Nearly 60% Of Postal Workers Do Not Vote For CWU’s

08/10/2009

Royal Mail today condemned the CWU’s plan for a national strike as deplorable and irresponsible and said that the union’s action would drive customers away from the business and undermine confidence in the entire postal services industry. The company said nearly 60% of postmen and women did not vote for strike action and Royal Mail urged the union to honour its repeated commitment to a no-strike period and accept that there is no going back on change.

Royal Mail has already completed the major efficiency changes planned for 2009, both nationally and in London, under the 2007 Pay and Modernisation Agreement, leaving no reason for the CWU to continue its unjustified strikes.

Mark Higson, Royal Mail’s Managing Director, said: "It is clearly reprehensible for the union to continue to hold strikes when Royal Mail is not planning any further efficiency changes for the rest of the 2009 calendar year and the priority facing everyone in Royal Mail is to deliver the best possible service to customers in the run up to Christmas. We have held more than 70 meetings with the CWU over the last few months and we call on them now to stop the strikes, get back round the table and talk.

"The union leadership agreed to these changes but have reneged on that agreement and now they are reneging on their repeated offer to call off strikes and are intent on disrupting customer service as much as they can even though nearly 60% of our postmen and women did not vote for strike action. The union says it supports modernisation and wants to serve customers - but again these prove to be empty words."

Mr Higson also apologised again to customers for the disruption caused by the union’s action and urged the CWU not to call a national strike. Mr Higson said: "Every letter is important to us and we apologise unreservedly for the disruption and inconvenience our customers have suffered as a result of the CWU’s strikes."

He stressed: "As we announced last week, we have now successfully completed the major efficiency changes planned for 2009, both nationally and in London, under the 2007 Pay and Modernisation Agreement and there is no going-back on them. These changes are absolutely essential if Royal Mail is to survive in an increasingly tough communications marketplace - and against a backdrop of sharply falling mail volumes in the UK and around the world.

"As always, the company will be focusing on delivering excellent customer service over the vitally important run-up to Christmas when letter numbers reach their seasonal peak. Royal Mail again calls on the CWU to abandon its unjustified strikes and to help the business deliver the service our customers deserve."

Ends

Issued by Royal Mail:
100 Victoria Embankment
LONDON
EC4Y 0HQ

Notes to Editors

The CWU balloted its 121,000 members in Royal Mail although some further 20,000 postmen and women have chosen not to join the union. Nearly 60% of postmen and women around the UK have not voted for strikes. The level of change successfully introduced this year is higher than has been implemented in any previous year and has been an essential response to the accelerating decline in the number of letters - down around 10% against last year.

The changes include the introduction of more flexible working as we respond to the changing marketplace and ensuring people work the hours for which they are paid, using the tools for the job such as new automated sorting equipment and handheld tracking devices. Taken together, this means that over 85% of mail is now walk sorted with Royal Mail on track to complete its modernisation plans, of which these plans mark the latest phase.

Detailed customer advice on delays caused by CWU strikes can be found on the Royal Mail web site at royalmail.com/serviceupdates. Post Office branches and Parcelforce Worldwide are working normally.


www.royalmail.com