Post Office workers launch fresh strike in pay dispute
4 June 2022, 12:24
Members of the Communication Workers Union walked out of some Crown Post Office branches on Saturday.
Post Office workers have launched a fresh strike in a dispute over pay.
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at Crown Post Offices – the larger branches often sited on high streets – walked out on Saturday.
Union members in administration and supply chain networks will strike on Monday.
It is the second bout of industrial action since the dispute flared and the union is not ruling out further strikes.
Solidarity to our Crown Post Office members taking strike action across the UK today. The whole union stands with you. pic.twitter.com/d9IVGBcwpb
— The CWU (@CWUnews) June 4, 2022
The CWU said all 114 Crown Post Offices will close on Saturday, warning that the supply chain strike will mean there will be no cash collections or deliveries to post offices on Monday.
The union said Post Office management are insisting on a pay freeze for 2021-22 and a “marginally improved” pay offer for 2022.
CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey said: “Our members do not want to be in this situation, but they won’t accept humiliation either.
“Our members worked hard to deliver an excellent annual profit for the company – affordability isn’t management’s problem here.
“Frankly, their degrading excuse for an offer has only hardened members, who won’t tolerate a collapse in their living standards.
“We thank the public for their understanding and support, and we urge the Post Office to get round the table and thrash out a real settlement that treats key worker heroes with the respect they deserve.”
A small number of branches will be closed today due to strike action, however nearly all of our 11,500 branches are open as normal.
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 4, 2022
Around 3,500 union members are involved in the dispute.
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We want to assure our customers that the vast majority of our branches are unaffected by CWU strike action on Saturday.
“There are 114 branches, typically in city centres, that are directly managed by the Post Office.
“Over two-thirds would normally only be open between 9am and 12.30pm on a Saturday. We apologise to any customers who are inconvenienced by a closure.”
The union said the pay offer was a wage freeze from April 2021 and a 2.5% increase and £500 lump sum from April this year.
A Post Office spokesman later added: “We can confirm that 31 of our directly managed branches have opened as per normal today.
“This is close to a third of directly managed branches that would normally be open on a Saturday.”
