Postal workers in Royal Mail will be striking on Monday 4 November, having voted by 4 to 1 (78%) in favour of strike action.
They are fighting to protect their jobs, terms and conditions and secure a pay rise.
They are also fighting to defend the national postal service from being further broken up.
The CWU has allowed two weeks to reach an agreement but will proceed with strike action if no agreement is concluded by that date. It will be a one day of all-out strike action, with further action under consideration. The union is also announcing a new ballot that will enable postal workers to boycott competitors’ mail, to supplement the strike action.
Following the privatisation of the mail the company is trying to make postal workers pay for the profits it wants to give to the shareholders.
The CWU wants to reach an agreement, but it is not clear if the newly privatised Royal Mail wants to.
The CWU is seeking a ground-breaking, long term, legally binding agreement that not only protects postal workers’ job security, pay and pensions – but will also determine the strategy, principles and values of how the Royal Mail Group will operate as a private entity.
The CWU wants to ensure there is no further breakup of the company, no franchising of individual offices or delivery rounds, no introduction of a cheaper workforce on two-tier terms and conditions and no part time industry.
The ballot result in full was:
Turnout: 63% (71,913)
Yes votes: 78% (56,339)
No votes: 22% (15,624)
For further details visit the CWU website