Royal Mail Statement

Royal Mail said that it was disappointed and extremely concerned that intensive talks with the Communications Workers Union have not resolved the issues between us and that they have called for further strike action next week.

After a weekend of intense negotiations the CWU is still refusing to accept the flexibility that Royal Mail urgently needs if it is to modernise and survive. Royal Mail has also offered both short and longer term solutions on pay, within the 2.5% we can afford for pay this year. We have now been talking to the union for seven months on pay, modernisation and pensions, but rather than accept a solution, the union continues to table unrealistic proposals that fail to deliver the efficiency needed if we are to compete in today’s challenging marketplace.

Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier said: “Over the last 8 days, and 30 hours of talks over the weekend alone, we have worked with the TUC and their General Secretary, Brendan Barber, and have been totally committed to finding a solution within the amount we can afford.

Royal Mail will be writing to the CWU later this week clearly setting out our position, and we remain available for talks.

Royal Mail also confirmed that during the latest strike action by the CWU the drift back to work among their members continues with more than half the typical daily mailbag being processed as usual.

We would like to thank all of our people who are supporting us during the dispute and doing all they can to keep the postal service moving and deliver the mail to our customers. We apologize to customers for any delay and inconvenience caused by the CWU’s strike action.

Royal Mail is also pleased that we have concluded a deal in principle with Unite/CMA, which represents 12,000 of our managers, over pay, modernization and pension reform. The agreement with Unite, like the pay deals already agreed with our people in Parcelforce and with our national network of sub postmasters, was reached without recourse to any industrial action.