Post Office Workers Support Strike Action

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Post Office workers have voted in support of strike action in a ballot by the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

Almost 90% voted in favour of industrial action over a dispute about pay and job security, the union said.

Three-quarters of the union's members that work in Crown branches - high street stores run by the Post Office - took part in the ballot.

The CWU said the dispute was over a pay rise due last year, that 4,000 Post Office staff had not yet received.

Fears over job security for 770 people working across the 70 offices due to be franchised was also an issue, it added.

The union's deputy general secretary, Dave Ward, said its members had spoken "loud and clear".

"They are fed up with being treated like second-class workers by the Post Office and they want their concerns to be listened to," he said.

"There hasn't been so much as the pretence of negotiations from Post Office Ltd and that must change if strike action is to be avoided.

"We are now asking the company to come to the table to discuss pay and job security for these workers and avoid the need for strike action."

But the Post Office said the CWU's vote rejected an offer of cash payments totalling up to £3,400 to be paid before April 2015.

The company's Network and Sales Director Kevin Gilliland said it was disappointed by the CWU’s reaction.

"Our offer of cash payments recognises the contribution being made by our people to the turnaround of the business," he said.

"There is absolutely no room for manoeuvre. These payments are fair at a time when our Crown network is operating at a loss.

"Our door remains wide open to discussions with the CWU as to how we get the first of these payments into pay packets as quickly as possible."

Crown post offices account for 3% of the 11,800 branches across the UK.

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'We're like second-class workers': Thousands of Crown Post Office counter staff vote to strike

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Staff working in Crown post offices have voted by nearly nine to one in favour of action, with a 75% turnout
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Post office workers today called for talks with bosses to avoid a strike over pay.

4,000 staff working in Crown post offices have voted by nearly nine to one in favour of action, with a 75% turnout.

Communication Workers Union deputy chief Dave Ward said: “There hasn’t been so much as the pretence of negotiations from Post Office Ltd.

“Our Post Office members are fed up with being treated like second-class workers by the Post Office.”

"We are now asking the company to come to the table to discuss pay and job security for these workers and avoid the need for strike action."

Staff at the larger Crown offices have been without a rise since April 2011, while other post office workers have had one, says the union.

There are 373 Crown branches which, unlike nearly 12,000 sub-post offices, are owned and managed by the Post Office directly.

Staff also fear proposals to close 70 Crown offices and move them into shops as franchises.

But the Post Office claim the union rejected an offer of £3,400 for each worker.

Post Office Director Kevin Gilliland said: “These payments are fair at a time when our Crown network is operating at a loss.”

A report from Consumer Focus has highlighted increased queuing times of five minutes or more in franchised branches.