blow to Post Office management's efforts to introduce productivity proposals. Coming, as it did, within a fortnight of the agreement between the new productivity agreement it is also a blow to the UCW executive, which hopes to win the approval of the union's national conference on 19 May for this agreement.
The dispute started when postal workers were refused for the additional work waylichl involved in delivering polling cards.
Management attempted to over-ride existing practice and refuse payment for the extra work lavo ved. rosI workers at Northampton TeSCO LO naruc Lc cxla work, and there was an immediate walk-out over the suspensions which resulted.
Management then tried to divert mail to other offices. Refusal to handle diverted mail from striking offices led further suspensions. More than 7000 workers were eventually involved in the action. The Post Office was Torcea lo reued.
Allan Tuffin, UCW general secretarv and main supporter of the MCCCHl productivity deal was clearly worried. He did not approve of the solidarity WolC a Lne spread of the dispute. He said; 'Our members aren't going on strike in support of those at Northampton.
As the Post Office moves ш o vær ae blacking and the Post OICC senlang peupic home. We trying ACTION LAST week by postal workers at 23 sorting centres from Preston to London dealt a serious UCW executive and the Post Office on a sweeping contain it and telling our members not to be provoked, but it is very hard for them not to respond.
Blow The the solidarity action which led to the escalation of the dispute, is a big blow to the union executive's hopes of SeTES productivity deal to conference on The proposed deal would mean a big deterioration the working conditions of UCW members. In particular the rost vince plans to nire up 20,000 part-time workers is a major step to the casualisation of the service on the US model. where workers turn up in LOC HOruEe with qual alilce that work will be available Tuffin and his co-thinkers on the executive thought that the deal could enve e ooco the union conference. Last MUECA LC that the left have got a real base to tight back trom. not only are the members ready and able to struggle. They can win. NEIL KINNOCK's decision to join the press campaign against the TGWU shows, once again, the