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Royal Mail workers will stage three strikes over the next month after blasting big bosses for ‘raking it in while staff use food banks’.
Postal workers will walk out on August 24, August 25 and September 8, it has been announced.
The Communication Workers Union – which represents Royal Mail Group workers – today warned it will be ‘the biggest strike of summer so far’.
They are demanding ‘a dignified, proper pay rise’ after the company ‘imposed’ a 2% offer on employees.
The announcement comes after 97.6% of CWU members voted to take action from a 77% turnout – the biggest mandate since 2016.
It follows huge strikes from rail workers that have caused chaos this summer – and teachers, nurses and bin workers also threatening to walk out.
A Royal Mail spokesperson insisted today ‘there are no grounds for industrial action’.
But CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said postal workers had been ‘pushed to the brink’.
They face ‘a dramatic reduction in living standards’, with the pay rise coming at a time where inflation has soared to 11.7%, he said.
Mr Ward continued: ‘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 £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
‘The CWU’s message to Royal Mail’s leadership is simple – there will be serious disruption until you get real on pay.’
CWU Deputy General Secretary Terry Pullinger added ‘our members know what they are worth’, and called for the Royal Mail to enter negotiations after ‘managers rejected this proposal’.
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A statement from the Royal Mail said the company was ‘ready to talk further with the CWU to try to avert damaging industrial action but it must be about both change and pay’.
Addressing concerned customers, they added: ‘We have contingency plans in place, and will be working hard to minimise disruption and get our services back to normal as soon as we can to keep people, businesses and the country connected.
‘Meanwhile you can continue to send your parcels and letters and we would encourage you to post early in advance of these dates.’
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