Post Office workers staging 24-hour strike in pay row

Post Office workers have launched a 24-hour strike over pay, with more industrial action due later this week.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are on strike on Monday at Crown Post Offices – the larger branches usually sited on high streets.

Supply chain and administrative workers will strike on Thursday, which the union said will affect sub-post offices.

The CWU said it opposed Post Office management’s offer of a 3% pay rise for the 2022-23 financial year, alongside a one-off lump sum payment of £500, and no pay increase for the 2021-22 financial year, which it complained was well below the rate of inflation.

CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey said: “The blame for this disruption lies entirely with the senior Post Office leadership, who have repeatedly failed – and wilfully refused – to set out a sensible and fair pay agreement.

“Everyone knows that the only solution is a fair pay rise that properly rewards members for their extraordinary efforts in serving the public and delivering a profitable Post Office, while also taking account of the extreme cost of living.

“There most certainly is money available, but management do not want to give workers their fair share.

“Our message to the employer today is: don’t waste our members’ time by misleading statements.

“Stop the spin and get serious about pay. Until you do this, the strikes will continue.”

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that 57, which is half, of our Directly Managed Branches have opened today.

“Strike action taking place on Thursday 14 July is within our Supply Chain network and will not impact any of our 11,500 branches from opening as they would normally.”