Postal workers strike in pay dispute
Leicester’s Royal Mail staff took to the picket line on Friday morning to protest the low pay rise offered to the company’s workers.
While the company says it has offered staff a pay rise of 5.5 per cent, the Communication Workers Union says it actually equals a 2 per cent pay rise, with an additional 1.5 per cent if they agree to changes to the worker’s terms and conditions, and a bonus of £500.
Large crowds of workers gathered at picket lines both at the customer entrance on Meridian East and the postal van entrance on Centurion Way, with picket supervisor John Wilkinson saying that more than 200 workers were striking today in Leicester as part of the pay dispute.
He said: “We’ve done two ballots for industrial action, one about pay and one about terms, but today’s strike is about pay. Royal Mail has imposed a 2 per cent pay rise but offered us more if we changed our worker’s terms and conditions, as well as a bonus scheme.
“But 2 per cent is not good enough for our members, it’s insulting to the hard work they put into this job and the magnificent service they provide all year round.
“Royal Mail have pulled away from all talks and, unfortunately, until we can get them back around the table, the strikes will continue.
“There has been massive support for the strike action in Leicester, it’s the biggest delivery office in the country and we have one of the largest number of supporters to the strikes – totalling around 200 members of staff.
“Unfortunately CEO Simon Thompson has been making some unusual comments in regards to resolving the issue, and we will continue to strike until Royal Mail return to negotiations.
“The last thing our members want to do is to take industrial action, to be a postie is not just a job, it’s a vocation. We care about our job and the communities we serve.
“But when our pay and the public service is being ripped up by the company, we have to take a stand.”
Mr Wilkinson also pointed out the £400 million which was paid out to shareholders last year, as well as an additional £130 million pay-out which was decided at the company’s most recent AGM.
The striking staff were joined by Leicester East MP Claudia Webbe, who offered her solidarity to the cause.
She said: “I’m here because I believe that the role of MPs is to stand at the picket line, speak with local workers, and help them fight for fairer wages.
“2 per cent is straight out of the poverty playbook, the money won’t even cover a fraction of the cost of living crisis. Our posties were praised during the pandemic, standing firm and continuing to deliver mail and keeping the country going.
“They were applauded on doorsteps, and now they’re being treated badly when they need help to get through this crisis.
“We should be fighting for wages in line and above inflation, I’ve been speaking to a lot of people here and a lot of them are on the cusp of going to food banks or go there already. The workers aren’t deciding heating or eating, they’re at risk of not doing either this winter, especially with the increasing energy bills announced today.
“The workers need a significant pay rise, anything lower than inflation still leaves them out of pocket and worse off than before.
“Royal Mail is a British institution and it’s shocking to see its staff treated this way, and is just further proof that it should be brought back into public ownership.”
A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “Today’s CWU strike thrusts Royal Mail into the most uncertain time of its 500-year history. 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 10 pm 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. We want to protect well-paid, permanent jobs long-term and retain our place as the industry leader on pay, terms and conditions. That is in the best interests of Royal Mail and all its employees.
“We apologise to our customers, and the public for the inconvenience the CWU’s strike action will cause. We have offered to meet the CWU numerous times in recent weeks, but they declined each invitation, preferring to spend their time on the political agenda of the UK trade union movement. We remain ready to talk with the CWU to try and avert damaging industrial action and prevent significant inconvenience for customers. But any talks must be about both change and pay.”
Claudia Webbe MP is the member of Parliament for Leicester East. You can follow her at www.facebook.com/claudiaforLE and twitter.com/ClaudiaWebbe
