Postal workers have announced their first strike of the year, with Royal Mail staff walking out from 12.30pm on Thursday 16 February until 12.30pm on Friday 17 February.
Over 115,000 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will be taking industrial action again. The union’s national elected leadership called the strike after it claimed Royal Mail have begun forcing through unagreed changes related to the structure of work at offices across the country.
CWU said these decisions have been taken in direct contravention of the Industrial Relations (IR) Framework established between the union and the employer, the validity of which was re-committed to by Royal Mail CEO Simon Thompson in a letter dated 06 January.
According to CWU, the changes represent the removal of the right of the union to negotiate at a local level, and views it as a real step towards the derecognition of the union.
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “This action is down to the conduct of Royal Mail management, who have displayed a complete lack of integrity.
“Our members will not just sit back and watch as their working lives are destroyed by a company leadership hell-bent on ripping up historic arrangements that protect their rights and give them a voice through their union.
“It is postal workers who keep this company going and this country connected – it’s time management recognise this, drop the nasty games and begin taking negotiations seriously, so that this dispute can be ended for good.”
While Royal Mail has expressed its disappointment in the latest round of industrial action. The postal giant stressed it remained committed to talks. It urged the union to withdraw the strike “for the good of our customers and our people”.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We entered facilitated talks through Acas in good faith, believing that the CWU were serious in their claim that they wanted a resolution. In announcing further damaging strike action, the CWU have shown they are not interested in resolving this dispute and continue to focus on damaging our business further.
“The CWU’s misguided belief that further industrial action will remove the need for change and force an improved offer is misleading its members, and risking their long-term job security.”
