CWU tells Post Office: 'Don't break your word'

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Post Office bosses stood accused last night (Tuesday) of trying to "wriggle out" of a national agreement after frustrating CWU negotiators for a second time.

Andy Furey, the union's national officer for Post Office workers, said that the company had again avoided paying monies owed from the previous pay settlement.

"These were payments that had been promised by the business in return for the delivery on our part of various cost savings and efficiencies," he explained, adding: "Our members have kept our side of the deal, but the Post Office appears to be reneging on theirs."

In the talks yesterday, the company offered a small proportion of the agreed payments, but these did not take full account of the cost savings that have already been achieved.

Post Office Post Office chiefs also told negotiators that the pay settlement for April 2015 and a previously agreed lump-sum payment will not now be paid until the business reaches 'break-even' status, which, according to current financial predictions is not likely to happen until October.

"The Post Office is trying to wriggle out of paying monies that are due to our members"
Andy Furey, CWU national officer

Reacting to the offer, Andy said: "They are trying to wriggle out of paying monies that are due to our members.

"The pay offer made is 'fully conditional' and is all about 'if' and not 'when'," Andy explained, adding that members would be justifiably sceptical about whether the company would keep to its word on this.

CWU negotiators are claiming a fully consolidated and unconditional pay rise of at least 1.9 per cent from April 2015, and for payment of the agreed monies from the 2013/2015 deal.

"The pay offer we received from the business will be perceived by members to be a "moving the goalposts" offer constructed in a way to avoid making the payments in the future. This is why we had no choice other than to reject it on behalf of our members," said Andy.

For more details on the offer, read: LTB 303/15

A further meeting has been arranged for next Wednesday, 13th May.