Post Office strike vote warning

Postal, Post Office (PO) December 20 2021

Pay freeze will provoke anger amongst hard-working Post Office staff, says CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey…

“It’s looking highly likely that a strike ballot will be held in the New Year,” Andy Furey told CWU News this afternoon, immediately after meeting with the union’s Postal Executive.

The executive, which convened in special session following a breakdown in pay talks between the union and the Post Office, unanimously backed Andy’s written request to formally register a legal trade dispute with the company, in response to Post Office chief Nick Read’s imposition of a 2021/22 pay freeze on employees.  

“This arbitrary decision has already sparked anger amongst our membership,” Andy said.  “And so, in accordance with the law and with the specific dispute procedure appertaining between ourselves and the Post Office, the next stage is a reference to the independent arbitration service ACAS – a process which will begin in earnest early in the New Year.”

Should the intervention of ACAS be unsuccessful in achieving a resolution, the next stage will be to return to the CWU executive to seek formal authorisation for a national strike ballot “if there is not a fair and reasonable settlement via the ACAS process,” explained Andy.

“It quite frankly beggars belief that, at a time when our frontline members are working conscientiously to serve the nation through the worst public health emergency in living memory, and at a time when inflation has hit its highest point in over a decade, that arrogant bosses should impose a pay freeze.

“It’s totally unacceptable and our members and this union will not let this happen.”

Postal executive member Mole Meade told CWU News: “A pay freeze is outrageously disrespectful to everyone working on the frontline exposing themselves to risk every day.

“How dare the company bosses ignore the challenges these workers have faced over the past 18 months – what a slap in the face to our hard-working members who are key workers.

“If they think our members will take this lying down then they seriously need to think again.”