which needs comments) within the current and past disputes. Please feel free to comment.

Derek Fraser

(Manchester Respect)