Australian postal workers could strike in Queensland

Queensland postal workers have flagged possible strike action next week, as stalled pay talks threaten the delivery of Christmas mail, reports The Brisbane Times. The article continues:

The Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union has warned stoppages involving as many as 5,000 Australia Post employees in Queensland could continue in the lead-up to Christmas.

Australia Post has played down the threat, saying it had prepared for the strike with the use of casual labour. But CEPU national president Ed Husic told brisbanetimes.com.au he could not guarantee Christmas card deliveries would not be affected by work stoppages, which could begin as early as next Tuesday.

Workers have been without an EBA since December 2007, when the previous agreement expired.

They want a new agreement which protects penalty shifts, rosters and take-home pay and have demanded a commitment from their employer to improve workplace safety.

As well as possible work stoppages on Friday, industrial action could include bans on checking for properly-stamped cards or letters, meaning they will effectively be free.

“If you don’t have a stamp on your Christmas card, it’s going to get through to your final receiver, because that’s the type of ban that we’re putting in place, to send a message to Post,” CEPU national president Ed Husic told reporters.

He said the “free-mail” campaign could cost Australia Post up to $35m in revenue.

“It depends on how long it goes for, but by Australia Post’s own estimates, about 70m cards get sent out. At 50 cents for Christmas mail, that’s about $35m.”

Hundreds of workers at mail sorting centres at Underwood and Northgate were meeting with their colleagues today to discuss their course of action, although it is not yet clear whether posties will take part in the campaign.

CEPU Queensland official Matthew Rocks said 75% of the union’s members nationwide finally voted to take industrial action on 25 November.

But Australia Post says only 8,876 staff voted for industrial action out of 17,970 union members and 35,000 employees.

“We’ve now notified for a variety of actions to take place – everything from wearing a sticker or a badge in the workplace to taking stop-work action,” Rocks said.

“We still want people to get their Christmas mail, but at the same time we need to send a message to Post that members have had enough.”

Postal workers also want an end to the use of company-paid doctors, which the union accuses of forcing employees back to work when they are still sick or injured.

Australia Post called for family, friends and neighbours of postal workers, particularly those with forklift tickets and heavy vehicle licenses, to fill in for any employees who decide to strike.

The company has offered to pay relief workers casual rates to work from 6pm tomorrow, according to correspondence obtained by brisbanetimes.com.au.

Rocks said the union was not fazed by the company’s decision to call on untrained relief workers.

“Australia Post has to run a business – that’s their problem. We’re concerned about our members and staff,” he said.

Australia Post spokesman Alex Twomey said the company had last night offered to re-enter negotiations with the union this week.

“We have been negotiating in good faith on a generous EBA which delivers job security and wage increases,” Twomey said.

“Australia Post have delivered a 4% pay increase to staff this year and guaranteed another 4% next year.”

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