At least 100,000 Royal Mail workers stage ‘summer’s biggest strike’ today
Unless Royal Mail can deliver the pay deal its workers want, there will be another three days of strikes in the coming weeks, as Martha Fairlie reports
More than 100,000 Royal Mail workers are preparing to walk out today in a move that will cause widespread disruption to postal services across the country.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said its members are striking on Friday for a “dignified, proper pay rise” after they voted in favour by 97.6% in a ballot.
Striking workers took up banners, and one even donned a 'Postman Pat' costume as they turned out for the picket line at the Royal Mail Whitechapel Delivery Office in east London this morning.
General Secretary Dave Ward said: "we can’t keep on living in a country where bosses rake in billions in profit while their employees are forced to use food banks" as the cost of living crisis deepens.
It is being described as the biggest industrial action of the summer so far, which has already seen workers strike across the railways, the London Tube, Edinburgh's bin collection, Felixstowe's port, and the courts.
Royal Mail said the strike will thrust it "into the most uncertain time of its 500-year history".
Friday's strike will be followed by further stoppages on Wednesday August 31, Thursday, September 8 and Friday, September 9.
The union said management imposed a 2% pay rise on employees - despite the fact that they were classified as key workers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In an economic climate where inflation looks set to soar to 18% by January 2023, the imposition will lead to a dramatic reduction in workers’ living standards,” said a union spokesman.
Mr Ward said: “On Friday, we will see a tremendous outpouring of workers’ unity in villages, towns and cities across the country.
“There can be no doubt that postal workers are completely united in their determination to secure the dignified, proper pay rise they deserve.
“When Royal Mail bosses are raking in £758 million in profit and shareholders pocketing in excess of £400 million, our members won’t accept pleads of poverty from the company.
“Postal workers won’t meekly accept their living standards being hammered by greedy business leaders who are completely out of touch with modern Britain.
“They are sick of corporate failure getting rewarded again and again.
“Royal Mail’s leadership have lost the dressing room – and unless they make efforts to get real on discussing a pay rise that postal workers deserve, serious disruption will continue.”
CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger said: “Our members worked miracles during the pandemic and know full well what they are worth.
“They are fighting for a no-strings, real-terms pay rise – something they are fully entitled to.
“Those managing Royal Mail Group are treating our members with contempt by imposing such a minimal amount.
“Royal Mail Group have failed to recognise the strength of feeling and have clearly lost the dressing room on pay, so they have left us with no choice but to fight".
Royal Mail said it has “well-developed contingency plans” to minimise disruption, focused on getting mail delivery back to normal as quickly as possible after strike action.
The company said that on days when strike action is taking place, it will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked24 parcels as possible, prioritising the delivery of Covid test kits and medical prescriptions.
Customers are advised to post items as early as possible in advance of the strike dates, adding that collections will be less frequent on strike days.
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Royal Mail apologised to customers for the inconvenience and said it remains "ready to talk with the CWU to try and avert damaging industrial action" - but said the union has repeatedly rejected invitations to meet in recent weeks.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said of Friday's strike: "It is putting jobs at risk and making pay rises less affordable. We are losing £1 million a day. We must change to fix the situation and protect high quality jobs.
“The change we need is the change the public demand of us. They want more and bigger parcels delivered the next day – including Sundays – and more environmentally friendly options.
“They want this at a competitive price, with great quality of service. We cannot cling to outdated working practices, ignoring technological advancements and pretending that Covid has not significantly changed what the public wants from Royal Mail.
“While our competitors work seven days a week, delivering until 10pm to meet customer demand, the CWU want to work fewer hours, six days a week, starting and finishing earlier.
“Their plans to transform Royal Mail come with a £1 billion price tag, are predicated on a wholly unrealistic revival in letter writing, and prevent Royal Mail from growing, and remaining competitive, in a fast-moving industry.
“The CWU’s vision for Royal Mail would create a vicious spiral of falling volumes, higher prices, bigger losses, and fewer jobs.
“Our future is as a parcels business. We must adapt old ways of working designed for letters to a world increasingly dominated by parcels, and we must act fast".