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Postal workers in Stoke-on-Trent have joined 115,000 Royal Mail colleagues across the country in what union leaders have described as ‘the biggest strike of the summer so far’. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is calling for a ‘dignified, proper pay rise’, with members voting overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.
CWU members staged a demonstration outside Royal Mail’s Leek Road sorting office this morning as part of the action. Further strikes are set to take place next Wednesday, and on Thursday, September 8 and Friday, September 9.
The CWU says Royal Mail Group imposed a two per cent pay rise on employees earlier this summer, through ‘executive action’. The union is demanding a pay award that covers the current cost of living.
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Royal Mail, meanwhile, says that it has contingency plans in place ‘to minimise customer disruption’, and that mail deliveries will return to normal as quickly as possible after the strike action. The company also insists that the CWU’s demands are unrealistic.
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “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.
“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 has said that on days when strike action is taking place, it will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked24 parcels as possible, prioritising the delivery of Covid test kits and medical prescriptions.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “The 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 £1million 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.
“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.
“We apologise to our customers, and the public for the inconvenience the CWU’s strike action will cause. We have offered to meet the CWU numerous times in recent weeks, but they declined each invitation, preferring to spend their time on the political agenda of the UK trade union movement. 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.”
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