Postal workers could ballot for strike action

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.printweek.com/news/article/ ... ike-action

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has said over 115,000 postal workers may ballot for strike action if Royal Mail management do not negotiate a “no strings” pay rise by next week.

Royal Mail said it could not agree to a “no strings” deal
Delegates at the CWU’s annual conference, taking place this week in Bournemouth, have given Royal Mail Group management notice that if no national agreement on a “straight, no strings pay increase” can be reached by the week commencing 2 May 2022, then the union will move into a position of formal dispute with management.

The emergency motion, which called workers “dishonoured” by Royal Mail management, said that workers deserved a pay increase to “reward them for their exceptional contribution during the nation’s moment of need”, and to “protect them and their families from the current cost of living crisis”.

The motion also condemned Royal Mail for “finding any number of excuses” to “either not reward, under-reward or delay” pay increases.

CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger said: “We know what our members have done through the pandemic, we know they deserve a pay rise – one that rewards them for what they’ve done, but also protects them from this cost-of-living crisis.

“You would think the company would be working with that in the best way they can, but instead they have insulted our members by making an offer which is an absolute disgrace – that offer is nothing.

“We are giving them one week – and if we’re not in sight of a no-strings pay award, we’ll instigate the four-week resolution process at a national level.

“They want to smash up this great public service and fill their pockets with gold. We have to fight with everything we've got.”

In response to a request for comment, Royal Mail sent Printweek a statement to say it has offered to the CWU a package worth up to 5.5% this year for CWU grade colleagues.

The proposed offer, which is conditional on reaching an agreement with the CWU, is structured as follows: 2% would be paid to all CWU grade colleagues as soon as an agreement is reached, and this would be backdated to April 2022; a further 1.5% would be paid from the date upon which Royal Mail implements the changes it needs to meet growing customer demands; and there would be a new ‘above and beyond’ bonus worth up to 2% of salary this year for CWU operational grade colleagues who achieve it.

Royal Mail said this offer ensures it would retain its position as the industry leader on pay and terms and conditions.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We have been clear that we want to agree a deal as soon as possible to recognise the great work of our people, while ensuring that Royal Mail can grow and remain competitive into the future in a fast-changing industry. We have offered a deal up to 5.5%, the biggest increase we have offered for many years.

“We’re disappointed to hear that there was a motion at the CWU conference to seek support for a potential ballot for industrial action if significant progress isn’t made on a deal by the end of next week. This feels premature given we have only had one meeting and we have already put meetings in the diary next week for as soon as the CWU conference finishes.

“Our industry is characterised by a race to the bottom on pay and terms and conditions. We will not join that race and will retain our place as the industry leader on pay and terms and conditions. We value the work we do with CWU and remain committed to agreeing a deal for tomorrow, not just today.”

Adding further background to the offer, the organisation said it could not agree to a “no strings” deal as it needs certain changes necessary to grow the business in line with customer demands and key market trends.

It said the parcel delivery industry is moving quickly, and consumer trends are changing all the time, and that it needs to move quickly to get ahead of the trends it is seeing in the market – e.g. bigger parcels, and more demand for deliveries that arrive the next day – including Sunday, and that are more environmentally friendly too.

Post Office workers strike
Separately, CWU said Post Offices across the country will face massive disruption unless bosses stop engaging in “power play” with their workers’ wages.

The union said “workers won’t accept a collapse in their living standards”, as hundreds of employees look set to strike on Tuesday (3 May) against a real-terms pay cut.

Post Office management has insisted on a pay freeze for 2021-22 and offered a 2% pay increase – plus a £250 one-off payment (pro-rata for part-timers) – for 2022-23.

CWU said Post Office management has claimed that it is following government policy on public sector pay but has simultaneously claimed that the decision to impose a pay freeze was its own to make.

CWU members considered the pay freeze “a slap in the face”, and voted by 97.3% on a 70.2% turnout to take strike action. However, since the vote, CWU said Post Office management has refused to get around the bargaining table despite repeated attempts by the Union to instigate meaningful negotiations.

CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey said: “To avoid more disruption to services this year, the CWU urges Post Office to get round the bargaining table and thrash out a settlement with us that treats our key worker heroes with the respect they deserve.”

[world class male]

can see the daily mail headlines now, "greedy posties refuse to accept 5.5% increase"
we all know it's absolute bo11ox but the millions on twitter reading this won't and deem us scum
the cwu needs to sack it's entire PR team and employ someone who will actually get the real news across with the potential stripping of wages, but rm & cwu won't or don't know what this entails yet, or won't publish it,
not 1 single person i spoke to in 2019 after our last ballots actually knew why we were planning strikes, they automatically assume, "it's nearing xmas and can hit them hard to get anything like we always do" but was it 2008 our last ever strike or even a ballot to strike?
unions are in a very poor position legally now and only working with unite will anything potentially change, but their postal members are pretty spineless on the whole

[teesdale]

We came in during the pandemic and just carried on. No one from Royal Mail said you are considered key workers can you continue to work, although your life and your families life could be in danger. There was just a silence. I think we were seen as expendable manual workers, more of whom could be found if needed. I felt a bit of a duty to the customer and country and as I already knew the job I continued. I need this to be recognised by Royal Mail, this is their oppotunity. I will never forget that silence.

[wazer]

Totaly agree we was the unseen hero's.Yes others kept the country going but WE keep the economy going .Family's writing letters,kids sending cards to grandparents,info for all with advice .People being grateful for seeing somebody and having a qwick chat and not forgetting all the parcels and test kits which were life savers.(never forget that.) Not saying we deserve a medal but how about RM showing some gratitude. All the papers say is we are lazy never agreed with striking but I'm fully on board now .Media should be ashamed as well.

[Woody Guthrie]

We weren't heroes or the fourth emergency service or whatever shite Terry was spouting.

We just did our jobs and I don't want a pat on the back for it or any special treatment or "reward for what I've done" .

I want a pay rise because I need to pay my bills, end of story.

[Deadly]

Exactly that ^^^^

[priority102]

Well that awesome new Pathway to Change agreement lasted well didn't it? Normal service has been resumed......

[aiden01]

Well that awesome new Pathway to Change agreement lasted well didn't it? Normal service has been resumed......

Just like all agreements fs.

[guardianangel]

Good i expect to see my ballot papers by the end of the week, no stalling or messing about.