Union threatens Parcefforce action
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• The postal workers' union says it is to ballot for industrial action at Parcelforce following the outbreak of a row over the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in policing staff.
The ballot, which the Communication Workers' Union says will produce a national strike at Parcelforce, follows the dismissal of Stephen Fox, a sorter from Bristol who was sacked after a security video spotted him smoking and throwing a plastic lid from a parcel.
Parcelforce has also said Fox wilfully delayed the mail, which the union denies.
The union has accused the
company of breaking the agreed procedure for the usage of CCTV. which it says allows it to be used to prevent criminal activities, such as theft.
"It is not acceptable to watch 72 hours of CCTV recordings retrospectively, tot up all minor offences carried out, and then to use the compounding of these breaches to dismiss individuals," says the CWU.
Parcelforce says: "This equipment was installed to prevent theft and there will be a review with the union concerning what it can be used for. But the kind of evidence it produced could hardly be ignored."