Postal workers went on strike in Bristol in a protest against three sacked workers
Around 300 postal workers marched through Bristol yesterday demanding ‘justice for the innocent three’ as the Communication Workers Union (CWU) stepped up its fight for the reinstatement of three members.
Colin Tucker, Kay Gibbs and Paula Franklin were sacked by Royal Mail following complaints made against them during last autumn’s national postal dispute under the company’s ‘bullying and harassment procedures’.
CWU said the workers were innocent of the charges.
A campaign by the CWU forced the company to reinstate the three at a Weston-super-mare delivery office some 30 miles away from Bristol.
Union members insist that nothing other than full reinstatement back in their own city is acceptable.
Members of the rail union RMT, civil-service union PCS, teachers’ union NUT and the city’s Trades Union Council took their place alongside CWU protesters.
Bristol AMAL Branch secretary Dave Wilshire said: ‘Royal Mail have the cheek to talk about bullying and harassment when the reality is that, at Bristol, Burslem and elsewhere, the only bullies are Royal Mail managers,’ he added, warning that, unless an acceptable solution was found, ‘there won’t be a letter posted in Bristol.’
