‘Please support brave Isle of Man members’ Terry Pullinger

Postal November 29 2018

Around 200 Isle of Man Post workers are currently voting on potential industrial action in response to what the CWU has described as a “set of proposals that threaten jobs, pensions and the future of the service.”

In a morale-boosting video message this morning, the union’s deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger described the company’s new governing board as “anti-union” and that they want to “slash everything.”

The employer wants to close the existing pension scheme to new entrants and recruit new staff on lower pay rates – plans which would, Terry warns, introduce “two-tier employment” into the business.

But management are also gunning for existing employees too, with proposals to cut the benefits in the current scheme as well, award a below-inflation 1 per cent pay settlement, buy out a range of allowances and move away from long-established voluntary redundancy arrangements.

Against the backdrop of these management plans, members met last month and unanimously resolved to request an industrial action ballot – a request which was endorsed by the full postal executive.

Balloting is due to close within the next few days, and the result is expected to be announced early next week.

Describing the Isle of Man members’ decision to resist this attack as “extremely brave,” Terry urges our CWU branches all across the UK to send messages of support and solidarity.

“Let’s show these members that the whole CWU is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our Isle of Man comrades.”