The UK’s Communication Workers Union announced yesterday that its 130,000 Royal Mail workers wouldbe back on strike again next Thursday, 12 July, to put more pressure on management to increase a
2.5% pay offer and halt a radical cost-cutting programme.The 24-hour strike action is set to begin at 19.00 on Thursday and run through Friday 13 Julyfollowing no progress on settling the dispute. The workers staged a nationwide strike last Friday –which the union claims was supported by 95% of members – and counter staff walked out on Monday ina further protest at Royal Mail plans to move 70 High Street post offices into WH Smith stores in afranchise deal.
CWU officials have asked Royal Mail chairman Allan Leighton to attend talks to resolve thedisputes.
“This problem will not go away – Royal Mail are in denial if they think otherwise and it isin Allan Leighton’s hands to take the workforce forward with him,” said CWU deputy generalsecretary Dave Ward.
Royal Mail lamented the new strike action and called on the union to help it modernise thestate-owned group to compete better with rivals in the liberalised UK market.
“(We are) deeply disappointed that the union has again decided to take strike action thatwill cause more disruption for customers. Further strike action will achieve nothing,” a Royal Mailspokesman said yesterday.
The UK public postal operator has offered staff a 2.5% pay rise and one-off payments of up toGBP 800 (EUR 1,183) to go along with a GBP 350 million (EUR 517 million) cost-cutting programmethat will see less weekend and night shift work.
Royal Mail says it already pays its staff 25% more than its private postal competitors towhom it has lost 40% of bulk business mail over the past four-and-a-half years since the servicewas liberalised.
