Royal Mail postal workers announce fresh strike

Around 115,000 members from the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will strike from 12.30pm on Thursday 16th until 12.30pm on Friday 17^th February.

The union staged several strikes last year, including over the critical festive period, in a move which cost the Royal Mail millions.

According to the CWU, it called the strike after Royal Mail began “forcing through unagreed changes related to the structure of work at offices across the country”.

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It comes despite talks taking place last month at the conciliation service ACAS which hoped to break the deadlocked dispute, over pay and working conditions.

CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “This action is down to the conduct of Royal Mail management, who have displayed a complete lack of integrity.

“Our members will not just sit back and watch as their working lives are destroyed by a company leadership hell-bent on ripping up historic arrangements that protect their rights and give them a voice through their union.

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“It is postal workers who keep this company going and this country connected – it’s time management recognise this, drop the nasty games and begin taking negotiations seriously, so that this dispute can be ended for good.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We entered facilitated talks through Acas in good faith, believing that the CWU were serious in their claim that they wanted a resolution. In announcing further damaging strike action, the CWU have shown they are not interested in resolving this dispute and continue to focus on damaging our business further.

“The CWU’s misguided belief that further industrial action will remove the need for change and force an improved offer is misleading its members, and risking their long-term job security.”