Union agrees Crown staff pay deal with Britain’s Post Office Ltd

Britain’s Post Office Ltd has reached a real with union negotiators that would see staff at its Crown branch network receiving a 7.3% pay rise. The deal came after months of negotiations and a series of one-day strikes and other industrial action that began this time last year.

The Communication Workers Union had been protesting the outsourcing of 70 branches of the Crown network of 370 branches. The Crown network comprises post offices owned and operated by Post Office Ltd, rather than subpostmasters or retail partners. The CWU has about 4,000 Crown network members.

The union membership still has to ratify the deal, but CWU leadership said the three-year pay deal was a “milestone”.

The deal includes an immediate 3.9% pay increase, which would take affect as of the start of this month. A further 3.4% pay increase would be paid in one percentage point installments when efficiency targets have been met.

The union said there is also a £2,300 lump sum to be paid up front, with two £500 payments to be paid later in 2014/15.

CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said the “solid” action taken by members last year helped achieve the “very good” pay settlement.

“This has been one of the most protracted disputes this union has ever been involved in and we have made considerable progress to get where we now are,” he said.

The Post Office Ltd deal came following protests about a staff pay freeze the company brought in because the Crown network was losing upwards of £37m a year, with customer footfall on the decline.

Chief Marketing Officer

In separate news, Post Office Ltd has just appointed a new chief marketing officer to help develop the company’s brand, and make use of digital marketing and social media to boost the post office network’s business.

The company said Pete Markey is an experienced director who has worked across a range of disciplines including marketing, sales, e-business, operations and strategy.

Joining Post Office Ltd, Markey leaves his post as chief marketing officer at RSA Group, the insurance multinational and FTSE 100 company, and also has marketing experience including two years as marketing director for MORE TH>N Insurance, along with roles at Onetel, AA and British Gas.

Markey said his new role was a “fantastic opportunity” with an “iconic” brand.

He said: “I look forward to elevating the Post Office brand to achieve its ambition of becoming a multichannel retailer that will meet the changing needs of its customers.”

The appointment sees the company’s chief marketing role split from the responsibilities of Post Office Ltd’s chief commercial officer Martin George, to whom Markey will report. George, former chief marketer at healthcare firm Bupa, was appointed as chief marketing and commercial officer by Post Office Ltd last October.

Commenting on the new appointment, George said: “We are transforming the Post Office into a multi-channel, commercially viable retailer. Pete’s first class FTSE 100 experience will help develop our ambitious brand and marketing strategy to deliver these commercial objectives.”