Threat of more postal strikes

Postal workers are threatening more crippling strikes. Collections and deliveries will be disrupted yet again if further walkouts go ahead.

Postal workers in London took strike action last week as the Communication Workers Union (CWU) claimed that Royal Mail is “walking away from the 2007 Pay and Modernisation agreement and continuing with cuts without reform”.

The strike action was spread over three days with a rolling 24 hour set of strikes involving delivery workers, distribution and logistics staff and mail centres. This impacted on London's mail network for the duration of three days and had a knock-on effect on services outside London.

Martin Walsh, CWU London divisional representative, said: "Postal workers cannot continue with the levels of cuts on hours, jobs and wages by aggressive management which we are currently experiencing. Staff are nearing breaking point and services will be hit if modernisation isn't brought forward.

"We do not have our heads in the sand when it comes to the challenges that Royal Mail face. We want automation, better industrial relations and faster progress on modernisation. But this cannot be driven by bullies who want to heap work on postal workers without supporting them through modernising the business or who are intent on driving down pay and conditions."

However, a spokesperson for Royal Mail has said that strike action will only hurt modernisation efforts.

"The CWU's strike action can only hurt customers and drive them away. Particularly at risk is our vitally important online fulfilment and packets business - which is crucial to ensuring a successful future for the Royal Mail and its employees.

“Royal Mail is really disappointed that the CWU took industrial action in London last week. We know how much customers rely on our services and we’re really sorry for the inconvenience this industrial action may have caused.

“Royal Mail used strong contingency plans to maintain services for customers wherever possible on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday including the use of Royal Mail managers from across the country working in London. We are now concentrating on returning all services to normal, as quickly as we can,” he added.

Royal Mail says it has already lost 40 per cent of its bulk mail business to rival postal operators and needs to invest £1.2 billion in the business.

But the CWU is demanding that postal workers' pay should increase by 27 per cent and claims modernisation would cost more than 40,000 jobs.

Federation of Small Businesses spokesman Matthew Knowles said: "The livelihoods and jobs of many people in small businesses will be put at risk if this dispute continues for much longer."

Parcel2Go.com bosses report that new customers are turning to Parcel2Go.com on a daily basis because they are worried that Royal Mail strikes are delaying parcel deliveries.

Business development director Richard Adams-Mercer said: “As the largest online parcel delivery service in the UK, we have demonstrated that we are a proven alternative to Royal Mail for parcel deliveries.”

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