A GRIEVING Scots postal worker was issued a formal warning for taking 61 days off after his mum’s death.
The unnamed man, based at Greenock Royal Mail, was given the caution after management claimed he had taken too much time off after his mother passed away.
According to the Greenock Telegraph, more than a hundred postal and delivery workers have now taken action by going on strike in support of their colleague, who is having his case reviewed today.
Members of the Communication Workers Union stood outside the centre gates on Monday in protest.
The action has delayed mail from Port Glasgow to Skelmorlie.
A source told the local newspaper: “One of the boys has been off work because his mother died, he’s been off for 61 days and this triggers a first stage formal warning.
“It is at the discretion of a manager in the place, and he decided 61 days was excessive and issued the warning.
“There is a lot of unhappiness about other things to do with pay and overtime at the moment also.”
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CWU branch secretary, Jim McKechnie, said management believed it was ‘excessive’ that the man was off work for 61 days following his mother’s death, but the union disagreed.
Mr McKechnie said: “This is a sensitive issue.
“People can take bereavement in different ways, and this should be recognised by a caring employer.
“We’ve had people who have committed suicide over family bereavements, so we are asking for an assurance that management will review this case.
“We held a meeting with management yesterday and will speak to them again today, when we hope the situation will be resolved and everyone will return to work.
“We have no wish to disrupt postal deliveries, especially at this time of year, but we don’t believe giving a warning was reasonable in the circumstances.”
Royal Mail spokeswoman, Julie Pirone, said they were disappointed that un-balloted industrial action took place on Monday morning at Greenock.
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She said: “We apologise to customers in the Greenock area for any disruption to their mail services.
“We are doing all we can to minimise this disruption.
“Royal Mail is fully committed to the process of trying to resolve concerns of postal workers based in Greenock by following the national jointly agreed framework with the CWU.”
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