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| Disruption and Strikes |
Somerset Independents stands up for Somerset residents and businesses. They are both being affected by the Royal Mail disruption and strikes.
So our investigator Andrew Pope has been asking questions, investigating what is happening and applying pressure to get a resolution in the dispute.
Andrew is a former postman and campaigned against the privatisation of the Royal Mail by the Labour Government and then the Conservative Government. He organised rallies and marches across the country and this contributed to Labour u-turning on its plans. But then the Tories won power in 2010 and in 2013 fully privatised it. This has ultimately led to the current dispute.
So we asked the union for Royal Mail workers, the Communications Workers Union (CWU) for a statement. This has not been replied to.
Andrew runs a small business. As a member, he has obtained a statement from the "union" for small business, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Tina McKenzie, Policy and Advocacy Chair, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said:
“We urge both sides to do their best to find a landing zone for compromise, in order to allow for a reliable postal service that small firms across the country rely on to serve their customers.
“It’s no secret that small businesses are facing difficult trading conditions, with consumer confidence near a current record low, and with many facing higher energy bills even once Government support has been factored in, as well as elevated costs in other areas.
“Disruption to postal services being added to the mix is not something that will be welcomed by small firms, especially during the festive period, when both receiving and sending out goods and products is crucial to margins.
“Small businesses would be well advised to plan ahead, to see if alternative methods of sending and receiving can be found. Customer communication will also be key – letting customers know as far in advance as possible when they should order by to avoid disappointment.”
BBC Radio Somerset have interviewed Andrew and will be broadcasting the interview.
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