No-strike deal at Royal Mail would be a disaster

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Communication Workers Union (CWU) reps were set to meet at a national briefing as Socialist Worker went to press to discuss a proposed agreement reached with Royal Mail.

The union has released the dates of a membership ballot to reject or accept the deal running from 15-29 January.

Members should reject the deal. Although it contains a 9 percent pay rise over three years, and workers welcome the money, it also contains effectively a no-strike deal.

The deal outlines Royal Mail’s right to withdraw the agreement if the union calls a national strike.

To take away the union’s power to strike would be a disaster.

The union called off a national strike last month.

“The money part of the deal is good, but it shows you how worried Royal Mail were, and a glimpse of what we could’ve won if we fought,” a post worker in north London told Socialist Worker.

There will be local reps meetings in January in the run-up to the ballot. Members should discuss all aspects of the agreement and campaign to reject the deal in the ballot.

Crown Post Office strikes worry bosses
Workers in Crown Post Offices have continued strikes over plans to close and franchise 75 offices and cut 1,500 jobs.

North London Post Office worker Gary Watt told Socialist Worker, “The strikes have been well supported, especially as this has been going on for nine months. People are holding out well.

“A third of the offices were closed in my area alone.”

Workers struck in regional walkouts all over Britain every day in the last week. The North, Central and South regions struck for several hours at a time. The Central region were set to strike again on Wednesday, and the South region were set to strike on Saturday of this week.

The strikes have worried Post Office bosses. They and the CWU union were in talks for over a week to get a resolution.

There is a union briefing set to take place on Thursday of this week.

The Warne Road mail depot strike, Weston Super Mare, due on Monday of this week, was called off after workers voted to accept new proposals. It was called over allegations of bullying and harassment by management and overloaded deliveries.