OVER 115,000 postal workers will be taking part in the biggest strike of summer so far to demand a “dignified, proper pay rise”.
 
The Communication Workers Union, which represents Royal Mail Group workers, has served notice to management that workers will strike on Friday August 26, Wednesday August 31, Thursday September 8 and Friday September 9.
 
The decision follows the union’s recent ballot for strike action, which saw members vote by 97.6 per cent on a 77 per cent turnout to take action. 
 
This was the biggest mandate for strike action reached since the implementation of the 2016 Trade Union Act. 
 
The union is demanding that Royal Mail Group make an adequate pay award that covers the current cost of living increases for our members — but the group decided to impose a 2 per cent below-inflation rise despite postal workers being praised as “key workers” who kept the country running during the pandemic.
 
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “Nobody takes the decision to strike lightly, but postal workers are being pushed to the brink.
 
“There can be no doubt that postal workers are completely united in their determination to secure the dignified, proper pay rise they deserve. 
 
“We can’t keep on living in a country where bosses rake in billions in profit while their employees are forced to use food banks.
 
“When Royal Mail bosses are raking in £758 million in profit and shareholders pocketing in excess of £400m, our members won’t accept pleads of poverty from the company.
 
“The CWU’s message to Royal Mail’s leadership is simple – there will be serious disruption until you get real on pay.”
 
CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger said:  “Our members worked miracles during the pandemic and know full well what they are worth.
 
“The pay offer is an insult to our members and they are willing to fight for a no strings, real-terms pay rise that they are fully entitled to.
 
“Royal Mail Group have failed to recognise the strength of feeling and have clearly lost the dressing room on pay, so they have left us with no choice but to fight.”

Ricky McAulay, operations director at Royal Mail said: “After more than three months of talks, the CWU have failed to engage in any meaningful discussion on the changes we need to modernise.

”We are ready to talk further with CWU to try and avert damaging industrial action but, as we have consistently said, it must be about both change and pay.”