The planned 19 days of industrial action include Black Friday week and Cyber Monday, as well as 13, 20, and 25 October, and 28 November. On Thursday, IDS reported an adjusted operating profit of £61 million for the 26 weeks to September 29, up from a £169 million loss a year earlier. Mr Seidenberg said the rise in its costs “increases the need” for service reform, with the company hoping for a decision from regulator Ofcom of a review in its universal service obligations (USO) by early next year. Martin Seidenberg, chief executive of parent firm International Distribution Services (IDS), said measures from Rachel Reeves’ maiden Budget last month will “hit us harder compared to our competitors”. «They should be focused on a resolution to this dispute for their members Us currency trading and the long-term health of the business, rather than damaging strike action,» it said.
BBC News Services
«In the event of industrial action, we have contingency plans to minimise customer disruption and will work to keep people, businesses and the country connected,» a statement said. The company is looking to transition more towards parcel delivery and away from delivering letters, which have dwindled in popularity. It previously made a request to the Government to stop delivering letters on Saturdays, which was denied. Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have entered into a fresh round of talks in the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
Royal Mail workers are to hold 19 days of strike action over pay and terms and conditions during the peak postal build-up to Christmas. The union has said the strikes are partly about the «Uberisation» of the postal service, including «widespread changes… introducing Uber-style owner-drivers, mail centre closures and changes to Sunday working». The union said postal workers «will not budge» until they receive a «dignified, proper pay rise». «Customers should expect delays to items sent on strike days and on the days immediately after strike action,» Royal Mail said on its website. Customers can continue to use post boxes during the industrial action with post offices also open and offering the usual services – but collections will be limited. «In a materially loss-making company, with every additional day of strike action we are basic attention token sees its largest daily exchange outflow to date facing the difficult choice of whether we spend our money on pay and protecting jobs, or on the cost of strikes,» Mr Thompson said.
Royal Mail workers staged a series of walkouts last year, including in the lead up to Christmas. You can change these settings by clicking “Ad Choices / Do not sell my info” in the footer at any time. Royal Mail said it had made its «best and final offer» and accused the union of «holding Christmas to ransom». The spokesperson said Royal Mail had invited CWU to discussions through dispute resolution service Acas on 22 September. «These are the same people that have kept the country connected and returned Royal Mail Group to record profit,» he said.
PM: Government is ‘for farmers’ and most will be unaffected by tax change
Business Recovery, Transformation & Growth is a 35-page national agreement between the CWU and Royal Mail Group. It covers all operations and functions across the business and it has been formally endorsed by the union’s Postal Executive. «The proposed agreement will now be considered by the executive of the union before being voted on by the union’s membership. «We are doing all we can to minimise any delays and keep people, businesses and the country connected.»
Royal Mail: Business Recovery, Transformation & Growth
The CWU’s postal executive has formally endorsed BRTG and has also decided to hold a consultative ballot, on the agreement, of all Royal Mail Group members. Ballot papers were dispatched to members on Thursday 22nd June and the result will be announced on Tuesday 11th July. Royal Mail is moving from its traditional business of delivering letters – which is no longer profitable – to the fast-growing world of parcel deliveries, driven by the increasing popularity of online shopping. About 115,000 workers had been expected to walk out as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions. The average pay rise for workers in the private sector was 6.9% between August and October.
- The call by the CWU for “engagement” is a blueprint for a surrender document Mark II, not a call to arms for postal workers.
- It also said it would prioritise the delivery of Covid-19 test kits and medical prescriptions.
- General Secretary Dave Ward said workers faced the «biggest ever assault» on jobs, terms and conditions «in the history of Royal Mail».
- The source at Royal Mail signalled a deep frustration within the firm on the lack of progress in the negotiations to date, accusing the union of misleading its members.
- IDS chief executive Martin Seidenberg has already signalled new attacks on Royal Mail workers, citing as a pretext the announcement by the Labour government of increased national insurance contributions (NICs) for employers.
- The company is encouraging people to post items as early as possible to avoid disruption.
Around 115,000 postal workers are walking out for 48 hours during Thursday and Black Friday. The union representing 112,000 frontline Royal Mail staff is increasingly «gambling with their members’ futures», a company source has told Sky News as a new wave of strikes looms in their bitter row over pay and modernisation plans. Letters will not be delivered on strike days and some What is lot in trading parcels will be delayed, Royal Mail warned.