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From The Socialist newspaper, 4 October 2007
London postal strike
"We've had the battle - now this is war!"
Postal workers in North and East London held a one-day strike on 29 September against the imposition of different start and finish times. Royal Mail wanted to begin a "trial" of the new hours there before they try to force them on postal workers nationally later in October.
Naomi Byron
The strike at the Burdett Road delivery office in East London was as solid as ever. The workers there are determined to see the strike action through – as one said: "If Royal Mail get their way it'll destroy the postal service. My job won't exist any more."
Stickers have already gone up on post boxes in the area announcing that Sunday and bank holiday collections will soon stop.
Mick Rowell, the CWU rep, said: "East London has been targeted first. This strike is about everything that the national strike is about. Royal Mail want us to start later and finish later. But they can't just change everyone's hours of attendance without consulting people. People have arrangements like childcare that they can't just change. We will be out again on the national strike next week. We've had the battle, now this is war."
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
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In The Socialist 4 October 2007:
Support postal workers: decisive action can win
"We've had the battle - now this is war!"
Protests make bosses ditch closure plan
War and terrorism
Iraq: end the occupation nightmare
Stop the War Coalition (STWC) national demonstration
Editorial and comment
Tory party fears an autumn election
Socialist Party NHS campaign
Socialist Party news and analysis
Classroom assistants on strike
Supermarket price-fixing scandal
Success! Double whammy for nursery campaign
Socialist Party features
EU's anti-working class 'reforms'
Socialist Students
Socialist Party feature
Che Guevara - revolutionary fighter
Socialist Party events
Socialism 2007: Ideas for our future
International socialist news and analysis
Burma: Dictatorship under threat
Socialist Party reviews and comment
QPR buy-out - Reclaim the game!
It's a free world, a film by Ken Loach
Socialist Party workplace news
Local government pay offer: It's time for action
Remploy workers win partial victory
National Shop Stewards Network makes plans
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