Royal Mail are on course for a crippling national strike over pay

Royal Mail are on course for a crippling national strike over pay.

Union leaders are expected to reject a new offer from management next week and press ahead with plans for a ballot.

Last week, a union memo said bosses were offering a one-off sum of GBP 550 in return for agreement on cuts to services worth GBP 350million a year.

Now Royal Mail have backed down and offered a 2.5 per cent rise in pay.

But the Communication Workers Union leadership are set to reject the deal – worth GBP 7.75 a week before tax.

They argue that, with inflation at 4.8 per cent, the offer is a pay cut in real terms.