A Fife MP has taken a former Cupar postman’s fight to be reinstated all the way to Westminster.
Stephen Gethins, SNP MP for North East Fife, has called on UK business and enterprise secretary Anna Soubry to intervene in David Mitchell’s case after dozens of posties staged a 24-hour strike earlier this week the second such action in the space of a month.
The 57-year-old postie, who has over 27 years of service, was dismissed in December 2014 over allegations of theft, but an employment tribunal found in favour of Mr Mitchell and ordered Royal Mail to give him his job back.
That has not yet happened, and Cupar posties have now twice walked out in solidarity with their former colleague.
Mr Gethins said: “There have now been two court rulings urging Royal Mail to reinstate David Mitchell.This is now a simple question of fairness – Royal Mail should implement the decision of the court.
“I have now written to the minister with responsibility for the Royal Mail and asked her to to take what action she can to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.
“Royal Mail have had every opportunity to reinstate Mr Mitchell and have failed to do so.It is, therefore, appropriate that I write to the minister to see what she can do.”
Unions warned earlier this week that the strike action could potentially spread beyond Cupar to other parts of Fife, and indeed other areas of Scotland.
Mr Mitchell was awarded a £56,000-plus payout following his wrongful dismissal, but he has maintained he would give that sum back if and when he was reinstated.
In his letter to Ms Soubry, Mr Gethins described the case as “quite simply an issue of fairness” and called on her to look into the situation as a “matter of urgency”.
“No-one wants disruption to mail services but I can completely sympathise with Mr Mitchell’s position and I’m sure you will understand that the frustration he must feel,” he added.