Morale still upbeat on the picket lines as Royal Mail workers stage another strike
Postal workers were on picket lines at every delivery office across Shropshire and Mid Wales on Thursday for the latest industrial action by the Communication Workers Union.
The CWU is in dispute with Royal Mail over pay and conditions after its members were offered a two per cent pay increase.
Thursday was the first of 18 days scheduled for strikes in the run-up to Christmas - the busiest time for the postal service.
Union representatives say the action has been, in general, supported by the public including those calling at the offices to pick up parcels only to be told they are shut.
Support went up a level in Welshpool where those on the picket line went to buy supplies for their outdoor cooker - only to be given a huge donation of sausages and burgers from John Langford from the Welsh Sausage Company.
Danny Edwards the Welshpool union rep said: "A lot of people don't realise that we lose a day's pay every time we are on strike. We must thank Mr Langford - it enabled those on the picket line to have something warm to eat on a cold wet day."
Ruth Meadows, the Shropshire and Mid Wales branch secretary of the CWU, said the morale on the picket lines was still very upbeat.
"We had about 15-20 members at each one of our 15 offices: Aberystwyth, Machynlleth, Llandrindod Wells, Newtown, Welshpool, Craven Arms, Ludlow, Oswestry, Whichurch, Market Drayton, Tweedale, Wellington, Oakengates , Shrewsbury and the Parcel Force office at Atcham," she said.
"I was at Oakengates today and we had to explain to members of the public coming to pick up deliveries that the office was shut and why.
"Everyone we spoke to was very supportive and said 'well done' to us for our action. That support really does help."
She said that it was difficult to lose pay on strike days.
"But we have to look at the bigger picture. If we do not get a better deal then how will we afford to live in six, 12 or 18 months time. We heard yesterday that pensions were to go up to inflation - yet workers' pay is not."
Mr Edwards said negotiations were also around conditions.
"We are looking at changes in working hours, with Sunday becomes a normal working day and the possibility of 'annualising' our hours, working more hours in busy times, less in quiet times," he said.
