Over 2,000 Royal Mail managers will strike later this month as the battle over job and pay cuts continue to haunt the company.
The Unite trade union said this afternoon that industrial action would immediately impact the postal and parcel service in the UK, with strikes set to take place between 20 July to 22 July.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This business is awash with cash but it is putting profits and dividends for the few at the top ahead of its duties as a public service.
“There is not a single aspect of these cuts which is about improving customer service.
“They are being driven entirely by a culture of greed and profiteering which has seized a 500-year-old essential service, driving it close to ruin.
“Our members are determined to force the business to take a different path.”
Commenting on the ballot results, a Royal Mail spokesperson said it was “disappointed” about the planned action, having been in discussions with the union since November 2021 about the reduction of 700 managerial roles.
“There are no grounds for industrial action. The extended consultation on our recent restructure concluded earlier this year, and the restructuring is complete. We committed to protecting pay for all managers who stay with Royal Mail, and the vast majority have seen an increase in their earnings”, the spokesperson said.
We allowed managers to request voluntary redundancy with a package of up to two years’ salary, which was over-subscribed. We also made several concessions during the process, which Unite declined.
“We have contingency plans in place to minimise disruption for customers in the event of industrial action, and we will work to keep people, businesses and the country connected.”
The firm did state that it had a contingency plan to minimise the disruption, which is likely to cause delivery delays.
The news is just another blow for Royal Mail, which is awaiting the Communication Workers Union’s (CWU) ballot results on 19 July. The consequence of this vote on action could mean over 115,000 workers go on strike this summer.