180,000 Royal Mail staff face pay freeze, despite profits

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180,000 Royal Mail staff face pay freeze, despite profits doubling over six months

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The Royal Mail's 180,000 staff face a pay freeze - despite profits doubling to £177million in just six months.

The company has scrapped this year's wage rise even though all its sections made a profit for the first time in nearly 20 years.

It blamed the freeze on a "very tight financial position". But furious CWU union chiefs called it appalling and said: "This makes industrial conflict inevitable." Union No2 Dave Ward added: "Postal workers are first class and don't deserve this secondclass treatment.

"Royal Mail posted its best results for years in December and outperformed its financial targets.

"Royal Mail is weathering the recession well and told staff the

value of the company significantly increased, effectively raising hopes of a decent pay rise."

Royal Mail boss Adam Crozier trousered a £212,000 bonus last year, bringing his pay package to nearly £1million.

Referring to him, Mr Ward raged: "For Britain's highest paid civil servant to impose a freeze on workers who earn less than the UK average wage is outrageous." All employees, including directors, will be hit as wages are held this year.

Bosses say email and text use have seen mail volumes fall by up to 10 per cent from last year, slicing up to £700million off income.

They warn it is a "trend widely expected to continue". Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has already proposed selling 30 per cent of the company.

Royal Mail is not the only giant to impose a pay freeze. BT's 100,000 staff have been told there will be no rises this year.