Royal Mail Faces Crisis as 115,000 Posties Prepare to Strike Again
Royal Mail is on the brink of collapse, warn postal workers. They’re set to strike on Thursday 24th November and Black Friday, 25th November, bringing Britain’s postal service to a halt.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU), representing 115,000 employees, confirmed the walkout amid a bitter clash with management. Workers have delivered a unanimous vote of no confidence in CEO Simon Thompson at workplace meetings nationwide this week.
Royal Mail’s Hardline ‘Take-It-Or-Leave-It’ Offer Sparks Fury
Royal Mail bossed out what they called a “final and best offer” on Wednesday 23rd November – but the CWU slammed it as an assault on workers’ futures. The proposals include:
- Turning Royal Mail into a gig economy-style parcel courier relying on casual labour
- Thousands of compulsory redundancies
- A stingy 3.5% pay rise with no back pay
- Forcing the CWU to abandon support for workers in employment tribunals over pay disputes
- Removing the union from workplaces, transforming it into a company-controlled body
- Blocking the CWU from negotiating local agreement changes
- Later start and finish times, scrapping AM deliveries
- Cuts to sick pay and removal of Sunday premium payments
- Introducing tech to monitor workers every minute
- No job security guarantees
CWU Rattles Royal Mail with Firm Counter-Demands
The union has fired back, demanding:
- An improved 18-month pay deal with back pay for all workers
- A guarantee of no compulsory redundancies
- Restoration of voluntary redundancy processes
- A joint review of union-company agreements and relations
- Full union involvement in local negotiations
- A fresh business plan to grow Royal Mail, not turn it into a gig economy outfit
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “We are disappointed that instead of compromise, Royal Mail have chosen an aggressive path. We won’t accept 115,000 workers who kept the country connected during the pandemic losing out. These plans will end Royal Mail as we know it – turning a national institution into an unreliable, Uber-style gig firm. This is an Armageddon moment for British postal workers. We urge the public to stand with their postie and back them like never before.”
If negotiations fail, prepare for major disruption this week as posties fight to save Royal Mail from ride into the gig economy sunset.
