IOM - Post strike date is left to last minute

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POST Office union members have given their approval for strike action to be announced next week.

At a meeting held at the Claremont Hotel, in Douglas, on Sunday, Communication Workers’ Union members decided not to announce a date for action until the last minute to allow more time for talks with Post Office management.

Earlier this month it was announced 71.7 per cent of its members voted in favour of strike action as the next step in the escalating dispute over the pay freeze.

The CWU – which represents 269 out of 525 postal workers – has 28 days from announcing the ballot result to call a strike. And it must give seven days’ notice.

CWU assistant secretary Terry Pullinger said any announcement for strike action was being left to the ‘last minute’ – next Monday or Tuesday.

He said industrial relations officer Ian Cochrane could extend the deadline by seven days if talks between both sides were successful or looked promising.

After receiving the ballot result, Mr Pullinger wrote to Post Office chairman Alan Crowe MLC calling for a meeting between the two sides and government.

Mr Pullinger said he was disappointed talks, likely to take place next week, would involve the executive team at the Post Office, not the board.

‘No disrespect to the executive team, but it would be more useful to talk to people who determine the mandate,’ he said.

‘We want positive talks. It’s very difficult to see how it will be resolved without someone from the board or government at least to establish the parameters for resolution.’

He said the level strike action might take would depend on the outcome of any meetings.