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One of the biggest strikes of the year began this morning with Royal Mail, BT and Openreach workers walking out over pay and conditions.
Royal Mail staff were outside their sorting office in the pouring rain in North Road, Brighton, while BT and Openreach workers picketed at their offices in Withdean Grange, London Road, also in the city.
It was part of a mass walkout of more than 165,000 workers across the country represented by the Communication Workers Union.
Dave Bennett, divisional representative for the union, said: “Our members are really angry, in the current climate people don’t want to be out on strike. They’re losing money.
“Today, we were joined by our cleaners, receptionists and engineers. It’s absolute solidarity across the country, I have never seen anything like it.
“If nurses are talking about being balloted, that’s a statement of what’s happening in this country. Working class people run the country.
“Our members worked throughout the whole pandemic in very close proximity as key workers. They delivered and kept this country connected.
“Members did that knowing full well with Covid they could be taking it to their loved ones.
“We’re told there is no money left for a pay rise, absolute poppycock.”
CWU also claims Royal Mail wants to make changes to sick pay for workers.
One protester in Brighton was Tom Coles-Rogers, who has worked at Royal Mail for five years.
He said: “It’s not just about pay but the terms and conditions – these changes they want to bring in are trying to make Royal Mail unrecognisable and make as much profit as possible.
“This job is a public service and I’m happy to do that and don’t mind going out in the rain. When I first started people told me ‘work hard and you’ll have a job here for life’ but not any more.”
Royal Mail has already said it is planning 5,000 redundancies by March and 10,000 by August next year due to recent industrial action creating notable financial losses.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “On Friday, October 14, we announced losses of £219 million in the first half of the year.
“This once again demonstrates the urgent need for Royal Mail to change. Further strike action would materially increase our losses for the full year and may necessitate further operational restructuring and job losses.
“Four weeks have passed since we invited the CWU to enter talks with Acas to resolve the change and pay dispute. We once again urge the CWU to join us in Acas talks. This is the only way to reach a resolution and secure Royal Mail’s future and jobs for our people.
“We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience the CWU’s continued strike action will cause. We are doing all we can to minimise delays and keep people, businesses and the country connected.”
The next strike date from the CWU is Tuesday, October 25.
