Business
Mail strikes loom as CWU ballot makes strike action 'inevitable'
The Communications Workers Union (CWU) is set to run another series of strikes timetabled "to maximise pressure on the company and government".
The proposed industrial action followed a ballot over pensions, post office closures and job threats at a union conference last week.
The union said strikes "appeared inevitable," and is targeting both Royal Mail and Parliament, with a demonstration planned to take place outside the Labour Party conference in Manchester in September.
Union leaders met with Royal Mail chiefs after the conference, but no further detail emerged as to how the talks progressed.
However, CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward has already called for the heads of Royal Mail bosses Adam Crozier and Allan Leighton for their part in the "managed decline" of the company.
Last summer, postal services were plagued with a series of strikes that were estimated to have cost the direct mail industry £8m.
A deal was finally reached in October 2007 on the dispute over pay, pensions and modernisation plans.
Last year's strikes cost the DM industry around £8m
Comments
Matthew Parker - 18 June 2008
CWU seem to be spoiling for a fight, rather than trying to manage a changing postal situation. This means more problems for direct mail and further growth for e-mail marketing. Until there is a viable alternative end-to-end network in more than just London (and I believe it will happen soon) then there is little to be done but suffer.
Matthew Parker
www.printandprocurement.com
mark smith - 18 June 2008
Every time the postal workers go on strike, my business (and I assume other businesses) find more reliable ways of sending information, email newsletters and searching cost effective couriers has lead to a significant reduction in my postal spend.
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