Royal Mail workers go on unofficial strike

Royal Mail workers at Belfast’s Tomb Street depot are currently engaged in unofficial strike action over the return to work of a manager who allegedly assaulted an employee.

Around 350 workers walked out this morning in response to the decision made by Consignia to reinstall the manager to frontline supervisory duties.

As a result postal services were disrupted today in north, south and west Belfast.

The individual, who made the allegation, has been off work for the last three months due to stress sources revealed.

However, Consignia said they had carried out an “exhaustive” internal investigation into the matter and had concluded the assault allegation was “found to have no substance whatsoever”.

Peter Hamill of the postal worker’s union CWU said they were “astounded” by the decision: “We just cannot believe this has happened. We are particularly astounded, as [Consignia] management accepted that full physical contact was made.

“We met with management from Consignia last Friday and spent from 11am to 6pm where we from the CWU listed seven areas of concern that we had drawn up.

“We requested the delay of the return of the manager until a written evaluation had been carried out by national headquarters in London. This ignored and the manager was returned today.

“However we are keen to see a speedy resolution that would be acceptable to both parties. Nevertheless we are not prepared to stand idly by and watch one of our workers get manhandled.”

However, the CWU has repudiated the unofficial strike action which Consignia Area Manager Michael Kennedy has further condemned as “unacceptable”.

Speaking today Mr Kennedy said: “Today’s action is simply unacceptable – all this type of action does is damage customer confidence in our service, which we can ill afford in the current climate.

“I would urge everyone involved in this irresponsible illegal action to return to work immediately and focus on getting the mail service back to normal. That is what our customers need and deserve from all of us.”

(AMcE)