Members of Britain's Unite union, have been asked by 'Royal Mail' to take over some of the duties of the Communications Workers Union (CWU), which is continuing its strike against Royal Mail. Unite chose not to act with the CWU but many are sympathetic to the cause, and more so now, that managers are being forced to take on delivery duties of the CWU, under duress of what the union calls 'a veiled threat of punishment.' Unite members are expected to cross picket lines later this week, but say that the action taken by Royal Mail is unilateral, unreasonable, and undermines the company's responsibility and its negotiations with the CWU. Royal Mail maintains that a strike now, which is currently a shaky time for the company, is irresponsible.
See "Union members ordered to cover work in royal mail dispute", David Sanderson, The Times Online, October 19, 2009