More postal strikes are organised for this week across the country.

More postal strikes are organised for this week across the country, following further failed talks between the Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

The ongoing disputes over pay, services and job cuts have caused the CWU to run strikes on selected days between 17 and 24 August, having already begun today (17 August) in Coventry, London, Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent and set to continue in other parts of the UK and Northern Ireland.

Dave Ward, Deputy General Secretary of CWU, said: “Postal workers are being hit hard with closures, cut-backs, a pay freeze and an increasingly bullying management that refuses to negotiate. Recent meetings cannot be called ‘talks’ as Royal Mail does all the talking and is not interested in the concerns or ideas of the CWU. While this attitude continues we have no choice than to press ahead with a national ballot for strike action.”

“We are still willing to call off strike action and offer a three-month no-strike deal in return for meaningful negotiations.”

Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail’s Operations Director, announced on the 9 August that its strong First and Second Class performance in July showed that contingency plans to ease the impact of localised strike action for customers had been effective and that round the country more than 90% of people were working normally despite the industrial action.

“We again urge the CWU to call off its plans for further strike action and to stop blocking change and modernisation. The CWU is not only failing to live up to what it says and what it signed up to under the 2007 Pay and Modernisation agreement but is actively opposing change on the ground. Royal Mail has a clear vision of creating a modernised and market-leading business in which we are investing around £2 billion.

“Modernisation means investment in new equipment throughout our operations and changes in working practices to reflect the fast-moving market we are now in - and we again call on the CWU to help us secure a strong future for the business, its people and its customers rather than repeatedly acting to undermine it.

“More CWU strike action will do nothing but damage Royal Mail’s ability to protect the Universal Service and preserve as many jobs as possible at a time when mail volumes are falling by almost 10% year on year.”

STRIKE LOCATIONS
17 August: London, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent
19 August: Birmingham, Coventry, London, Essex, Peterborough, Bristol, Leeds
20 August: Peterborough
21 August: Peterborough, King’s Lynn
22 August: Boston, Carrick Fergus
24 August: Skegness, Huntingdon