I couldn’t make the Newham UNISON rally tonight with Guest speaker, Tony Benn, in support of their sacked branch Chair, Michael Gavan, (I’m laid up and off work with a dodgy Achilles heal). However, I was able to visit the brand new on-line “Union Island” on “Second Life” to listen to an on-line debate on “union busters”.

I had registered for a Second Life account yesterday, but I couldn’t work out how to enter the site. Tonight, I just followed the links from the SLUnions blog; it took me about 15 minutes to work out how to travel inside the site. It was actually quite logical and straight forward, since they had 4 short compulsory training modules. Then I was teleported to” Union Island” (just like in Star Track!).

This lunchtime at work, one of the reception staff came up to my desk with a bunch of leaflets. They told me that striking Posties had come in and asked them if there was a union rep in the building, who could put one of their leaflets on the union notice board and distribute the rest.

I went down to the reception but they had already left. I saw that they had put the same flyers on all car windscreens parked all along the Roman Road. It was a pity that I missed them. They only left 5 leaflets. These flyers were very good. The title was “A message to the public” and explained in simple direct terms the Posties’ case and what people could do to help.

The CWU's campaign of strike action at the Royal Mail is not helping but harming its members in the long run.