Royal Mail announces fresh strike as pay dispute threatens more deliveries chaos

The Communication Workers Union have announced a fresh Royal Mail strike is set to go ahead on February 16 as the dispute over pay and working conditions rages on

Royal Mail workers are set to stage another strike as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have announced.

In the first postal strike of the year, workers will stage a 24-hour walkout on Thursday, February 16 starting at 12.30pm.

The CWU said that for the “vast majority of members” this means that the strike day will be on Friday, February 17.

Over 115,000 members of the union will be taking part in the mass walkout.

The fresh strike action threatens more disruption to mail deliveries and marks the latest in a bitter dispute between the union and Royal Mail bosses.

CWU members took a total of 18 days of strike action during the second half of 2022, including two in the run up to Christmas.

The new walkout was announced despite talks last month at the conciliation service Acas aimed at breaking the deadlocked row.

The union’s national elected leadership have called the strike because the Royal Mail began forcing through unagreed changes related to the structure of work at offices across the country, the CWU claims.

They said that the changes were in “direct contravention” of the Industrial Relations (IR) Framework established between both parties and that it could be seen as a “real step towards the derecognition of the union.”

CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “This action is down to the conduct of Royal Mail management, who have displayed a complete lack of integrity.

“Our members will not just sit back and watch as their working lives are destroyed by a company leadership hell-bent on ripping up historic arrangements that protect their rights and give them a voice through their union.

“It is postal workers who keep this company going and this country connected – it’s time management recognise this, drop the nasty games and begin taking negotiations seriously, so that this dispute can be ended for good.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We entered facilitated talks through Acas in good faith, believing that the CWU were serious in their claim that they wanted a resolution.

“In announcing further damaging strike action, the CWU have shown they are not interested in resolving this dispute and continue to focus on damaging our business further.

“The CWU’s misguided belief that further industrial action will remove the need for change and force an improved offer is misleading its members and risking their long-term job security.”

The company said that the union’s 18 days of industrial action have resulted in £200million in losses in the year to date and cost their people around £1,800 in lost pay.

They added: “We need to agree on changes to make our business more competitive. That is the only way to secure well-paid, long-term job security for our people.

“In a materially loss-making company, with every additional day of strike action, we are facing the difficult choice of whether we spend our money on pay and protecting jobs or on the cost of strikes.

“We remain committed to talks and urge the CWU to withdraw these strikes for the good of our customers and our people.”