YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

Postal, Union Matters April 28 2021

 

Remembering the 1971 Postal Strike

 

It’s 50 years since postal workers, members of the Union of Postal Workers (UPW) took on Ted Health’s Conservative government in a strike over pay and conditions. In what would proved to be the longest national strike by any group of UK workers since the Miners Strike in 1926 thousands of Postmen/women, PHGs, Telephonists, Counter Clerks, Administration Clerks Cleaners and Ancillary workers took to the streets in a six week epic strike against a government determined to not only attack postal workers pay and conditions but land a deadly blow against trade unionism. We mentioned on this Website and Facebook Page earlier in the year that the Union intended to commemorate the anniversary of the dispute with a memorial booklet and video featuring the recollections of some of those that participated and others who have knowledge and opinions of those events 50 years ago. The project has been delayed due to the Coronavirus crisis and difficulties with our members’ employers but we are now ready to go with a deadline of early June 2021.

 

In response to our earlier appeal, a number of people contacted us who were willing to contribute to the project, both participants and others, who we will be getting in touch with in the next few weeks. We are still looking for members, in particular amongst our retired members who took part in the strike, who are either willing to be interviewed for the video or contribute to the commemorative booklet. The interviews for the video would be conducted by Zoom or another similar online method so there would be no need for travel. Anyone needing assistance to participate would receive assistance from the Union and we obviously need participants from the widest geographical scope and gender/grade balance as possible. In particular we are appealing to retired members, Regional Leads and retired members, Branch Committee Representatives to assist us where possible to make this project a success.

 

The project is being undertaken by the Unions Communications Department and Karl Stewart (Editor of the Voice) is responsible for the booklet and will contact those willing to participate. Retired Members, Branch Secretary’s and Regional Secretary’s are requested to assist the Union in making this project a success and bringing it to the attention of the widest number of members as possible. Anyone willing to assist or participate should initially contact Norman Candy on his email address normantulink@gmail.com who is coordinating this part of the project. We look forward to your assistance.