CWU

Communication Workers' Union

Post workers vote for more strikes

Communications Workers Union (CWU) leaders have warned of a “new wave of disruption” in Royal Mail, after postal workers voted by a 95.6% majority, on a 77% turnout, to renew their industrial action mandate. However, the union is yet to announce any further strikes. Postal workers have struck 18 times against the company’s plans for job cuts and changes to the working arrangements, as well as to win a decent pay settlement. But Royal Mail has not budged, and has begun to unilaterally impose its changes and to victimise reps. CWU’s last phase of strikes saw workers strike multiple times in...

CWU must use new mandate

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has cancelled a planned further strike in its disputes over jobs, pay, and conditions in Royal Mail. The strike was set for 24 hours, from 12.30 on 16 February, but has been called off following a legal challenge from Royal Mail. It seems the challenge is based on the fact that, as CWU's current ballot mandate expires on 16 February, a strike stretching across 16-17 February would be invalid. This is second time in the dispute CWU has cancelled strikes in the face of legal challenges from the employer. CWU now says it is wholly focused on renewing its...

CWU moots more mail strikes

I’m not aware of any specific discussion having taken place about CWU striking on 1 February. It does now seem more possible that we might strike again before the conclusion of our current re-ballot (16 February). In his latest video message to members, general secretary Dave Ward has said that, unless Royal Mail stops unilaterally imposing changes, there could be another strike “in the next couple of weeks.” The changes that are being imposed are around changes to duties and staffing levels, based on ridiculously low assumptions about workload, leading to understaffing. In my workplace...

Staying solid in Royal Mail

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has written to its members to inform them of another period of “intensive negotiations” with Royal Mail, between 9 and 20 January. The union has agreed not to strike during this period. The statement says “the union’s Postal Executive believe it is the right time to see if talks can succeed and for both parties to jointly try to change the dynamic of our disputes.” A postal worker and CWU rep spoke to Solidarity about the dispute. The strikes throughout December were solid. In any prolonged dispute, you get handfuls of people trickling back to work, but in...

Royal Mail: it's an existential fight

A postal worker and CWU rep spoke to Solidarity . My branch sent two coaches, a mini-bus, and several people on a train to the 9 December strike rally in London. Everyone thought it was a brilliant day. You’re never sure exactly how much direct impact these set-piece protests and rallies have, but it was certainly uplifting, and if people come back to the workplace buzzing from the day, it’ll have a positive effect. Obviously in terms of winning the dispute, the basic groundwork in the workplace is more important than publicity, but the rally got a lot of good publicity for the cause. My sense...

Postal workers rally on 9 December

Postal workers will demonstrate in central London on 9 December (see here ). Communication Workers Union (CWU) branches from elsewhere in the country are being encouraged to organise transport to the demonstration, with a rally in Parliament Square. The CWU has called strikes through December, on 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24. The period immediately before Christmas is seen as Royal Mail’s “peak profit” period, giving postal workers additional leverage. Although postal workers are fighting for an above-inflation pay increase, for many the dispute is felt more as a defensive battle against changes...

BT: a flat-rate offer, but beware the detail

The CWU is urging its members in BT, who last struck on 24 October, to accept a new offer on pay from BT management. The union says the deal includes “a £3,000 permanent increase” for the year 2022-3, with “a further review from 1 September 2023 to allow for further negotiations to resolve pay, grading and structuring issues.” The reality is more complex. The proposal is in fact for a further £1,500 flat-rate increase, payable from 1 January 2023, to which the CWU is adding the £1,500 increase BT already imposed for 2022-2023 to get the £3,000 figure. As the new rate is payable from January...

CWU presses Royal Mail harder

Royal Mail postal workers in the Communication Workers Union (CWU) struck again on 24 and 25 November, with further strikes set for 30 November and 1, 9 and 11 December. Despite some frustration with perceived recent missteps by the union, that led to a series of previously planned strikes being called off, the action has remained solid and impactful, and the dates called in December represent an attempt to use postal workers’ industrial leverage at a crucial time of the year. Royal Mail attempted to use private couriers from the Ryde app to help break the strike, but a number of Ryde couriers...

“Final position” in BT talks?

In a 17 November message to its members working for BT, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) says it is “closing in on a final position” in its negotiations with the company. The statement acknowledges that members have been “very patient”, and are “undoubtedly keen to hear more details”, but says the union “cannot communicate any specifics” of the “final position” it is apparently “closing in on”. The statement ends by saying the union “envisages reaching a conclusion next week” (i.e. week beginning 21 Nov). BT workers, who struck four times in October, might well feel frustrated with the...

Postal workers plan more strikes

The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) has announced six new postal workers’ strikes in the run-up to Christmas, Royal Mail’s “peak profit” period, as its dispute over pay, jobs, and conditions continues. The union also instructed its reps to hold gate meetings at Royal Mail workplaces on 22 November, to prepare for upcoming strikes on 24-25 November. Strikes planned for 12 and 14 November were called off, and the CWU issued a joint statement with Royal Mail affirmed their shared commitment to resolving the dispute and to a “de-escalation of tension to avoid flashpoints and restoring calmness...

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