Postal workers vote in favour of strike

Updated 12.20 Thu Jun 07 2007

Keywords: Royal Mail, Post, strike

Around 130,000 postal workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike over pay.

The Communication Workers Union announced at its annual conference in Bournemouth that ballots of three separate groups of Royal Mail workers showed overwhelming support for strikes.

The Royal Mail said the demand amounted to a 27 per cent pay rise which the organisation "simply can't afford"

The CWU is in dispute with the Royal Mail after leaders rejected a 2.5 per cent pay offer in response for a demand that postal workers' pay should rise to the national average over the next five years.

The Royal Mail said the demand amounted to a 27 per cent pay rise which the organisation "simply can't afford".

It said it had made a "realistic and fair" offer comprising the 2.5 per cent increase in basic pensionable pay, plus an £800 dividend from its ColleagueShares scheme and a 50 per cent share in any savings above budget in an employee's local unit.

The Royal Mail said the union's claim would cost Royal Mail £1 billion.

Union leaders will meet next week to draw up plans for the first national strikes since 1996.

CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "Royal Mail workers have rejected the company's business plan, the company's leadership and an unacceptable pay offer."

He added: "This is the clearest message we have had from the workforce so the Royal Mail has to listen, and return to serious negotiations."