Royal Mail unveils offer that aims to end lengthy dispute

ROYAL MAIL revealed details today of a proposed deal aimed at ending a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.

The agreement reached with Communication Workers Union (CWU) negotiators includes later starting times for deliveries, regular Sunday working, a 10 per cent pay rise over three years and a one-off lump sum of £500.

Under the proposed agreement, delivery start times will be moved back from March next year.

Royal Mail said this would respond to the demand for more next-day parcel deliveries, reduce the impact on the environment through the removal of 18 flights a day, improve the quality of service and create greater capacity for growth.

The aim is to limit changes to start and finish times for deliveries to 60 minutes, with the option to move times by up to 90 minutes if needed.

From the autumn, Royal Mail will deploy new seasonal working patterns, under which postmen and postwomen will work 39 hours a week in the peak Christmas season, 35 hours in the quieter summer season and 37 hours during the remainder of the year.

If CWU members accept the deal, it is expected to end the long-running dispute, which saw 115,000 postal workers take 18 days of strike action in the second half of last year.

The CWU said the agreement included abandoning the introduction of owner-drivers into the Royal Mail core system, effectively ending the “Uberisation” of the company, reducing the use of agency workers, no compulsory Sunday working and establishing an independent inquiry for suspended or sacked workers.

A CWU spokesperson said: “This situation has been arrived at only because of the sheer determination of every postal worker in this country who stood up for themselves, their jobs and their industry.

“We intend to put this deal to our members’ vote as soon as possible.”