Post Office strike Tuesday

 A fifth round of strike action will be taken by Crown post office workers on Tuesday 28th May as the dispute over jobs, closures and pay continues. Talks held in the past week have made no progress on the major issues leaving CWU with little option other than to serve notice for more strike action. 

CWU managed to secure an outstanding £100 payment for staff at a meeting last week, but no progress was made on the bigger issues of pay and the Post Office’s plans to close or franchise 76 Crown offices affecting over 800 jobs. 

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said; “There’s growing unrest within the Post Office and it’s time that management responded to workers’ concerns. There is massive public opposition to the closure and franchise plans and Post Office management have had to admit that their figures on our pay claim were wrong. They cannot continue to plough blindly ahead with deeply unpopular and unnecessary plans.

'We’re really pleased that we managed to secure £100 for each of our members at last week’s meeting, but the big issues of pay, closures, franchising and jobs remain unresolved. We have been given little choice than to press ahead with a further full day of strike action.  The support for strike action has increased with every day we’ve taken and we’re grateful for the fantastic support from customers, politicians and local communities also. We’re fighting to protect post office jobs and services which are clearly valued. We still believe a common way forward can be found, but it needs Post Office management to focus on a joint resolution, rather than sticking blindly to their flawed plans and throwing money at sending managers out to cover strike days.'

Strike action will take place all day on Tuesday May 28 and will affect up to 4,000 staff working in 373 Crown (main) post offices. Post Office staff voted by nine to one (88%) in favour of strike action and have already taken strike action on Easter Saturday , April 19, April 29 and May 7.

This full day of strike action is over closures and franchising which would cut 20% of the Crown network and affect over 800 jobs, and also outstanding pay issues. Management have not yet changed their position, despite their financial arguments on pay being proved wrong with their calculations out by more than £6 million. The closure and franchising plans are meeting stiff opposition across the country with tens of thousands signing petitions, and public meetings rejecting the plans.