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Postal workers are striking at the Lincoln Royal Mail depot over pay on the morning of Friday, August 26. Images show around 50 Royal Mail workers at the picket holding signs reading ‘I’m voting yes.’
More than 100,000 postal workers have walked out across the country. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said its members were taking industrial action for a “dignified, proper pay rise” after they voted in favour by 97.6 per cent in a ballot, The Mirror reports.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward, who said the postal walkout is the biggest strike in the UK since 2009, added: “On Friday, we will see a tremendous outpouring of workers’ unity in villages, towns and cities across the country. There can be no doubt that postal workers are completely united in their determination to secure the dignified, proper pay rise they deserve.
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“We can’t keep on living in a country where bosses rake in billions in profit while their employees are forced to use food banks. When Royal Mail bosses are raking in £758 million in profit and shareholders pocketing in excess of £400 million, our members won’t accept pleads of poverty from the company.
“Postal workers won’t meekly accept their living standards being hammered by greedy business leaders who are completely out of touch with modern Britain. They are sick of corporate failure getting rewarded again and again.
“Royal Mail’s leadership have lost the dressing room – and unless they make efforts to get real on discussing a pay rise that postal workers deserve, serious disruption will continue.” Uniform Direct, a supplier of school uniforms to Lincoln schools, said this would mean shipping delays.
A spokesperson said: “Unfortunately this will lead to delays in shipping school uniform not just on the days in question but in dealing with the backlog of orders created on those days. Not to worry, despite the disruption we aren’t taking a day off.
“We’re doubling down our efforts to ensure your school uniform arrives on time.” A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “[Today’s] CWU strike thrusts Royal Mail into the most uncertain time of its 500-year history.
“It is putting jobs at risk and making pay rises less affordable. We are losing £1 million a day.
“We must change to fix the situation and protect high quality jobs. The change we need is the change the public demand of us.
“They want more and bigger parcels delivered the next day – including Sundays – and more environmentally friendly options. They want this at a competitive price, with great quality of service.
“We cannot cling to outdated working practices, ignoring technological advancements and pretending that Covid has not significantly changed what the public wants from Royal Mail.”
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