CWU

The workers, represented by the Communication Workers Union, have been offered a 4.1% pay rise by the company, meaning in real terms a pay cut. Official inflation in the Isle of Man is running at 6.5%, though as workers spend more on necessities such as food and gas, which have seen global price hikes in the past year, they are more severely hit by inflation in necessities.

Unions have rejected the postal group's plan to overhaul its pensions scheme and are poised to ballot nearly 150,000 members over whether they back the plan or not.

The 100 strikers, member of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), are refusing to deliver mail until at least 16th January following a meeting between workers. The extension came ahead of talks between the union and Royal Mail.

Burslem Delivery Office has been the site of a large number of unofficial walkouts this year, alongside the official strike action in August and October.

The vote was on a 64% turnout.

Many workers have reacted angrily to the news, with one employee on Royal Mail Chat stating:

The problem, according to headlines in the mainstream press, was a 2.5% pay rise being offered by Royal Mail to its 190,000 workers, along with some vague problems to do with ‘terms and conditions’.

The reality of what is being faced by the postal workers is far more complex and vastly more damaging, not just for them, but for everyone who wants to be sure of getting their mail.

Belfast
Postal workers in Belfast have won an important victory against management after unofficial action on Friday of last week. It took the workers just one and a half hours to force down bosses’ attempts to change start times.

Managers insisted that the workforce put forward their start times by two hours.

CWU bosses Billy Hayes and Dave Ward met with Royal Mail's Adam Crozier and Allan Leighton on the 12th of October, signing a deal just hours after Royal Mail had gained an injunction to prevent further strike action scheduled for the beginning of last week.

The Royal Mail was granted an injunction to stop CWU members at sorting and delivery offices from striking. Royal Mail says an irregularity in the way the strike notice was issued makes the action illegal. The union insisted the strike was legitimate because it fully complied with the law. Rolling strikes similar to those in August were due to start on Monday.

130,000 Communication Workers Union (CWU) members returned to work today after the latest four day strikes, but the introduction of later starts by executive action has led to mass walkouts in Glasgow, Lancaster, Liverpool, and London, with more offices to follow.