Victory for post depot cleaners and engineers
20th December 2012
Cleaners and engineers who work on contracts for Royal Mail
have secured a big improvement to the pay rise on offer from their
bosses after threatening to strike tomorrow (Friday).
An eleventh hour proposal from their employer was good enough
for the postal executive of the Communication Workers Union to call
off the action.
The strike would have hit Romec - a facilities company jointly
owned by Royal Mail and Balfour Beatty that supplies cleaners and
engineers to post depots.
The workers had been offered a rise of just 1.5 per cent over 27
months - but a revised offer of 3.1 per cent over 15 months will be
put to union members for their consideration.
Ray Ellis, CWU negotiator, said: "These workers have stuck together and
refused to be bullied into accepting an insulting pay
offer.
"They were furious that Romec bosses had paid themselves
bonuses of between 9 and 15 per cent.
"The new offer should take everyone over the living wage -
it's a great victory."
Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary said: "We are delighted common sense has prevailed and stopped wider disruption to Royal Mail services at Christmas."
