Two days of national postal strikes will take place next week after Royal Mail failed to reach a last minute deal with unions
Two days of national postal strikes will take place next week after Royal Mail and unions failed to strike a last minute deal.
The Communication Workers Union announced this afternoon that there would be nationwide stoppages next Thursday and Friday.
The CWU repeated its offer of further talks with Royal Mail management to avert the industrial action, which will see postal deliveries ground to a halt.
Royal Mail responded by saying that the move was an “appalling and unjustified” attack on customers.
Post-Switch, the postal broker, estimated that the current backlog of mail – which currently stands at about 100 million items – would double as a result.
The postal service has been hit by months of regional stoppages but this will be the first nationwide action. The CWU said that 42,000 mail centre staff and drivers would strike on Thursday, followed by 78,000 postmen and women the following day.
Royal Mail managers will deliver some mail themselves but the vast majority of post will not get through on those two days. Disruption will continue the following week as staff clear the backlog.
The union claims Royal Mail is pushing through plans to modernise the business too quickly and is making unreasonable demands on staff.
After the last round of industrial action two years ago, the two sides reached an agreement on the modernisation programme which CWU claims Royal Mail has reneged on.
Royal Mail claims that the union is in effect demanding a veto over future change and modernisation. Analysts estimate that next week’s strike could cost the company almost £120m in lost revenue. Online retailers like Amazon and Argos have already lined up rival operators to make sure packages get delivered to customers homes, and many of these contracts may never return to Royal Mail.
The business secretary, Lord Mandelson, said: “I very much regret this decision by the CWU. Candidly, I think it is suicidal.
“Taking industrial action will not resolve this dispute. It will only serve to drive more customers away from Royal Mail. One thing this company cannot afford is strikes and industrial action.
“We are, of course, in frequent contact with both management and the union. Our message to them has been clear: put your customers first.
“The CWU should turn their backs on industrial action and sit down with the Royal Mail and resolve this dispute. That is what is in the interests of the Royal Mail, their members and the country.”
Vanessa Canzini, spokesman for online auction site eBay, said: “In the four months since the regional strikes began and in the seven days since the Communication Workers Union announced their intention to strike, there has been no noticeable impact on the number of items being bought and sold on eBay.co.uk. We believe this demonstrates that confidence in shopping online remains strong.
“That said, ensuring our customers – buyers and sellers – continue to enjoy the best shopping experiences is paramount.
“Although many of the items for sale on our site already offer alternative postal carrier options, we’ve negotiated alternative providers and special rates on behalf of our sellers, so they can continue providing the outstanding service our buyers currently enjoy.
“These special rates are open to any seller, meaning that even hobby sellers wishing to sell on the site in the run-up to Christmas will be able to secure a door-to-door courier service for just a few pounds.”
In January, the company will introduce walk sequencing machines enabling postal workers to complete their rounds much quicker. Unions fear this could lead to compulsory redundancies at the group.
Loading ...
Recent Comments