MORE than a hundred Greenock-based Royal Mail postal and delivery workers downed tools in a sudden strike — delaying mail from Port Glasgow to Skelmorlie.

The stoppage was over a formal warning given to a worker at the Knowe Road delivery centre.

The Tele was told that management had claimed the man had taken too much time off after his mother passed away.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) stood outside the centre gates on Monday in protest.

CWU full-time 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.”

The union and workers are concerned that a warning could be the first stage towards a possible dismissal in future.

Mr McKechnie added: “We’re getting an agreement sorted out, and hopefully we will have something to put to our members today.”

A source said: “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.”

Royal Mail spokeswoman, Julie Pirone, said they were disappointed that un-balloted industrial action took place on Monday morning at Greenock.

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.”