Postal workers announce new strike in the run up to Christmas
sign held by a postal worker from the Communication Workers Union (CWU) on the picket line at the Royal Mail Whitechapel Delivery Office in east London
PA images
DPostal workers have launched a fresh strike as disputes over pay and working conditions continues. More walkouts have been planned in the run up to the busy Christmas period.
The Communications Workers Union (CWU) said its 115,000 members across the UK joined the latest halt to services and have described it as the largest strike in a year comprised of industrial unrest across a number of other industries, including rail.
The CWU have said their plans include delaying the arrival of post to members of the public by three hours, cuts in workers’ sick pay and inferior terms for new employees. The strike action will include 19 further days of strike action in coming weeks.
Postman Pat sticks out of the top pocket of a mail worker as he takes part in a strike in London, in an escalating row over jobs, pay and services
PA images
Discussing the announcement, General secretary Dave Wars said “Postal workers face the biggest ever assault on their jobs, terms and conditions in the history of Royal Mail.
“The public and businesses also face the end of daily deliveries and destruction of the special relationship that postal workers and the public have in every community in the UK.
“It is insulting the intelligence of every postal worker for Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson to claim that their change agenda is ‘modernisation’.
“It is nothing more than an asset-stripping business plan that will see the break-up of the company and the end of Royal Mail as a major contributor to the UK economy.
“Royal Mail Group claim to be losing £1 million a day. The CWU believe these figures need to be scrutinised.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said:
“Three weeks ago, Royal Mail invited the CWU to enter talks through Acas to find a resolution to our change and pay dispute. We have not reached an agreement with the CWU on this request.
“Royal Mail is losing £1 million a day and must change faster in response to changing customer demands.
“The CWU leadership’s choice of damaging strike action over resolution is weakening the financial position of the company and threatening the job security of our postmen and women.
“We call on the CWU leaders to cancel their planned strike action and accept our invitation to enter talks through Acas without further delay.
“We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience the CWU’s continued strike action will cause.
“We are doing all we can to minimise any delays and keep people, businesses and the country connected.”