More strike action planned at Kettering Post Office

The branch was closed for a day earlier this month
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A second day of strike action is planned at Kettering’s Lower Street Post Office over a pay freeze dispute.

Communications Workers Union (CWU) members at the site will take action on Saturday, June 4, after their first strike closed the Post Office on May 3.

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Their wages were frozen for 2021-22 and they are demanding a pay rise, backdated to April 1 last year, with union bosses saying the freeze is unacceptable given workers’ efforts in the Covid pandemic.

Lower Street Post OfficeLower Street Post Office
Lower Street Post Office

Tim Pavelin, the CWU representative for the Anglia and Midlands regions, said: “Post Office workers in Kettering were classed as keyworkers and kept the country running.

"Post Office senior managers are now saying these keyworkers are not worth a pay rise, and have not engaged in any negotiation with the CWU. Post Office workers, CWU members, have been left with no option other than to withdraw their labour to get a pay rise.”

The strike action will disrupt Post Office services during the Jubilee celebrations, and has been backed nationally by the CWU members on a 97.3 per cent yes vote on a turnout of more than 70 per cent of members.

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Last month’s action saw a total of 114 Crown Post Offices close for a 24-hour period.

Mr Pavelin added: “A good employer would have considered shutting on the Saturday of the Jubilee celebrations, to allow their staff to commemorate the event.

"This shows an employer totally out of touch with its workforce, and a Post Office in crisis.”

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