Tag: Europe

Royal Mail was on a collision course with its main union last night after it imposed a 2.9 per cent pay rise on staff that had already been rejected by the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU). The move was described as “a blatantly hostile act” by the CWU and could provoke a national strike. To impose a pay deal without union agreement in organisations where there is collective bargaining is usually seen as a last resort and is a sign of a breakdown in industrial relations. Royal Mail’s decision, early in the bargaining process, comes as the postal group has moved to block a ballot by the CWU over controversial plans for employee share ownership. Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: “Imposing the pay offer is premature and a blatantly hostile act. We are refusing to be pulled on to the punch today, but with Royal Mail’s attitude a confrontation seems inevitable.”

Royal Mail was accused last night of appearing undemocratic and heavy-handed after banning unions from conducting a ballot at work on employee share ownership. The Times has learnt that all mail managers have been told to prohibit the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) from holding a consultative ballot in mail centres on the controversial plans for share ownership. Managers were also told to tear down union posters that are not on designated notice boards. The ban comes as Allan Leighton, Royal Mail’s chairman, has written to all employees extolling the virtues of share ownership and asking for their support via a freepost address, the deadline for which has just been extended.
Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: “For a public company to deny the opportunity of the workforce to express an opinion and also to seek to undermine the Labour Party manifesto commitment to keep Royal Mail in the public sector is deeply disturbing for standards in public life.”