Related Articles
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) union, which represents employees working for the UK’s telephone, cable, digital subscriber line and postal delivery companies, announced on Wednesday that an estimated 115,000 Royal Mail union members across 1,500 workplaces had participated in the ballot – 98.7% of which were in favour of the strikes.
Royal Mail workers are already expected to walk out on 26 and 31 August as well as on 8 and 9 September. Dates for the additional strike action approved today are yet to be announced.
Royal Mail had proposed a pay rise of up to 5.5% in May 2022 in relation to the courier adding an additional, seventh working day as it expanded its Sunday delivery services on 31 May. The offer was rejected by the CWU due to being too low to cover the additional living costs brought forward by record-high inflation.
The additional strikes are likely to cause delivery delays which could impact more than 12,000 of Royal Mail’s etailer customers.
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “Today’s result is another rejection of those at the top of Royal Mail, who should consider their positions.
“Postal workers in this country are being pushed to the edge, but there can be no doubt that they will fight the planned erosion of their workplace rights with determination. Right now, this country is growing sick of a business elite who are completely out of touch with ordinary people and their lives.
“Things are getting harder and harder for normal working people so that incompetent bosses can have an easy life. But this union will fight this disgraceful state of affairs every step of the way. The CWU’s message to Royal Mail’s management is simple: do right by your workers.”
A Royal Mail spokesperson told Drapers: “Instead of engaging meaningfully on change that will secure future jobs, the CWU has decided to ballot against change. We are losing £1 million a day, and we need to change what we are doing to fix the situation and protect jobs.
“The CWU has put forward ideas for change that would cost over £1 billion while not delivering the changes needed to ensure Royal Mail can grow and remain competitive in a fast-moving industry. These actions do not represent a union that supports change. We wanted to meet this week but were disappointed the CWU couldn’t make it – we hope to meet next week. The CWU have their heads in the sand and are failing to grasp the seriousness of the situation.
“Royal Mail can have a bright future, but we can’t achieve that by living in the past. Customers want more parcels, bigger parcels, delivered the next day, including Sundays, and more environmentally friendly options. By modernising, we can offer more of what our customers want at a price they are willing to pay, all whilst protecting jobs on the best terms and conditions in the industry.”
Source link
