More than 100,000 Royal Mail workers are on course to be balloted for industrial action over a row regarding pay. Postal services and parcel deliveries could be severely impacted over the coming months if staff at the privatised postal giant go on strike, the Mirror reports.
If workers vote for action to take place, it would be the biggest yet in what is becoming a summer of discontent among staff in the UK demanding higher pay as the cost of living crisis bites. It comes as the Royal Mail announced a two per cent pay rise for workers, back-dated to April 1, on Wednesday (June 15).
Addressing the pay row, Simon Thompson, Royal Mail chief executive, said: “I am sorry that despite our best efforts, we haven’t managed to agree on a pay deal with CWU. We have held several talks with them over recent weeks, but unfortunately, we made little progress and they have ended.
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“I am also disappointed that the CWU has already chosen to ballot when we know how damaging the threat of industrial action is to our business.” The ballot for industrial action is due to open early next week.
Terry Pullinger, the CWU’s Deputy General Secretary (Postal), criticised what he called the “ridiculous strategic decision” to impose a pay rise when inflation is running at a 40-year high of nine per cent. Urging members to hold firm, Mr Pullinger warned that there was a “major breakdown of trust” between the CWU and management.
Mr Pullinger said: “It is an absolute outrage - 2 per cent is nowhere near acceptable," and branded the company “P&O in sheep’s clothing”, in reference to the recent mass sacking of 800 seafarers by the ferry firm. He also added: “It is a major breakdown in relationships and trust on any level.”
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