Thousands of British postal workers go on strike over salary

On Friday, more than 115,000 Royal Mail workers launched the first of four days of strike action in a salary dispute that the postal group claimed was likely to cause severe disruption for consumers.

It is the latest in a string of strikes in the United Kingdom as workers seek more pay in the face of a cost-of-living crisis, with energy bills skyrocketing and inflation expected to approach 13% later this year.

‘We will fight very hard here to obtain the salary boost our members deserve,’ Communication Workers Union General Secretary Dave Ward told Sky News.

Royal Mail has announced a 5.5% wage raise for CWU-grade employees, the largest increase in years. more info

The union, which claims the strike was the largest industrial action conducted by workers in Britain this summer, denies this, claiming that the corporation imposed a 2% wage increase on workers and offered an additional 1.5% subject to modifications in terms and conditions.

The centuries-old British postal and delivery service apologised to clients for the disturbance and stated that while contingency preparations had been put in place, they could not entirely replace the everyday activities of its frontline personnel.

If the strike goes forward, Royal Mail warned earlier this month that it could lose money in the United Kingdom in the fiscal year 2022-23. Additional walkouts are scheduled for August 31, September 8, and September 9.

Royal Mail Chief Executive Simon Thompson stated that the company’s working processes needed to alter to reflect the reality that it now distributes more parcels than letters, and the parcel service industry is very competitive.

‘Royal Mail is a firm that society wants to survive… but we need this shift so that we can evolve into a parcels business and thrive,’ Thompson told British radio station LBC.