Will Royal Mail strike again? What we know about more strikes and why this week’s walkouts were cancelled

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is balloting its members at Royal Mail over further strike action after planned walkouts in February were called off.

Royal Mail workers staged 18 days of national strikes in 2022 in a dispute over pay and working conditions, causing disruption over key periods including Christmas and Black Friday.

The dispute between Royal Mail and the CWU shows little sign of being resolved.

Here is the latest on the talks, and on whether more strikes could be called.

When are the next strikes?

Postal staff were due to hold a 24-hour walkout from 16 February until 17 February but it was blocked by a legal challenge by Royal Mail.

Royal Mail wrote said: “The CWU has cancelled their planned strike action after making an error in their strike notification. Royal Mail welcomes the fact that the strike action has been called off by the CWU. We intend to use this time and space for further discussions to try to agree a deal and we have suggested meetings this week.”

About 115,000 workers were expected to strike as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions, which saw industrial action on a number of days in the run-up to Christmas 2022.

The Communication Workers Union will now announce the results of a new ballot for action on 16 February, which could renew the previous six months’ mandate for strike action.

No dates have been set for strikes in March yet.

What did the union say?

In a statement released jointly by general secretary Dave Ward and acting deputy general secretary postal Andy Furey, the union said that correspondence had been received from Royal Mail’s legal representatives on Saturday 4 February.

It challenged the strike notice that had been issued on the basis of “technical issues relating to the Dispute Resolution Process and the lifespan of the existing Change ballot.”

“After receiving advice from our own lawyers that, although we had a strong case ourselves, there was also risk to the union should we lose in court and, therefore, the CWU Postal Executive decided to call off the action planned for next week”, the statement reads.

They are now focusing on the ballot, which will give a mandate for further strike action if they vote yes.

Ward said, is “that the whole union focuses its efforts on maximising the YES vote and turnout in the live re-ballot.

“We cannot allow Royal Mail Group’s blatant efforts to demoralise our members and discredit the union to distract from the reality that the resolution to this long-running dispute will be determined and settled by the outcome of the current national ballot.”

What is the strike over?

Royal Mail claims the strike action last year cost it in excess of £100m, and has said it needs to cut as many as 10,000 jobs by August.

The company is looking to transition more towards parcel delivery and away from delivering letters, which have dwindled in popularity. It previous made a request to the Government to stop delivering letters on Saturdays, which was denied.

Mr Ward said: “We believe there are thousands and thousands more jobs at risk than the 10,000 the company has put forward. They are waging war on the current workforce. Psychological warfare to make the job not worth it. To force people out and replace the workforce.”

He said striking workers had been “threatened” by bosses, adding: “Over 200 representatives and members have been suspended.”

Royal Mail tabled its “best and final” offer to workers in late November. It said the offer included “extensive improvements” that were made during the negotiations with the CWU, including an enhanced pay deal of up to 9 per cent over 18 months, offering to develop a new profit share scheme for employees, and making voluntary redundancy terms more generous.

The union countered with its own offer, which Andy Furey, the CWU’s acting deputy general secretary, said had been “thrown back in our face”.

Royal Mail boss Simon Thompson rejected claims the company was intent on “union-busting”, and said: “It is about getting the changes that we need to win. We have spent £900m investing to compete in the parcels market. What we really need now is a change in working practices to compete in that hyper competitive market.”

How is post affected on strike days?

Despite “well-developed contingency plans”, Royal Mail has acknowledged that these “cannot fully replace the daily efforts of its frontline workforce”, with significant disruption on strike dates.

The most significant effect is that Royal Mail does not deliver any letters or parcels on strike days, except those sent by special delivery.

During previous action Royal Mail promised to “prioritise the delivery of Covid test kits and medical prescriptions wherever possible”, alongside other Tracked24 parcels.

Most post offices have remained open, although a few were affected by the CWU action. Any items posted in post boxes or post offices the day before, during or following strike dates have been subject to delays, however.

Royal Mail has a full, in-depth list of FAQs here. It advises its customers to:

• Post items as early as possible in advance of strike dates;
• Keep posting items at post boxes or post offices, but be aware collections will be less frequent on strike days.

Postal deliveries – and collections from businesses, post offices and post boxes – normally resume the day after strikes take place.