Royal Mail and Union close in on deal
Royal Mail and the postal union have struck a provisional deal which could end a long-running row over jobs, pay and services, reports Sky News. It is understood the draft agreement will be submitted to the executive of the Communication Workers Union for approval this week.
The dispute led to widespread walk-outs by staff in the run-up to Christmas, crippling the UK postal system.
It centres upon the company’s modernisation plans – a concept the union has always supported, though the two parties have disagreed on what shape these plans should take.
Around 60,000 people have left the company since 2002 and both Royal Mail and the union agree more jobs must go as new technology is introduced.
But Sky News business correspondent Joel Hills said there had been ongoing disagreement on the level of job cuts required and the kind of workload and pay the remaining staff should expect.
Hills said some areas of contention remained but the parties had found enough common ground for the CWU to put the draft agreement to its 17-strong executive for approval in the coming days.
Royal Mail is keen to do a deal as quickly as possible as it strives to remain profitable.
The CWU is believed to be equally keen for a prompt settlement as it wants to come to an agreement with a Labour Government about the company’s huge pension deficit – now estimated to have reached £10bn.
Hills added: “It does look as if some sort of negotiated settlement is in the offing and certainly progress has been made since the tail end of last year, when there were five days of industrial action.”
