Results announced at our annual conference in Bournemouth:
Royal Mail Pay:
Yes: 66,064 (77.5%)
No: 19,199
Post Office Ltd (Counters):
Yes: 2740 (73%)
No: 993
Cash In Transit:
Yes: 545 (66%)
No: 283
Postal workers have voted strongly in favour of taking industrial action over pay, in what would be the first national postal strike since 1996.
The CWU is in dispute with the Royal Mail over its 2.5% pay offer. A series of walkouts will now be held by about 130,000 CWU members unless new talks can lead to a breakthrough in the dispute.
Deputy General Secretary, Dave Ward, said:
"This yes vote shows absolutely clearly that Royal Mail workers have rejected the company's business plan, the company's leadership amd the unacceptable pay offer. Royal Mail leaders say they listen to people; this is the clearest message they have ever had. Royal Mail has to listem and return to serious negotiations."
Statement by Dave Ward – Deputy General Secretary (Postal):
Chair, conference – today postal workers across the Royal Mail group have had their say – not through the company’s discredited employee involvement programmes – but in the most powerful way of all – through a democratic ballot for strike action.
Postal workers have rejected the company’s arguments – rejected their plans for the future – and delivered overwhelming votes in support of their union.
The key issue in this dispute remains the unacceptable cuts in postal services – cuts in postal jobs - and attacks on our members’ terms and conditions.
We say to the public the threat to the very future of your postal services is real.
Royal Mail’s plans include 40,000 job losses – later deliveries - reductions in collections – reductions in weekend service.
The closure of delivery offices and mail centres – and the destruction of the rural and crown office post office network.
The public know postal workers are decent people – they just want to get on with their jobs - but they really have had enough of the way they are being treated by Royal Mail.
All we want is decent well paid jobs and the ability to provide the public with the highest possible service standards.
Because we care about the service there will be no immediate announcement for strike action – we want an agreement – not a strike for the sake of it.
So we will give Royal Mail a further opportunity to back-off from their cuts and come back to the negotiating table with a fresh approach.
However - if Messrs Leighton, Crozier and Cook choose to ignore the workforce and press on regardless with their plans we will see the first national postal strike in over 10 years.
Conference the size of the yes vote and Royal Mail’s hostile behaviour makes this an even more serious dispute.
You can be proud of your efforts – and proud that our members have so publicly put their faith in this union.
The CWU is ready for the challenge.
We will provide responsible and determined leadership.
We will win this dispute – defend postal services – and build a successful future for our members.
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