12 December 2014

Communication Workers Union (CWU) members will walk out for 24 hours today (12 December).

The dispute concerns 1,500 employees working in the Admin and Supply Chain, who collect and distribute cash across the 11,500 branch network.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said the Post Office’s plan to cut 28% of jobs from the administrative and supply chain workforce is unacceptable.

He said: “This is the first time in its 400 year history that the Post Office has threatened compulsory redundancies on its workforce. It speaks volumes about the mis-management of this important public service. The truth is Vince Cable’s decision to split the Post Office from Royal Mail two years ago, and to place the company in a financial straightjacket with no strategy for the future, has led to a spiral of managed decline and will eventually destroy the company.”

“The workers distributing cash to over 11,500 Post Office branches put themselves in danger everyday in order to do their jobs and it is appalling that they have the very real threat of compulsory redundancy hanging over them. By getting rid of such a significant part of the workforce, it would be incredibly difficult for the Post Office to continue its current level of service in this area.”

Last week the CWU called for a judicial review into Ofcom, the regulator for the media and postal service, after it decided not to impose new conditions of Royal Mail’s competitors. General secretary Dave Ward said at the time: “What Ofcom is really saying is that postal workers pay and conditions need to be cut in the name of efficiency. In criticising Royal Mail’s efficiency, Ofcom is preparing the ground for postal workers terms and conditions and pay to be dragged down to the level of its competitors.”

“At last week’s BIS select committee, both trade unions and the postal companies giving evidence all agreed decent terms and conditions and pay were essential for good performance. Ofcom seems to be the only party who want to oversee a race to the bottom on postal pay and service quality, something CWU will never accept.”

It has been confirmed that Whistl – formerly TNT Post – a direct-delivery competitor of Royal Mail employs workers on zero-hours contracts. The CWU has called on competitors to publish their employees pay and conditions.

For more information on zero-hours contracts and the exploitation they enable Re-regulating Zero Hours Contracts, is available now.