THE Communication Workers Union has said it is prepared to ‘settle around inflation’ for the next two years.
Given that ‘around’ means less, and that the official figure for inflation understates the real inflation rate, this would mean accepting a pay cut for their members at Royal Mail for the next two years.
The CWU made the statement in a circular outlining its response to Royal Mail’s demands that have caused the current CWU strike actions.
The statement added that this week’s new round of national strike action at Royal Mail is ‘a serious attempt to bring the dispute to a successful conclusion.
‘We are still determined to reach an agreement.
‘We have given Royal Mail a final window of opportunity to negotiate a settlement and avoid further action.’
The circular says that the CWU wants Royal Mail to deal with pensions as a separate issue, renegotiate the ColleagueShare scheme of bonuses dependent on profits, including shares in lieu of cash, ‘so that people receive guaranteed money for agreed change’, and to withdraw ‘unworkable’ flexible working proposals.
In return the CWU says on pay: ‘We are prepared to be realistic about what monies can be guaranteed over the next two years.
‘We would be prepared to settle for around inflation in both years as the underpinning pay increases.’
The Prime Minister has already said that he will not accept above inflation rate pay increases.
In addition the CWU leaders propose that Royal Mail withdraws its pensions and flexibility proposals and accepts ‘The opportunity to make realistic savings locally, through the IR (Industrial Relations) Framework.’
The CWU supports ‘A Productivity Scheme that provides people with local incentives for all hours saved – not as Royal Mail propose – only those hours saved above the local budget.’
The CWU proposes Working Groups be set up to ‘deal with flexibility’ so it ‘can be done in a sensible way that demonstrates there are real benefits to employees.’
The CWU also hints that it will accept two-tier pensions.
In the section on automation, the CWU does not mention its position on the inherent mass redundancies that will flow from automation.
