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POSTIES in Clydebank and the surrounding area joined colleagues across the UK in going on strike over pay.
Picket lines were formed by local Communication Workers Union (CWU) members at the delivery offices, with Friday’s strike to be followed by further walkouts on August 31, September 8, and September 9.
Around 115,000 postal workers around the country walked out as part of a campaign to secure what their union calls a “dignified, proper pay rise”.
Worker Dell, who is a member of CWU and works at the Knightswood depot, told the Post: “We’ve been offered a 2% pay rise which in real terms is about a fiver, and with the cost of living crisis and everything going on today, that’s just not acceptable.
“We worked all through the pandemic like a lot of people did.”
He explained that a second ballot was held recently on the terms and conditions of the pay rise which he believes is “even more important” than the pay itself.
He added: “They want to change start times to make it later in the day. Historically, people working at Royal Mail finish in the afternoon, and they can go and collect their kids from school or whatever but with the change of start times that might not be possible.
“Trying to make Sundays mandatory as well whereas at the moment they are voluntary.”
The decision behind the walkouts follows the union’s recent ballot for strike action over pay, which saw members vote by 97.6% on a 77% turnout to take action.
The union is demanding that Royal Mail Group make an adequate pay award that covers the current cost of living increases for its members.
The union says that in an economic climate where inflation looks set to soar to 18% by January 2023, the imposition would lead to a dramatic reduction in workers’ living standards.
Dave Ward, general secretary of the CWU, said: “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.
“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.”
A Royal Mail spokesperson said the strike action “thrusts Royal Mail into the most uncertain time of its 500-year history”.
They added: “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.
“While our competitors work seven days a week, delivering until 10pm to meet customer demand, the CWU want to work fewer hours, six days a week, starting and finishing earlier.
“Their plans to transform Royal Mail come with a £1billion price tag, are predicated on a wholly unrealistic revival in letter writing, and prevent Royal Mail from growing, and remaining competitive, in a fast-moving industry.”
They added: “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.”
