Dartford postal workers appear in ‘postbox flash mob’ video to vote for strike action

Postal workers gathered outside their local depot yesterday to cast their vote in a national strike ballot.

Royal Mail employees met outside the Dartford delivery office to post their ballot on whether to take industrial action.

The Communication Workers Union (CMU), which represents the views of postal and telecom workers, has told Royal Mail it is to launch a strike ballot of 110,000 postal workers.

Staff say Royal Mail is not honouring promises made about increasing pay and reducing weekly working hours from 39 to 35 by 2022.

There has also been a backlash against chief executive Rico Back, whose pay package has angered both shareholders and workers.

In a show of strength the CMU has been posting messages on social media with the hashtag #WeRiseAgain showing union members casting their ballot votes up and down the country.

One of the videos, which have been dubbed ‘Postbox flash mobs’ shows Dartford workers queuing up to post ‘Yes’ votes outside the depot.

In the video one worker can be heard declaring “What’s the message to Rico, how’s Dartford voting? Lets get posting people.”

Royal Mail company secretary Mark Amsden explained a ballot result for industrial action does not necessarily mean staff will go on strike.

He said: “No industrial action can be taken before the conclusion of our mediation period.

“We will continue to engage in the agreed dispute resolution processes set out in the agenda for growth.

“We will be urging our colleagues to vote ‘no’ in the upcoming ballot. Industrial action – or the threat of it – undermines the trust of our customers.

“It makes it harder for Royal Mail to pay for the existing industry-leading terms and conditions it provides.

“Royal Mail is committed to further talks as a matter of urgency.

Mr Amsden said he did not believe there were grounds for industrial action.

“We remain committed to open and constructive engagement with the CWU. We all want a successful and sustainable company that provides good quality jobs, fairness in workloads, and continues delivering a sustainable Universal Service,” he added.

Ballot papers were dispatched on September 24 with a result due on October 15.

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford