Striking postal workers have adopted Dafydd Iwan's classic protest song Yma o Hyd as part of their ongoing pay dispute with the Royal Mail over pay and conditions. The 39-year-old tune - which translates as 'Still Here' - was posted by the Communication Workers Union on its various social media channels ahead of its members beginning a campaign of industrial action between now and Christmas.
The union used the song over a montage of clips of workers manning picket lines all around the country. The series of day-long strikes started yesterday (November 24) and continues today and next week (Wednesday, November 30, and Thursday, December 1).
Five more days throughout December - 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and Christmas Eve - have also been announced. A Communication Workers Union spokesperson said, "Yma o Hyd is one of the most stirring songs ever composed about staying strong and standing firm against forces who want to rob people of their dignity and self-respect. You can get more story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
They added: "This message isn't lost on posties playing this song on picket lines as they go up in their thousands against some of Britain’s most powerful men." And the song's usage has also received the full backing of its author.
"I am proud that they are using Yma o Hyd to show they are still here and fighting," said 70-year-old Iwan. "I fully support the postal workers in their demands and struggles for a fair deal. We need to respect all our public servants in these difficult times." The move by the CWU is the latest chapter in the song's continued resurgence since it was named the official anthem of Wales' football team in the 2022 World Cup.
Yma o Hyd was first written in 1983 - a time of political and economic turmoil in Wales, when the rise of Thatcherism led to the closure of our coal pits and thousands of men and women lost their jobs. You can read its lyrics in full and find what it means here.
And the resurgence of the song even saw Iwan at number one in the music charts back in June. The song made it to the top of the iTunes rundown after Welsh football fans launched a campaign to get it there.
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