OVER 12,000 postal workers across the UK will be striking today, with thousands more demonstrating against continuing cuts and executive action by Royal Mail.
In London, a postcard will be delivered to Royal Mail’s Chief Executive Adam Crozier and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, followed by a rally in Central Hall, Westminster.
Dave Ward, Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) deputy general secretary, said: ‘This round of cuts is arbitrary and illogical. Without new machinery or improvements in deliveries and industrial relations postal services will be drastically hit.
‘There’s nothing modern in cutting jobs and hours and imposing a pay freeze. We need genuine talks on how to modernise the Royal Mail. Our offer of a three-month no-strike deal stands and we hope that Royal Mail will take that up in return for talks on modernisation.
‘Royal Mail management are again failing to address the serious issues facing their industry. They were found wanting in the Hooper Report but have been left to continue mis-managing the company.
‘The government, as shareholder, must instruct Royal Mail to return to the table to address the big-picture problems of modernisation and pensions.’
At 11.30am the Adam Crozier letter will be delivered at Unilever House, Blackfriars, and at 1pm there will be a rally at Central Hall, Westminster.
Strike action will take place in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke, Plymouth, Norfolk and Essex.
Meanwhile, postal workers in Northampton are to be balloted for strike action.
Royal Mail workers at the Northampton Mail Centre have agreed to be balloted for strike action over cuts in hours and management refusing to negotiate with their trade union.
The CWU will be balloting its members in the Mail Centre at Crow Lane.
This is in addition to delivery postal workers based at the same location, who also agreed to be balloted earlier this week over similar grievances.
Gareth Eales, Deputy Branch Secretary of the Northamptonshire CWU Branch, said: ‘Our members in Northampton Mail Centre have given the CWU a clear mandate, and their overwhelming response demonstrates that they are not prepared to tolerate Royal Mail’s current aggressive approach.
‘Royal Mail have in essence de-recognised the CWU and no longer feel the need to negotiate with us on change and modernisation.
‘In addition, the company have imposed a pay freeze on our members despite record profits of £321 million; they have also ceased our national bonus scheme, without union agreement – whilst their managers recently received bonuses ranging from £4,000-£9,500 per manager. This is scandalous.
‘Another frustration for Northampton’s Mail Centre workers is that negotiations on future jobs at the new Swan Valley site – due to open in 2010 – have stalled, through no fault of the CWU it is important to add.
‘Our members are feeling extremely anxious about future job security and all they are seeing at the moment is Royal Mail imposing unacceptable change and their union being sidelined.
‘Royal Mail locally and nationally need to re-engage with the CWU and to agree a future modernisation programme that benefits both the company and its main asset – the workforce.’
The strike action ballot at Crow Lane comes on the back of similar requests that have been made in both the Kettering Delivery Office and the National Distribution Centre in Crick.
These developments are in addition to a growing number of Royal Mail offices across the UK that will be taking strike action today over similar disputes.
