Royal Mail workers accuse bosses of 'destroying the service' and vote in favour of strikes

Royal Mail workers accuse bosses of ‘destroying the service’ and vote in favour of strikes

Royal Mail workers have voted massively in favour of strikes in a dispute over job security and employment terms and conditions.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) backed action by 97% in a huge turnout of almost 76%.

The CWU said that Royal Mail is not sticking to an agreement reached last year covering a wide range of issues, including plans to reduce the working week, as well as job security.

WE DID IT!!!

We have absolutely smashed the threshold and YES vote in Royal Mail Group Ballot

75.9% Turnout97.1% YES

History has been made.#WeRiseAgain 🦁 pic.twitter.com/s8i4oCgP7s

— The CWU (@CWUnews) October 15, 2019

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pointed to the roots of Royal Mail’s current problems in its privatisation by the coalition government:

Thousands of posties have voted yes in record numbers for strike action in defence of their jobs.

Royal Mail is a Tory-Lib Dem privatisation failure.

Its sell off led to shareholders creaming profits off the top while running down the service.

@CWUnews #WeRiseAgain https://t.co/AynSBmaWon

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 15, 2019

Industrial relations at the company have worsened this year, with workers taking unofficial action almost every week.

Terry Pullinger, the CWU’s deputy general secretary, said the union and its members were facing the “fight of our lives”.

The CWU said the result represents the largest yes vote for national industrial action since the passing of the Trade Union Act 2016.

The union said the prospect of the first national postal strike in a decade now “looms large”.

Pullinger said: “Just over one year ago the Royal Mail Group Board and the CWU agreed a blueprint agreement for the future, a progressive agreement that included an historic pension solution, a mutual interest driven relationship and a joint vision for a successful postal service with social aims.

“Today the new RMG leadership are breaking that agreement.

“Our members take honour seriously and have voted to fight for that agreement against those who now seek to break up the great British Postal service in the interest of fast track profit and greed.

“Integrity and pride still matters and we will not stand aside and see what we have spent our working lives building destroyed.”

General Secretary Dave Ward said: “This result sends a clear message to Royal Mail Group – our members will not stand by as you rip up their terms and conditions and destroy the service they give to the public and businesses of the UK.

“We would urge Royal Mail Group to now enter serious negotiations with this union. We also call on the public to get behind this dispute and your postal workers.

“We are very proud of our members today. They have stood by their union in record numbers and given hope to workers across the nation.”

Comments 1

royjenkins284 says:

7 years ago

Royal Mail workers accuse bosses of ‘destroying the service’ and vote in favour of strikes
Question + Points
we resident need reply to from Broad member + Bosses
of local area run Post Office.
Q-1
What have you put in place when or if a strike starts up for us resident to get our mail or bill on time?
Q-2
Are you having finances problem with running the Post Offices now but still collecting your BIG personal payment as broad members or bosses of local area run P/Officers yes or no?
Q-3
Has Tory Govt been making a deal with your broad member to deliver their propaganda paper to our homes for next G.E. in 2019 on it way and have they paid the full amount of cash upfronts for you to deliver their party rubbish yes or no?
Q-4
Come next G.E. election time in 2019 will we voter be able to vote by postal vote using Royal Mail firm or Post Officers and have you broad member + Bosses of post Office been paid upfront by local area Council or Tory Govt to deliver plus handle the postal voting right yes or no?
Question over for now Broad members + Bosses.
//////////
Point now that need addressing NOW to staff in all area of
Royal mail firms + post Officers fast.
P-1
The possible problem + trashing of voting with post Office for us voters at new G.E. possibly in 2019 will the broad member guarantee give us residents plus voters a Cast iron pledge our votes will get back to local area Town hall for Govt member handing the counting of votes yes or no?
P-2
Is your rich broad member + Bosses deliberately trashing the Post Office serves before any of you do a runner yes or no?
P-3
If you are in trouble with competition problem losing money fast have Broad member + Bosses asked Tory Govt to take back running of our Post office or royal mail firms yes or no?
P-4
Why as it took so long for the staff to react to the possible miss uses of the broad member + Bosses powers of Post Office firm Plus, royal mail holding Possibly running this company down, What as your union done so far to protect you all from loss of your jobs.
FINALLY!
To all hard-working POOR PAID staff member GOOD LUCK!
(I do Hope your strike help you the justice you all seek)