Why are Royal Mail workers going on strike?

The UK is set for delivery chaos as Royal Mail workers voted in favour of strike action in the coming weeks. A pay dispute is at the heart of the strike, which if not settled, will cause disruption to delivery over the summer.

Approximately 115,000 Royal Mail postal work voted to strike over pay in what is expected to be the biggest industrial action to hit Britain this summer. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said 97.6% of members from a 77% turnout, voted to strike in protest to a 2% pay increase offer.

Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson said: “I am ready to talk about pay and change at any time. But it has to be both.

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“When we previously spoke to the unions we said there needed to be an improvement in productivity, but it has not gone forwards but backwards.” General secretary of CWU, Dave Ward said there is a “small window” of opportunity for talks to avoid walkouts before strike dates are set.

Mr Ward said: “The vote can leave no doubt that postal workers are united and that they are demanding the proper pay rise they deserve. In our country right now, corporate failure gets rewarded over and over again.

“It’s pathetic that CEOs take home lottery win salaries then offer real-terms pay cuts to people who made them their profit. While bosses rake in £758 million in profit and shareholders take £400 million, workers are expected to take a serious real-terms pay cut.

“Postal workers won’t accept their living standards being hammered by bosses who are typical of business leaders today – overpaid, underqualified, out of their depth.” The pay dispute conversation unfolded on Twitter.

CWU’s response to Royal Mail’s tweet expressing “disappointment” went viral, garnering over 18,000 likes.

Royal Mail said it had offered a deal worth up to 5.5% for CWU grade colleagues, “the biggest increase we have offered for many years” which the CWU was said to have rejected. Royal Mail went on to add: “In the event of industrial action, we have contingency plans to minimise customer disruption and will work to keep people, businesses and the country connected.”

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