More than 100,000 postal workers are set to walk out on Friday in a dispute over pay, in what is being described as the biggest strike of the summer so far.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said its members are taking industrial action for a “dignified, proper pay rise” after they voted in favour by 97.6% in a ballot.
The strike on Friday will be followed by further stoppages on Wednesday August 31, Thursday September 8 and Friday September 9. There were substantial turnouts across the North East at picket lines, including the Forth Street depot in Newcastle and the Royal Mail Delivery Office in Wearfield, Sunderland.
Read more: Royal Mail strike 2022: Postal strike dates, why posties are striking and what they've been offered
The Press Association reports that a two per cent pay rise was offered to employees. A union spokesman said: “In an economic climate where inflation looks set to soar to 18% by January 2023, the imposition will lead to a dramatic reduction in workers’ living standards.”
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’s leadership have lost the dressing room – and unless they make efforts to get real on discussing a pay rise that postal workers deserve, serious disruption will continue.”
CWU deputy general secretary, Terry Pullinger, added: “Our members worked miracles during the pandemic and know full well what they are worth. They are fighting for a no-strings, real-terms pay rise – something they are fully entitled to. Those managing Royal Mail Group are treating our members with contempt by imposing such a minimal amount.
“Royal Mail Group have failed to recognise the strength of feeling and have clearly lost the dressing room on pay, so they have left us with no choice but to fight. Our members deserve a pay rise that rewards their fantastic achievements in keeping the country connected during the pandemic, but also helps them keep up during this current economic crisis.
“We won’t be backing down until we get just that.”
Royal Mail said it has 'well-developed contingency plans' to minimise disruption, focused on getting mail delivery back to normal as quickly as possible after strike action. The company 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.
Customers are advised to post items as early as possible in advance of the strike dates, adding that collections will be less frequent on strike days.
The union is also in dispute with Royal Mail over efficiencies. A company spokesperson said: “We are losing £1 million a day, and we need to change what we are doing to fix the situation and protect jobs.
“This change is also needed to support the pay package we have offered to CWU grade colleagues, worth up to 5.5%. This is the biggest increase we have offered for many years and the CWU have rejected it. This would add around £230 million to Royal Mail’s annual people costs when the business is already loss-making.”
The union said it will be the biggest strike of the summer, following walkouts by workers in other sectors such as rail, telecoms and the legal profession. A Royal Mail spokesperson, added: “Tomorrow’s 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 £1 million 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. Their plans to transform Royal Mail come with a £1 billion price tag, are predicated on a wholly unrealistic revival in letter writing, and prevent Royal Mail from growing, and remaining competitive, in a fast-moving industry.
“The CWU’s vision for Royal Mail would create a vicious spiral of falling volumes, higher prices, bigger losses, and fewer jobs. Our future is as a parcels business. We must adapt old ways of working designed for letters to a world increasingly dominated by parcels, and we must act fast.
“We want to protect well-paid, permanent jobs long-term and retain our place as the industry leader on pay, terms and conditions. That is in the best interests of Royal Mail and all its employees.
“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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