ROYAL MAIL GROUP: PAY AND CHANGE DISPUTES
As reported via Facebook Live last night, the Postal Executive has determined a new strategy to pursue our aims and objectives. We have always said the dispute was dynamic and would require us to be flexible to deal with any developments. Therefore, in view of the revised pay and change offer received from Royal Mail on Monday (attached), we have decided the best approach is to withdraw the national strike action scheduled for:
- Saturday 12th November and Monday 14th November
The Postal Executive has replaced the above with two 48 strikes around the key pressure periods of Black Friday and Cyber Monday as follows:
- 48 hours from 04:00 Thursday 24th November until 04:00 Saturday 26th November
- 48 hours from 04:00 Wednesday 30th November until 04:00 Friday 2ndDecember
In addition, the Postal Executive will determine a programme of action up to Christmas.
Consultative Ballot of all Members to Reject the Pay & Change Offer
We will also be conducting a workplace consultative ballot of our members to support the rejection of the RMG pay and change offer, which covers Fleet and Parcelforce for Change but is silent on pay for these members. Arrangements are in progress to ensure Branches receive the ballot papers for distribution to members starting from early next week. This consultative ballot will close on Wednesday 16th November, which is the eve of Royal Mail Group’s half yearly financial results being announced to the markets.
To support the necessary membership engagement, we will be holding an on-line Zoom meeting with all Representatives on Monday 7thNovember at 6.30pm, in order to provide more details surrounding this crucial activity. Further details on the wider communications plan will be reported.
Vote of No Confidence in Simon Thompson, CEO
Coupled with the pay and change consultative ballot will be a further question on the ballot paper whereby we will be recommending members support a Vote of No Confidence in Simon Thompson, CEO. This is necessary due to the strategic direction he is taking the company in, which essentially is an all-out attack on our members’ jobs, pay, terms and conditions, including Compulsory Redundancies and Outsourcing. We believe there has been gross mismanagement of Royal Mail Group which will be declaring a loss for the first six months of the year, yet only in May declared a record profit of £758m and paid out £594m this year in the form of shareholder dividends and a share buy-back. The reality is, responsibility for RMG’s loss making lies at the door of the CEO and Royal Mail Group Board.
Our strength lies within the workplace and by engaging directly with our members. As the consultative ballots will be our main focus over the course of the next two weeks we will therefore be providing Reps with communication materials to support an effective membership engagement. It was the unanimous view of the Postal Executive that the strike action scheduled for 12th and 14th Novemberwould have been a distraction to delivering massive votes to support the rejection of the pay & change offer and the vote of no confidence and this is why we have withdrawn.
Acas Negotiations with Royal Mail Group
We are more committed than ever to resolving these disputes and have informed Royal Mail Group we remain available for meaningful negotiations at Acas. However, for progress to be made, it will require Royal Mail moving away from the unrealistic position contained within the pay & change proposal. The calling of the two 48 bouts of strike action is specifically designed to place pressure on Royal Mail to negotiate a solution for a holistic settlement that encompasses all of our members including Parcelforce and Fleet.
Major Shareholder Meeting
We have also decided to invite all major shareholders to a meeting to hear the Union’s view of this dispute. This will be based upon us putting forward the real reasons why Royal Mail Group faces serious challenges. We will also set out our views as to what we believe resolves the dispute, together with an alternative business plan that can build a successful future for the company and our members.
Yours sincerely,
Dave Ward
General Secretary
Andy Furey
Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
LTB 431/22 – Royal Mail Group Pay and Change Disputes
Attachment: Stuart MacDonald to Dave Ward & Andy Furey – New Offer – 31 Oct
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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