LTB 455/17 – Four Pillars and CWU Pay Claim 2017 – Industrial Action Timetable

No. 455/17

15th August 2017

Dear Colleague,

Four Pillars and CWU Pay Claim 2017 – Industrial Action Timetable

Further to the updates provided in LTBs 410/17 and 447/17 and following the National Briefing held in London on Monday 14th August, the Postal Executive met today to discuss a ballot timetable for Industrial Action to support the CWU’s Four Pillars of Security campaign.

Working in close consultation with the SDGS Department, the Postal Executive endorsed the following ballot timetable for all appropriate CWU grades in the Royal Mail Group:

Letter out for Membership Check: 16th August 2017

Information Returned By: 30th August 2017

Issue Notification: 6th September 2017

Ballot Opens: 14th September 2017

Ballot Closes: 3rd October 2017

Result Announced: 3rd October 2017

While the union has spelt out the above timetable (in line with the Conference policy set out in Emergency Motion 5) Branches will note that it still provides a period of weeks for further talks to continue with Royal Mail to try and secure a final settlement on all Four Pillars before the ballot process commences in early September.

It should be noted that in setting this timetable we clearly believe we are approaching a critical point in our disagreement with Royal Mail Group and it is important that members understand our campaign has the full support of the wider union. The General Secretary has committed the union’s full backing and believes the issues we are challenging are key elements of the CWU’s wider campaign for a better deal for workers across the UK.

Further talks between CWU’s negotiating team and Royal Mail management are scheduled to take place in Northampton this week (Wednesday 16th August, Thursday 17th August and Friday 18th August). Should no significant progress be made in the talks over the coming weeks, the Postal Executive will enact the agreed ballot timetable when the Executive next meets on Tuesday 5th September 2017.

Further updates on the talks with Royal Mail will be provided in due course.

Please see the video below: