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GMB 22/24 Worple Road LONDON SW19 4DD Tel: 020 8971 4209 Fax: 020 8944 6139 www.gmb.org.uk

Monday 17th December 2007

PRESS RELEASE

1 of 2 pages

Immediate Release

Attention:  News desk, Transport, Social, Women and Industrial Correspondents

COURIER SACKED FOR ASKING FOR CHRISTMAS EVE OFF TO ATTEND FAMILY 40^TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

CitySprint nominated by GMB for Scrooge of the Year Award

GMB member Paul Whieldon from Walthamstow north east London has been sacked from his job as a pushbike courier in the Shoreditch area of London by his employer of five years CitySprint. He requested that he be allowed not to work on Christmas Eve so that he could spend the time with his partner of 18^th years, Kim, who’s celebrating her 40th birthday on that day. The request was refused and he was sacked by phone.

CitySprint operate all over England, Scotland and Wales (see note 2 below for the full list).

Paul and his 40/50 push bike colleagues cycle between 50 to 60 miles a day in the course of a five day working week for which they earn around £350 depending on the number of jobs and how fit they are.

The push bike couriers deliver in the centre of London. Paul and his other CitySprint push bike courier colleagues have had two pay cuts since 2006. In 2006 a delivery journey from EC1 to EC2 earned a courier £2.90. The same journey they now earn only £2.20. If couriers are unable to work they do not get paid. There is no sick pay, no pension scheme or paid holiday arrangements. The couriers provide their own push bikes but are charged each week, by the company for a company uniform, rent for a radio, Citytracker equipment that give them their delivery schedule, GPS equipment and goods in transit insurance. This amounts to an estimated total deduction from the pay of over £9.00 each week. Paul has been working on the American Express contract. For this he received a daily retainer rate of £60.75 which was paid to him by CitySprint and is paid for each job on top.

Terry Flanagan, GMB Professional Driver Branch Secretary said, “The courier business is full of companies like CitySprint who treat their employees in the most uncaring and unprofessional way. The constant driving down of prices in the delivery sector leads to ordinary workers like Paul being forced to work for very poor pay providing services to the very profitable financial sector, and being forced to pay for the equipment he needs to do his job.

GMB have experienced low standards in the courier industry but we do expect them not to sack people for asking for time off at Christmas. Paul offered to work over the period between Christmas and New Year and asked only for Christmas Eve off to be with his partner Kim on her 40^th birthday.

GMB would like American Express to give Paul a hand up this Christmas. GMB urge Patrick Gallagher, the Managing Director of CitySprint’s London operation to sort this out. An apology to Paul and Kim and a Christmas box to tied them over the festivities. GMB is available to discuss this with Mr Gallagher or anyone else from CitySprint at anytime. By their actions CitySprint have nominated themselves for ‘Scrooge of the Year’. ”

Ends

Contact: Terry Flanagan, GMB Branch Secretary of the GMB Professional Driver Branch on 07958 275339 or GMB Press Office: Rose Conroy on 07974 251823. Steve Pryle 07921 289880. Paul Whieldon is available for interview and comment.

Notes to Editors:

1          GMB is the trade union for licensed private hire drivers (mini cab drivers) couriers and chauffeurs. GMB organizes licensed private hire drivers in London, Brighton and many other part of the country.

2          Find out more about CitySprint at www.citysprint.co.uk which also operates in Brentwood, Croydon., Heathrow, Ilford, London, Watford, Gatwick, Guildford, Hemel Hempstead, High Wycombe, Maidstone, Medway, Basingstoke, Newbury, Oxford, Southampton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Plymouth, Swindon, Birmingham, Coventry, Midland Centre, Nottingham, Cambridge, Ipswich, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

GMB 22/24 Worple Road LONDON SW19 4DD Tel: 020 8971 4209 Fax: 020 8944 6139 www.gmb.org.uk

Thursday 20th December 2007

CALL NOTICE

1 of 2 pages

Immediate Release

Attention:  News desk, Transport, Social, Women and Industrial Correspondents

GMB SANTAS TO PRESENT ‘SCROOGE OF THE YEAR AWARD’ TO CITYSPRINT FOR SACKING A COURIER FOR WANTING CHRISTMAS EVE OFF

Demonstration at London office of CitySprint couriers Friday 21^st December  1 a.m.

GMB will stage a Santa demonstration outside the offices of CitySprint in London tomorrow. The Santas’ will present a Christmas cracker and the ‘Scrooge of the Year Award’ to the company in protest at the sacking of GMB member Paul Whieldon who was refused his request to have Christmas Eve off. The presentation will take place at:

11 A.M. ON

FRIDAY 21^ST DECEMBER 2007 AT

CITYSPRINT

58-62 SCRUTTON STREET

LONDON

EC2A 4PH

There will be a number of Santa with placards saying:-

“CitySprint say ‘We decided to end out business relationship with Paul.’ GMB say “Paul was sacked.” The demonstrators will also have a PA system which will play Christmas carols and trade union songs.

This demonstration is being staged because GMB member Paul Whieldon from Walthamstow north east London was sacked from his job as a pushbike courier in the Shoreditch area of London by his employer of five years CitySprint. He requested that he be allowed not to work on Christmas Eve so that he could spend the time with his partner of 18^th years, Kim, who’s celebrating her 40th birthday on that day. The request was refused and he was sacked by phone. For more information on CitySprint see Notes to Editors below.

Terry Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary said, “Christmas is normally a season of good will and glad tidings. CitySprint, in the spirit of Scrooge have not treated Paul very well. The GMB Santas will present CitySprint with the ‘2007 Scrooge of the Year Award’ which they have won by a country mile and to remind the company to treat people properly.”

Ends

Contact: Terry Flanagan, GMB Branch Secretary of the GMB Professional Driver Branch on 07958 275339 or GMB Press Office: Rose Conroy on 07974 251823. Steve Pryle 07921 289880. Paul Whieldon is available for interview and comment.

Notes to Editors:

1          GMB is the trade union for licensed private hire drivers (mini cab drivers) couriers and chauffeurs. GMB organizes licensed private hire drivers in London, Brighton and many other part of the country.

2          Find out more about CitySprint at www.citysprint.co.uk CitySprint operate all over England, Scotland and Wales at Brentwood, Croydon., Heathrow, Ilford, London, Watford, Gatwick, Guildford, Hemel Hempstead, High Wycombe, Maidstone, Medway, Basingstoke, Newbury, Oxford, Southampton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Plymouth, Swindon, Birmingham, Coventry, Midland Centre, Nottingham, Cambridge, Ipswich, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

3          Paul and his 40/50 push bike colleagues cycle between 50 to 60 miles a day in the course of a five day working week for which they earn around £350 depending on the number of jobs and how fit they are.

4          The push bike couriers deliver in the centre of London. Paul and his other CitySprint push bike courier colleagues have had two pay cuts since 2006. In 2006 a delivery journey from EC1 to EC2 earned a courier £2.90. The same journey they now earn only £2.20. If couriers are unable to work they do not get paid. There is no sick pay, no pension scheme or paid holiday arrangements. The couriers provide their own push bikes but are charged each week, by the company for a company uniform, rent for a radio, Citytracker equipment that give them their delivery schedule, GPS equipment and goods in transit insurance. This amounts to an estimated total deduction from the pay of over £9.00 each week. Paul has been working on the American Express contract. For this he received a daily retainer rate of £60.75 which was paid to him by CitySprint and is paid for each job on top.

Pits of the earth - Join up and fight back against dung beetles like this

Ebenezer Scrooge

Scrooge is the world's most maligned character. How do we think of Ebenezer Scrooge?  Firstly it's always Scrooge and never Ebenezer, secondly we always see him as hating children and being mean with money. If you find the time to read Charles Dickens novel 'A Christmas Carol', then you will discover a more complex personality. Indeed, the novel shows that Scrooge as a Jekyll and Hyde tendencies, where good overcomes evil.

The name Scrooge has become synonymous with meanness, and nothing is likely to change that general perception. We must also remember that Scrooge is a product of his time - London in the 1840s.

The Original Scrooge

The original Scrooge (who pre-dated Ebenezer) was probably Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan Council, who, in December 1657 abolished all Christmas festivities. These were restored in 1660 when King Charles the second was returned to the throne.