UK union dismisses threat of pre-Christmas postal strike
The threat of a London postal strike in the run-up to Christmas has diminished after the Communication Workers’ Union said there would be no industrial action.
However, it appeared that talks between the Royal Mail and the CWU on moving towards a single daily postal delivery were encountering delays.
Royal Mail admitted that shift changes and the issue of London weighting remained sticking points.
Dave Ward, the deputy general-secretary of the CWU, said yesterday that there would be no disruption to London postal services during the Christmas period.
Mr Ward added that the union “never debated a request from London branches to authorise strikes in December. It was speculation reported as fact”.
A Royal Mail official said: “I’m sure our customers will be pleased to know that their Christmas post is safe.”
However, the company raised the question of where the strikes threats originally came from and noted that London union representatives had been quoted on this issue.
Following the unofficial postal strikes that hit London and the south-east in October, Royal Mail and the CWU pledged to reach an agreement on the abolition of the second daily postal delivery by today.
The union said yesterday that talks were going well and that the deadline may be met, but Royal Mail played down expectations of an imminent deal.
The change in working practices is a key part of Royal Mail’s restructuring and cost-cutting plan, designed to return the group to profitability.
Royal Mail said that at last count 696 of its 1400 sorting offices had signed up to the single delivery plan, and 200 had already implemented the change and would be receiving an associated pay rise.
While some parts of the country have accepted the changes, other areas such as London are more resistant.
The level of living allowance paid in London also remains a contentious topic.
Mr Ward said that the decision not to strike would depend on reaching “an agreement that would properly reward the capital’s postal workers for the additional costs of living. We are continuing our negotiations and I hope we will make early progress”.
