Postal workers stage wildcat strike over manager’s alleged racism

POSTAL workers in Merseyside walked out on a wildcat strike for a second day today after a manager allegedly made a racist comment to a Muslim colleague.

Around 50 Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) members at Bootle and Seaforth delivery office walked off the job and picketed outside their depot in protest against the conduct of a shift manager.

The Morning Star understands that the dispute was sparked by an incident on Wednesday morning, when the manager asked an allegedly racist question to a Muslim member of staff.

According to workers, the female manager demanded that a young worker immediately switch from a task that he was doing to a different task that she wanted him to complete.

When it took him around 25 seconds to comply, she took him into her office and asked him: “Do you have a problem with women?”

The Star understands that the worker took the question to be aggressive in tone, and understood it to be the manager playing to a negative stereotype that Muslim men have no respect for women.

The worker was sent home from the depot on compassionate leave and was said to be extremely upset over the incident.

In response, workers refused to return to work in the afternoon while the manager was on the same shift and stayed out in protest before leaving at teatime.

The picket lines resumed today and the Star understands the workers are saying that they won’t return to work until the manager is removed from shift duties.

A CWU source on the ground told the Star: “It’s very fractious here.

“The worker in question is a young lad, and I think a lot of the older ones hated to see him being treated like that.

“A lot of staff in the depot have had problems with this particular manager not treating people right for a very long time, so I think this is very much a case of the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We are disappointed that unballoted industrial action is taking place at Bootle and Seaforth delivery office.

“We sincerely apologise to customers in these areas for any disruption to their mail services.

“Royal Mail is fully committed to resolving our colleagues’ concerns in co-operation with the CWU.”

A CWU spokesman said: “We are representing our member in this dispute, like we would in any other dispute.”