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TENS of thousands of striking Royal Mail workers will descend on London’s Parliament Square tomorrow for the “biggest demonstration by posties in living memory,” their union has warned.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) told the Morning Star that members “will not be cracked by intimidation and bullying” from bosses, who it said are determined to push through job cuts and gig economy-style working practices.
The rally, which is the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter dispute that began with walkouts by about 115,000 workers in late August, comes after management at the privatised firm accused the union’s members of “violence and harassment” on picket lines.
CWU rubbished the claims and said chief executive Simon Thompson is “gaslighting members and mocking them online.”
Ahead of the demo, which begins at 1pm, union general secretary Dave Ward told the Star: “Today will see tens of thousands of postal workers from every corner of our country stand together in defence of their livelihoods and their dignity.
“These people will not be cracked by intimidation and bullying because they know they are in the right — and their resolve only grows by the day.
“I would urge Royal Mail to come to terms with this determination sooner rather than later and try their utmost to achieve a mature and respectful resolution to the dispute.”
The 500-year-old service, which will be hit by further 24-hour strikes this month, including on Christmas Eve, has claimed that reform is inevitable following significant financial losses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But CWU has noted that shareholders have received dividends totalling a whopping £567 million during the health crisis.
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