Tag: CWU

Billy Hayes, the General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union said that today’s announcement of huge losses and threats to jobs in Consignia/Royal Mail should not lead to “knee-jerk reactions that the company would regret later”.
He said the union would work with the employer to improve productivity where it was reasonable and beneficial to the service. “Naturally, we want all our members to have secure employment in a profitable business,” he said. “But that involves all sections of the postal partnership being realistic – and that includes government.”

Threats of a national postal strike were put on hold last night after unions decided to return to the conciliation service Acas on Friday in a renewed effort to resolve a pay dispute with Royal Mail group Consignia. Union leaders have been threatening to call strikes from May 8 over changes to delivery patterns.

The postal workers’ union rejected a press report claiming it has reached an agreement with Consignia over a planned 30,000 job cuts over the next three years.
“I’m not quite sure where (the news) came from. We have an executive meeting today but I don’t think there will be a momentous decision to be honest,” said Chris Proctor, spokesman for the Communication Workers Union.

Consignia said the redundancy package it is offering the thousands of employees it will lay off over the next three years is “fair” although it has yet to get an official reply from the postal union.
“We’re committed to consulting with the union on the way we handle surplus staff. We’ve put forward a fair package and we look forward to the union’s response,” a Consignia spokeswoman said.