CWU: “The High Court has ruled against us”

Royal Mail has won an injunction to halt a national postal strike. Today the High Court ruled that the Communication Workers Union‘s postal ballot of Royal Mail employees for industrial action was unlawful.

The interim injunction means no industrial action can be taken before the completion of a lawful ballot, resulting in a vote in favour of industrial action, and formal notification to the Company of any action.

Royal Mail’s application to the High Court did not apply to employees within Parcelforce Worldwide. Its employees are the subject of separate ballot notices.

Shane O’Riordain, Royal Mail’s managing director of regulation and corporate affairs, said: “We did not take the decision to go to the High Court lightly. We sought to reach resolution outside the courts. We asked CWU to confirm it would refrain from taking industrial action, based on clear evidence of planned and orchestrated breaches by CWU officials of their legal obligations. CWU declined to do so, and we then had no option but to resort to legal action.

“It is vital that our colleagues are able to vote without any constraint imposed on them by any other party. The trade union legislation is designed to safeguard democratic integrity by ensuring union members can vote in the privacy of their own homes, rather than in any public process. We are writing to the CWU to ask it to undertake a full internal review of its processes.

“We stand ready to engage with the CWU. If the union provides a binding commitment to remove the threat of strike action for the rest of 2019, we will enter into discussions without preconditions. A binding commitment from the CWU to remove the threat of strike action during the period of any general election is vital.”

Following the verdict, the CWU tweeted: “The High Court has ruled against us. Genuinely this is an utter outrage. 110,000 workers vs the establishment.”