Tag: UK

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has backed away from a damaging strike, allowing more time for talks with Royal Mail. The union represents 160,000 Royal Mail staff who are threatening to walk out over pay and job cuts. Strikes would seriously disrupt cash flow and possibly even bankrupt the troubled British postal operator.

Leaders of the CWU have delayed voting on industrial action after meeting with political pressure to avert Britain’s first national postal strike since 1996. The ballot, due to begin on August 21, has been postponed by at least a week. In the meantime, the union has asked for more talks with Royal Mail negotiators at the conciliation service, Acas.

Private companies may be called in to deliver letters to millions of homes if a planned national postal strike goes ahead.

Postwatch, the government’s consumer watchdog for mail, is to call on Patricia Hewitt, the trade secretary, to suspend Royal Mail’s monopoly for a year if industrial action takes place as planned in the autumn.

The prospect of a year’s business is thought necessary for private companies to invest in the infrastructure to cover a strike, even if it goes on for much less than 12 months.

“We are very concerned that the dispute will result in customers being ignored,” said Peter Carr, chairman of Postwatch. “We therefore expect the secretary of state to suspend Royal Mail’s monopoly for a year. This is what we will be calling for.”

Royal Mail has agreed to bring in tougher working practices to tackle widespread complaints of sexual harassment and discrimination.

The company is to appoint 22 independent investigators, introduce monthly staff surveys and monitoring, and open a bullying hotline. In addition, managers are be trained to deal with complaints, and external reviews will be carried out.

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is to suspend its seven-month investigation into claims of bullying of female staff while Royal Mail attempts to clamp down on the alleged problem. The commission says the investigation will resume if the situation does not improve.

Royal Mail managers will sort and deliver some post in an attempt to reduce the impact of a national strike, the group said as the Communication Workers Union set about finalising plans for a ballot on industrial action.

Up to 15,000 managers in Royal Mail’s letters operation are expected to concentrate on special delivery services, the profitable time-guaranteed services.

Royal Mail will try to encourage big customers to switch postal dates once it knows the strike days. A spokesman said the organisation was in the dark because it did not know whether the union would go for a series of one-day walkouts or prolonged action.