Kettering and Corby posties form picket line over 'disrespectful' pay offer

Postal workers say they just want a bit of respect after going on strike over an ‘outrageous’ pay offer.

They’ve formed a picket lines in Trafalgar Road, Kettering, and outside the Royal Mail depot in Corby this morning (Friday) after the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents them, rejected Royal Mail’s proposal of an increase ‘worth up to 5.5 per cent’.

Some 115,000 Royal Mail postal workers are striking today with further walkouts planned for August 31, September 8 and September 9 after 98 per cent of members voted for action.

Postie Pete Bracey was outside the Kettering Delivery Office – which has 192 CWU members – with about 10 colleagues this morning with placards.

He said the cost of living crisis has left one of their workers homeless and has also caused them to set up a food bank.

He said: "They (Royal Mail) made £756m in profit off the back of our people delivering throughout the pandemic and they’ve given most of it to shareholders.

"It’s disrespectful. Look at what postal workers did to make sure medicines and test kits were delivered. We were the fourth emergency service.

"We put ourselves at risk and we lost colleagues. To get this offer at the end of it is outrageous.”

Pete said staff previously had a two per cent pay rise imposed on them and have to give up terms and conditions to get the full 5.5 per cent – an offer he said had ‘more strings attached than the London Philharmonic Orchestra’.

CWU representatives are demanding a pay rise that better reflects the current rate of inflation, which is at a 40-year high of 10.1 per cent.

Pete said that Royal Mail bosses were ‘pleading poverty’ but that they are still set to give more money to shareholders and top executives are still being paid bonuses.

He said: "All we are asking for is to be treated with a little bit of respect.”

Corby CWU rep David Archibald said: “It’s great to get the message across that this cant go on. Corby postal workers sticking together with their union and the support shown by Corby people is truly amazing and appreciated.

Corby postal worker Paul Djeneralovic said: “Royal Mail workers just want a fair deal. We will not be bullied into our terms and conditions being torn apart as well as a disgusting 2 per cent payrise with the cost of living set to rise 18 per cent.

“All this while the company hands out £400 million to shareholders and 2 million in bonuses to Royal Mail hierarchy.”

Cllr Simon Rielly said: “I’m fully behind our local postal workers for better pay conditions with no strings attached. Our postal service workers provide a fantastic service to the local community and the way they have been treated is shocking. Great to see all the public support at the Corby Depot. We stand firmly together with the CWU and the great postal staff. The company needs to pay proper rates and not mess about with a system that works.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “While our competitors work seven days a week, delivering until 10pm to meet customer demand, the CWU want to work fewer hours, six days a week, starting and finishing earlier. Their plans to transform Royal Mail come with a £1bn price tag, are predicated on a wholly unrealistic revival in letter writing, and prevent Royal Mail from growing, and remaining competitive, in a fast-moving industry. The CWU’s vision for Royal Mail would create a vicious spiral of falling volumes, higher prices, bigger losses, and fewer jobs."

They added: “We apologise to our customers, and the public for the inconvenience the CWU’s strike action will cause. We have offered to meet the CWU numerous times in recent weeks, but they declined each invitation, preferring to spend their time on the political agenda of the UK trade union movement. We remain ready to talk with the CWU to try and avert damaging industrial action and prevent significant inconvenience for customers. But any talks must be about both change and pay. We have contingency plans to minimise customer disruption and will work to keep people, businesses and the country connected.”