Post Office Supply Chain & Admin strike hits hard
Postal, Post Office (PO) June 6 2022
Hundreds walk out from depots and units across the UK this morning, following up on Saturday’s Crown counters action…
From Belfast to Birmingham and from Aberdeen to Swansea, cash collection and delivery drivers and their admin colleagues stopped work, just two days after counters staff closed Crown Offices across the country in their ongoing fight for a fair pay rise.
Speaking from a lively picket line at Hemel Hempsted, CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey said: “This is the second bout of industrial action and I want to thank our members for their fantastic support and solidarity today and on Saturday. This weekend has shown once again that Post Office workers will not accept the appalling treatment by senior management and that they will keep fighting until a fair deal is achieved.”
Post Office bosses refused to award any pay rise at all for 2021/22 and have put forward what the union describes as a “derisory” proposal for 2022/23 consisting of a 2.5 per cent wage increase and a £500 lump sum.
“We have rejected this offer as it goes nowhere near to meeting the needs of our hard-working members,” says Andy. “With RPI inflation currently at 11 per cent and even the CPI rate hitting 9 per cent, a pay offer of 2.5 per cent is derisory and unacceptable.
“And the management’s refusal to even pay any rise at all for 2021/22 just adds insult to injury. This is a financially healthy organisation, which reported £35 million in annual operating profits and can easily afford to settle this pay claim. Our members are key workers who have shown incredible dedication to serving the public and they deserve better – much better.”
CWU area representative Alan Robertson was on early-morning picket duty at Aberdeen, where he said: “It’s been brilliant here and all our members are 100 per cent standing together in unity. We’ve also been visited by local Labour councillors who’ve pledged their support to our struggle as well – so a big thank you to them as well as to all our superb members.”
Alan is one of the two senior CWU Supply Chain & Admin area representatives, with his area of responsibility including depots in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Sheffield, Newcastle, Manchester and Belfast. “I’ve had positive reports from all of them – and today’s action is being strongly backed everywhere,” he said.
“Morale is high and determination is stronger than ever.”
Rob Jones is Alan’s Southern and Midlands area counterpart and he spoke to CWU News from the East London depot, where once again, the walkout was fully supported by members. “It’s good to see the strength of feeling here and it was also great that some of our other branch members came along to support our picket as well,” said Rob.
“Around my patch, I’m hearing positive news from Birmingham, Norwich, Swansea and Southampton and at other depots too so far – and also seeing some great picket line photos being posted up on our WhatsApp group.
“Members are really angry that the top management are treating them unfairly and badly. We’re determined to keep fighting. We need that money – the cost of living is going up all the time and our wages need to keep up with it.”
- The CWU staff branch of the GMB, which represents CWU employees, has agreed to make a solidarity donation to the striking Post Office workers. Branch secretary Lisa DeFontaine said: “We send our full solidarity and support and best wishes to CWU Post Office members taking their second round of strike action in their struggle for a fair pay rise, particularly at this time of a severe cost-of-living crisis.”
See more of this morning’s picket line photos below:
Birmingham
Hemel Hempstead
East London
Sheffield
Belfast
Aberdeen