Guardian News and Media/London


Royal Mail union officials have agreed to hold a national strike ballot of 115,000 staff in protest at the government’s plan to privatise the 497-year-old postal service and changes to terms and conditions.
The ballot, the first nationwide strike ballot since 2009, will be held no later than September, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) said yesterday.
About 500 CWU representatives voted unanimously in favour of the ballot, and it is expected to be widely backed by workers.
Dave Ward, the CWU deputy general secretary, said: “We do not take the decisions to hold a strike ballot lightly. However, we will stop at nothing to ensure the future of our members’ jobs and of the services they deliver are protected.
“The current situation cannot go on. Postal workers are being squeezed in their workplaces, facing an uncertain future and changes to their pensions. There hasn’t yet been a pay rise for staff this year despite healthy company profits of £403mn.
“But most importantly, we want protections for job security and terms and conditions and these are sadly lacking.”
Ward said the union is committed to holding negotiations with Royal Mail to resolve the issues, but warned that “efforts to date do not bode well”.
“The company only began to seriously negotiate with us following our consultative ballot in June, which showed 99% of postal workers back the union’s position on pay, 96% are opposed to privatisation and 92% are willing to take part in a boycott of competitors’ mail and to withdraw co-operation on workplace changes.”
Staff oppose the privatisation despite the promise of a personal windfall of up to £2,000 each as part of the controversial sell off.
Royal Mail said it was disappointed that the CWU was considering strike action.
“Earlier this month, Royal Mail proposed a legally-binding three-year agreement to deliver its agenda for growth and industrial stability that included an 8.6% increase in base pay over three years. It has been rejected by the CWU, but we continue to talk with them about reaching agreement.
“Royal Mail believes that strike action or threat of strike action is harmful. Royal Mail operates in a very competitive market and we recognise that customers have a choice and can move their business very quickly. Our proposal offered confirmation that contracts of employment and terms and conditions for existing employees and employees hired into the core network will remain on the same basis at least for the three-year period of this settlement, unless varied by mutual consent. It also offered a new model for CWU and Royal Mail to work together.”
Post Office workers -  a separate government owned company from Royal Mail - have walked out on strike nine times since Easter in a battle against government plans to franchise out 70 “crown” high street branches.