News

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has announced plans for a "rolling program" of strikes over the next two weeks, with the option of further action.

The strikes are planned on a site-specific basis, with members targeted to strike for two days over the period.

The Direct Marketing Association head of postal affairs Alex Walsh told printweek.com: "The first two days of strikes, those single days, had a limited impact... The next few weeks however are likely to be an awful lot more disruptive.

"The key thing for us will be seeing how much support they have. But either way, the next few weeks are not going to be great news for direct mailers."

The union is also lobbying MPs in order to "expose" Royal Mail's plans, as well as using marketing, such as adverts in newspapers, to clarify CWU's position and drum up support.

According to CWU, Royal Mail has been completely inflexible in negotiations, imposing its views and strategies with no room for change.

The union added that it is trying to progress talks with Royal Mail bosses Allan Leighton and Adam Crozier and said it is prepared to step down action should Royal Mail's plans be suspended.

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said: "Stepping up strike action is the inevitable response to an employer that refuses to take the strike seriously. Again, we are calling on Royal Mail's business leaders to enter fresh and meaningful negotiations aimed at settling the dispute. The fact that they continue to refuse to do so is a failure to their workforce and the public."

Royal Mail said it was "hugely disappointed", but that it will stick to its guns over its "absolute need to modernise, as all our major rivals have already done".

It said its staff are already paid 25% more than their counterparts in rival companies and is losing business because its costs are making its prices uncompetitive.

The dispute centres on Royal Mail's proposal of a 2.5% pay rise to workers.