Tag: Europe

Union leaders have clinched a “groundbreaking” pay deal for 160,000 postal workers.

The agreement – worth an extra pounds 14 a week – lifts the threat of the first national post strike for a decade. It includes a 2.9 per cent wage rise imposed by Royal Mail in April. But workers will also receive an extra one per cent as a result of cost savings.

Crucially, bosses have extended this arrangement, which rewards staff with 40 per cent of any efficiencies, until April. That could put another pounds 120million – around six per cent – in pay packets.

The Royal Mail and union leaders hammered out a pay and productivity deal yesterday to avoid the first national postal strike for a decade.

The agreement was struck amid claims by the Communication Workers Union that it delivered “key aspects” of the organisation’s vision for postal workers and management arguments that it involved only “small elements of new money”.

After eight weeks of talks, the deal means the basic pay of workers will rise by 3.9 per cent. The Royal Mail said more than pounds 25m would be paid to postal workers in productivity payments this year on top of an above-inflation wage increase.

Royal Mail was dumped by the Government this week.
The firm lost out on a deal worth around half a million pounds to transport internal mail.

It was awarded to couriers DX Network Services.

Although initially for 12 months, the agreement could be extended for up to three years.

DX chief executive Paul Kehoe said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract for the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

“It is particularly pleasing to have won the business in the face of strong competition from other major industry players.”

The firm will transport post all over Northern Ireland to 138 Government office addresses.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Mail said: “The internal mail market has been competitive for a number of years.”