Related Articles
Postal workers across Dorset have announced two new dates of strike action.
Royal Mail workers will stage a 48-hour walk-out at the end of this month in a dispute over pay and conditions.
115,000 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are already striking today and tomorrow.
They will now also take strike action on Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1; Royal Mail has warned doing so put ‘jobs at risk’.
Workers previously walked out last month with, CWU general secretary, Dave Ward saying “postal workers won’t meekly accept their living standards being hammered by greedy business leaders”.
Kevin Beazer, South West Regional Secretary, said: “From the conversations I’ve had, I reckon our members know they’re in the fight of their lives.
“They’re right behind the strike and they want a decent pay rise.
“Loads of people have been turning up – there are units where pickets have previously not been big and have struggled, but this time are huge.”
“It’s also interesting to see the mood of the public – people stopping to chat, give their support, bringing food and refreshments. We’ve had some support in previous disputes but not this much and we haven’t had the moans that we’ve heard before.
“I feel the public mood is different – because people are all under the cosh with the cost-of-living crisis.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “The CWU’s decision to announce further strike action is placing jobs at risk.
“Royal Mail is losing £1 million a day. Strike action has weakened our financial position and is threatening the long-term job security of our postmen and women.
“The CWU has a responsibility to recognise the reality of the situation Royal Mail faces as a business and to engage urgently on the changes required.
“We are now a parcels business. We must adapt old ways of working designed for letters to a world increasingly dominated by parcels and act fast.
“We want to protect well-paid, permanent jobs long-term and retain our place as the industry leader on pay, terms and conditions.
“The CWU rejected our offer worth up to 5.5% for CWU grade colleagues, the biggest increase we have offered for many years.
“In a business that is currently losing £1 million pounds a day, we can only fund this offer by agreeing the changes that will pay for it.”
On days in which there is strike action, Royal Mail has said they will not be delivering letters but rather prioritising special delivery, Tracked 24, Covid test kits and prescriptions.
