Royal Mail workers threaten strike action

A national postal strike could be on the cards if Royal Mail workers pursue industrial action in support of a 5 per cent pay rise.

In a vote held on Wednesday February 6, over 60 per cent of employees voted in favour of strike action following a fortnight of negations with Consignia – the corporate name of the Royal Mail – over the issue of pay increases.

Consignia has offered a 2 per cent increase, with a further 0.5 per cent on offer if customer quality targets are achieved. However, this represents half of what the Communication Workers Union (CWU) has proposed, in a package that would see basic pay rise to around £300 a week by the latter half of 2003.

Commenting on the ballot result, CWU general secretary Billy Hayes, added: "We will discuss arrangements to implement industrial action early next week, but I sincerely hope that the result will encourage management to look again at their position so that we can reach an agreement rather than take action."

The Royal Mail has been experiencing severe financial losses of late, prompting the company to initiate a cost-cutting programme which has placed 30,000 jobs on the line. In addition, Consignia's future is coming under threat from the postal regulator's suggestion that the mail delivery industry should be thrown open to greater competition.

Postal workers in the province have also been affected recently by the spectre of sectarian intimidation.

In January, trade union leaders called for a half-day stoppage throughout Northern Ireland in protest at the murder of young Catholic postal worker Daniel McColgan, who worked at a postal sorting office in the loyalist Rathcoole area.

(CL)