Royal Mail tycoon flies in top team for union peace talks

[TopperGas]

https://www.thetimes.com/business/compa ... -cd73kczhg

It's interesting to see that the RM claim the CWU never raised any issues in their meeting on the 1 Oct (the "reset" meeting?), so what's change in such a short space of time, did the recent redundancies announcement catch the CWU off guard, now leading to the new fall out?


The Sunday Times

Royal Mail tycoon flies in top team for union peace talks
Oliver Gill

Czech billionaire owner Daniel Kretinsky has convened emergency negotiations over fears the overhaul of second-class deliveries is pushing staff out

CHRISTOPHER L PROCTOR FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES
Oliver Gill

Oliver Gill, Deputy Business Editor

Saturday October 17 2026, 6.00pm BST, The Sunday Times

Royal Mail owner Daniel Kretinsky is flying in top lieutenants to hold emergency talks with union leaders this week as tensions mount over a shake-up of second-class deliveries.

The billionaire Czech energy tycoon, who also co-owns West Ham United FC, is facing a backlash that union chiefs say threatens Black Friday deliveries in six weeks’ time.

The postal monopoly has largely completed changes to the way in which it delivers second-class mail. Rounds that were conducted six days a week are now completed every other weekday.

Royal Mail to cut up to 2,500 jobs by the end of next year
Implementing the changes requires a shake-up of working practices, which were agreed by postal unions.

But the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents tens of thousands of Royal Mail workers, has withdrawn its support over claims that working practice changes are a “major factor” behind about 400 people leaving the company every week.

Royal Mail said it was at present recruiting about 480 people a week.

The dispute intensified last week when Dave Ward, the CWU general secretary, alleged that Royal Mail was on the “brink of collapse” and accused the company of a “self-inflicted recruitment and retention crisis”.

Royal Mail responded on Friday: “Recent statements by the leadership of the Communication Workers Union do not reflect the state of the business, the progress Royal Mail is making in improving service quality or its preparations for Christmas.

“We urge the CWU leadership to do the same and to stop using public commentary talking down the business as a way of trying to achieve their own tactical objectives.”

On Friday evening, the CWU repeated its criticism, telling its members that the company’s actions represented a “fundamental breach of the national agreement”.

Correspondence approved by Tony Bouch, the union’s deputy general secretary, continued: “Royal Mail’s communication issued today [Friday] claims that CWU statements do not accurately reflect the state of the business … Claiming that quality of service has improved from an exceptionally low starting point is highly misleading.

“The volume of concerns raised by MPs, customers and the media demonstrates the scale of the challenge Royal Mail still faces in restoring quality of service standards.”

Kretinsky acquired Royal Mail last year for £3.6bn through the investment vehicle EP Group. Representatives for EP wrote to the CWU leadership on Thursday “confirming that they will be travelling to London on Tuesday to meet with the union”.

The union said there would be two points on the agenda: the growing recruitment and retention crisis at Royal Mail and fixing those delivery offices where the rollout of the new second-class post regime was “not working”.

It is understood that Kretinsky will not be attending the meeting in person. Sources said these points were not raised at a recent meeting between EP and the CWU on October 1.

Royal Mail said: “We recognise that this has been one of the biggest changes to the way Royal Mail operates in its history and that it has not been easy. We are very grateful to colleagues across the country for their efforts as this once-in-a-generation change is deployed.

“Royal Mail has been working constructively with CWU members and representatives at operational levels, including a major reset announced internally three weeks ago, and will continue to do so. This includes listening to colleagues’ comments and suggestions for further improvements in the rollout of the new delivery model.”