Postal strikes are now scheduled for the 5th and 8th of October after the Communication Workers Union rejected the latest package put forward by Royal Mail.
The proposed offer of a 6.7 percent increase on basic pay over two years was rejected due to a disagreement over working hours.
Dave Ward, the union's deputy general secretary, said: "Despite five weeks of negotiations, Royal Mail have failed to take on board the union's message that in order for the business to succeed, Royal Mail need to invest in their workforce.
"Strikes are a proportionate response to an employer that is completely out of control.
"Rather than running the business, Royal Mail's actions demonstrate they are intent on destroying it.
"The workforce has had enough of Royal Mail messing them around. We're not going to tolerate an employer that ignores its workforce, ignores the union and ignores its customers."
Royal Mail countered by saying that it “is extremely disappointed that, despite a four week “period of calm” to allow talks to take place, the Communication Workers Union continues to ignore the stark challenges facing the company and refuses to agree a way forward for the business.
“During these talks, Royal Mail offered the CWU both a short term resolution to the dispute within the amount available for pay this year and at no extra cost to the company, as well as a longer term solution which we believe is in the interests of all our people and the business.”
Businesses are recommended to start to plan ways around the strike to ensure that trade is not affected in any way that is avoidable.
The Royal Mail helplines are 08457 740 740 and 08457 950 950.
September 20 2007
Related Links
Communication Workers Union
Royal Mail
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