The 6.9 per cent pay rise is not guaranteed. It is broken into two parts: 5.4 per cent this year (2007-08) and 1.5 per cent for next year, and comes to an extra £12 a week for this year. So what's wrong with that?
First, the 5.4 per cent is worth only half that – 2.7 per cent – because it is not backdated to April. And the £175 lump sum meant to top it up actually belongs to us already; it is from the ESOS bonus scheme!
Second, most of this money was on the table before the strikes. We rightly rejected 2.5 per cent back in May, so why accept it now, when we have only gained an extra 65p per week after eight days of striking?
Dave Ward and Billy Hayes are moving around piles of money that were already there to cover up for a crap deal. With inflation running at 4 per cent this year, and likely to rise higher next year, the offer is really a pay cut.
Third, we only get the 1.9 per cent next year if we agree CWU locally to trial the remaining flexibility demands of Royal Mail – otherwise we won't get a penny.
Finally, the flexibility changes mean opportunities to earn overtime will shrink
– just an hour and a half of overtime a week is worth more than the pay rise in
total. With future changes to D2D and, of course, pensions, members could lose
even more money.
Verdict on pay: a rip-off
