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AROUND 60 people joined a picket line at Bridgwater’s Royal Mail Delivery Office amid a national postal workers’ strike on Friday.
In total, 115,000 Royal Mail postal workers walked out in a row over pay, with further action planned on August 31, September 8, and September 9.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said its members are taking the action for a “dignified, proper pay rise” after they voted in favour by 97.6 per cent.
The union also said management have imposed a two per cent pay rise on employees, despite their ‘key worker’ classification during the pandemic.
A union spokesperson said: “In an economic climate where inflation looks set to soar to 18 per cent by January 2023, the imposition will lead to a dramatic reduction in workers’ living standards.”
Royal Mail said it has “well-developed contingency plans” to minimise disruption and is focused on getting mail delivery back to normal as quickly as possible after the strike action.
Members of the CWU stood in a picket line outside the Bridgwater Delivery Office between 4am and 6pm on Friday, August 26.
Strike action is due to take place on 26 and 31 August and 8 and 9 September 2022. We’ll be doing what we can to keep services running, but there will be disruption. Please post your items as early as possible.
For the latest info visit https://t.co/FrvroKTEHD. pic.twitter.com/qSG2vw6WWM
— Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) August 19, 2022
Darren Granter, the CWU’s Bridgwater representative, apologised to people living in the TA5, TA6 and TA7 postcode areas for the disruption of their mail service during the industrial action.
He said: “The Royal Mail postmen and women throughout the country – 115,000 of us – were left with no choice but to take industrial action following the recent attacks on their pay and working conditions by Royal Mail.
“Earlier this year, Royal Mail announced a £758 million pound profit, but then imposed a two per cent pay increase without any agreement with the CWU.
“However, £400 million pounds was given to shareholders in addition to large bonuses to senior management.
“Royal Mail seem to have forgotten that this huge profit was enhanced by the postmen and postwomen working throughout the pandemic as ‘key workers’, often putting their own families and loved ones at risk.
“Later start times impacting on deliveries, annualised hours, and reduced sick pay are just a few of the changes Royal Mail are looking to impose.”
He also claimed that the company is “offering £1,000 to £1,500 to their managers as a ‘thank you’ bonus, in addition to their normal pay, for attending work during our strike days”.
The Royal Mail said the CWU action puts it in “the most uncertain time of its 500-year history” and is “putting jobs at risk”.
A spokesperson said: “We are losing £1 million a day, and we need to change what we are doing to fix the situation and protect jobs.
“This change is also needed to support the pay package we have offered to CWU grade colleagues, worth up to 5.5 per cent.
“This is the biggest increase we have offered for many years and the CWU have rejected it.
“This would add around £230 million to Royal Mail’s annual people costs when the business is already loss-making.”
They added: “We apologise to our customers and the public for the inconvenience the CWU’s strike action will cause.
“We have offered to meet the CWU numerous times in recent weeks, but they declined each invitation, preferring to spend their time on the political agenda of the UK trade union movement.
“We remain ready to talk with the CWU to try and avert damaging industrial action and prevent significant inconvenience for customers. But any talks must be about both change and pay.”
