Union Threatening Christmas Mail Strike On Tuesday

Union Threatening Christmas Mail Strike on Tuesday

Despite numerous promises to the contrary, the CEPU is still holding strike action over the heads of the Australian public in the lead up to Christmas.

The CEPU must declare what impact industrial action will have on the public's Christmas mail after serving industrial notices on Australia Post declaring a Christmas strike beginning tomorrow.

Last week we had the union tell the public that any industrial action would have no impact on Christmas mail. Yet they have informed Australia Post that strike action could begin as early as tomorrow," said Australia Post spokesperson Alex Twomey.

"We have written to the union as recently as last Friday offering to meet with them over the weekend or anytime this week. We have had no response at all."

"The union must now come clean to the public and declare if there will be any disruptions to Christmas mail or not. This is an essential service, especially at Christmas and to promise the public there will be no disruptions, while telling Australia Post the exact opposite cannot continue."

The union have outlined the following industrial action in their notices to Australia Post:

* engage in stoppages of various lengths between 1 to 24 hours
* engage in stop work meetings in various states
* a ban sorting of parcels
* a ban overtime

"The union either need to give notice to the public that they are breaking their promises or withdraw their notices and meet with us as they have requested," said Mr Twomey.

"Only 8876 staff voted for industrial action out of 17,970 union members and 35,000 staff. The majority of our staff don't support industrial action and we will have contingencies in place to minimise disruptions," said Mr Twomey.

Despite the union walking away from an agreed EBA in 2007 Australia Post has honoured its commitments with pay increases totalling 12 per cent since then.

Australia Post already has on the table an EBA which guarantees a four per cent increase next year, locks in current award conditions and offers jobs security.

The figures relating to ballot voting in this release are from the Australian Electoral Commision


For further information, please contact:
Alex Twomey
03 9204 5362


SOURCE: Australia Post