Royal Mail managers vote to strike over threats to 542 jobs, pay and working conditions

PARCEL delivery chaos beckons, Unite has warned, after its members in Royal Mail voted to strike over more job cuts. 

The union slammed the privatised company on Wednesday evening, saying it was “awash with cash” while trying to axe 542 front-line managerial positions on top of the 420 jobs already lost.

About 2,400 managers across more than 1,000 delivery offices backed walkouts by 86 per cent, while 91 per cent voted for industrial action short of a strike, Unite confirmed.

The union, which said it would announce walk-out dates soon, argued that the “restructuring programme” is being driven by “shareholder greed, despite Royal Mail returning a record £416 million in profits only months ago.”

General secretary Sharon Graham blasted the “ill-thought out plans,” which also reportedly involve changes to existing pay arrangements, saying: “Shareholders have been seizing the Royal Mail profits, while our members have been holding the service together — enough is enough.”

The proposals are threatening the firm’s universal service obligation whereby it must deliver to every household in Britain six days per week, Unite charged.

In the Commons today, Labour MP Barry Gardiner alleged that the firm has already adopted a rotation policy — with some streets missing out on deliveries on certain days — due to a failure in its restructuring plans.  

“The strain is showing,” said the member for Brent North, who demanded answers from Tory Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

A company spokesperson said it was “disappointed” by the ballot result and accused Unite of “misleading” its members. 

The industrial action is unrelated to the Communication Workers Union’s ballot of 115,000 Royal Mail staff. 

The vote, which comes after years of real terms pay cuts, opened on Tuesday and a result is expected on July 19.