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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Postal workers in wildcat strikes | Postal workers in wildcat strikes |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Almost 100 postal staff have been staging wildcat strikes in Edinburgh and Grangemouth over pay deductions following recent official action. | Almost 100 postal staff have been staging wildcat strikes in Edinburgh and Grangemouth over pay deductions following recent official action. |
| Workers left depots in Edinburgh North West and Grangemouth at about 0900 BST. | Workers left depots in Edinburgh North West and Grangemouth at about 0900 BST. |
| The walkouts followed 48-hour strikes last week and earlier this week. Staff said deductions for both strikes came out of one weekly wage. | The walkouts followed 48-hour strikes last week and earlier this week. Staff said deductions for both strikes came out of one weekly wage. |
| A Royal Mail spokeswoman said the payroll calendar meant all deductions had to be taken at once. | A Royal Mail spokeswoman said the payroll calendar meant all deductions had to be taken at once. |
| The spokeswoman told BBC Scotland news website the four strike days happened in a six-day payroll period. | The spokeswoman told BBC Scotland news website the four strike days happened in a six-day payroll period. |
| She said: "If the payroll records show that a member of staff was not at work on a particular day they are not paid for that day. | She said: "If the payroll records show that a member of staff was not at work on a particular day they are not paid for that day. |
| Some members feel that the employer has done this deliberately and this is what has caused the anger, they feel it has been malicious Stuart McIntoshCommunication Workers' Union | Some members feel that the employer has done this deliberately and this is what has caused the anger, they feel it has been malicious Stuart McIntoshCommunication Workers' Union |
| "The rules are simple and clear, people who took industrial action over four days were fully aware that they would not be paid for the days on which they took strike action. | "The rules are simple and clear, people who took industrial action over four days were fully aware that they would not be paid for the days on which they took strike action. |
| "Staff at North West Delivery Office in Edinburgh and Grangemouth Delivery Office have taken unlawful unofficial industrial action on Friday over pay abatement and we are deeply disappointed that they have decided to do so. | "Staff at North West Delivery Office in Edinburgh and Grangemouth Delivery Office have taken unlawful unofficial industrial action on Friday over pay abatement and we are deeply disappointed that they have decided to do so. |
| "Every other office in Scotland is working normally and we would encourage our staff to come back to work." | "Every other office in Scotland is working normally and we would encourage our staff to come back to work." |
| The spokeswoman apologised to customers and said the action "played into the hands" of competitors. | The spokeswoman apologised to customers and said the action "played into the hands" of competitors. |
| Rolling programme | Rolling programme |
| Stuart McIntosh, Communication Workers' Union (CWU) divisional representative for Scotland, said he could not condone the unofficial strike but he did support the members' anger over the pay deductions. | Stuart McIntosh, Communication Workers' Union (CWU) divisional representative for Scotland, said he could not condone the unofficial strike but he did support the members' anger over the pay deductions. |
| "All staff were meant to be briefed earlier in the week about the abatement of pay but some depots were not. | "All staff were meant to be briefed earlier in the week about the abatement of pay but some depots were not. |
| "We had all assumed that two days from each week would be taken rather than a four-day lump from one week and that is why we had conducted a rolling programme and moved away from continuous action so that families did not have such a big hit in one weekly wage. | "We had all assumed that two days from each week would be taken rather than a four-day lump from one week and that is why we had conducted a rolling programme and moved away from continuous action so that families did not have such a big hit in one weekly wage. |
| "Some members feel that the employer has done this deliberately and this is what has caused the anger, they feel it has been malicious." | "Some members feel that the employer has done this deliberately and this is what has caused the anger, they feel it has been malicious." |
| Mr McIntosh added that on Thursday the CWU had managed to persuade staff in depots in areas across Scotland to refrain from walking out when they were told the news. | Mr McIntosh added that on Thursday the CWU had managed to persuade staff in depots in areas across Scotland to refrain from walking out when they were told the news. |
| Royal Mail staff found four days were deducted from one wage | |
| Tony Halligan, union representative at Grangemouth, said: "When staff came in and found out they were only getting one day's pay they said 'right we've had enough of this'. | Tony Halligan, union representative at Grangemouth, said: "When staff came in and found out they were only getting one day's pay they said 'right we've had enough of this'. |
| "They are terribly disgruntled and are very angry about the way Royal Mail are forcing through cuts. | "They are terribly disgruntled and are very angry about the way Royal Mail are forcing through cuts. |
| "Nothing at the depot will move on Friday because of this action. Royal Mail expect us to work and work while making more and more cuts, it just can't go on." | "Nothing at the depot will move on Friday because of this action. Royal Mail expect us to work and work while making more and more cuts, it just can't go on." |
| Workers at the Royal Mail depot in Livingston walked out on Thursday before the CWU managed to persuade half of them to return. They all returned to work on Friday. | Workers at the Royal Mail depot in Livingston walked out on Thursday before the CWU managed to persuade half of them to return. They all returned to work on Friday. |
| Eighteen staff at Grangemouth Delivery Office and 81 at Edinburgh North West Delivery Office walked out on Friday. | Eighteen staff at Grangemouth Delivery Office and 81 at Edinburgh North West Delivery Office walked out on Friday. |
| Six people remained working at Grangemouth and two at the Edinburgh North West depot. | Six people remained working at Grangemouth and two at the Edinburgh North West depot. |