Royal Mail workers are being recommended to accept a new pay deal that could end the long-running dispute between them and the company. If members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) accept the offer, it would provide a 10% pay rise over three years, as well as a one-off lump sum of £500. The agreement also includes a commitment to no compulsory redundancies and covers later start times, changes to sick pay, attendance standards, ill health retirement and revised contracts for new starters.
The Royal Mail and the CWU have both expressed that the deal is a “good” one. Dave Ward, the general secretary of the CWU, said that if people look at the agreement in the context of the dispute, they will see it as a good outcome.
The dispute began in April 2022 when the union argued that the pay offer made by Royal Mail was not enough, with workers being affected by inflation and the cost of living crisis. The union also objected to proposed changes to working conditions. This led to a series of walkouts last year, including in the lead-up to Christmas. Royal Mail estimated that these strikes had cost them £200m in lost business and covering striking staff.
The agreement could bring an end to this bad-tempered industrial dispute. It was always about more than money and it has been difficult to resolve. Royal Mail argued that without modernisation, the business would go bust, while postal workers saw this as a threat to their way of life.
Union members will be balloted on the offer in the coming weeks. If approved by the CWU membership, it would represent a “good outcome for customers, employees and shareholders” according to Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distributions Services.
Striking workers have lost an average of £1,800 over 18 strike days, but someone on the picket line said that this financial hit was worth it as it was “their last stand”. The positive attitude of Dave Ward suggests that he will be encouraging his members to accept the offer.
The new agreement could bring an end to this long-running dispute between Royal Mail and its workers. It includes a 10% salary increase and a one-off lump sum of £500, as well as a commitment to no compulsory redundancies and revised contracts for new starters. Union members will be balloted on the offer in the coming weeks and if accepted, it would be a “good outcome” for all involved.