{"id":981404,"date":"2023-02-03T11:18:59","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T11:18:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1645533"},"modified":"2023-02-03T11:18:59","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T11:18:59","slug":"royal-mail-just-shamed-itself-twice-on-the-same-day-the-cwu-announced-a-postal-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2023\/02\/03\/royal-mail-just-shamed-itself-twice-on-the-same-day-the-cwu-announced-a-postal-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"Royal Mail just shamed itself twice on the same day the CWU announced a postal strike"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Communication Workers Union (CWU<\/a>) has announced its first strike<\/a> of 2023. The walkout against Royal Mail<\/a> will be on 16 February, just after Valentine’s Day. However, the trade union’s<\/a> move to launch another postal strike<\/a> after a series of them last year came on the same day as Royal Mail disgraced itself not once, but twice.<\/p>\n

CWU: another postal strike against Royal Mail is on<\/h2>\n

In 2022, the CWU carried out numerous strikes<\/a> – the last one being on Christmas Eve. The actions were over pay, working conditions<\/a> and Royal Mail bosses’ plans for the company<\/a>, as well as what CWU general secretary Dave Ward called their “gross mismanagement”. Currently, the union is balloting members again for strike action<\/a>. However, out of nowhere on Thursday 2 February the CWU announced another strike. It said in a press release:<\/p>\n

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Postal workers have announced their first postal strike of the year.<\/p>\n

From 12.30pm on Thursday 16th February until before 12.30pm on Friday 17th February, over 115,000 members of the… [union] will be taking strike action.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The strike is actually from the previous ballot of members<\/a>. CWU members will walk out<\/a> just as that vote legally expires on 17 February. So, it’s a bold move by the union. However, the reason for this last-minute postal strike is quite dramatic. The CWU said:<\/p>\n

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The union\u2019s national elected leadership called the strike after Royal Mail have begun forcing through unagreed changes related to the structure of work at offices across the country.<\/p>\n

These decisions have been taken in direct contravention of the Industrial Relations (IR) Framework established between the union and the employer, the validity of which was re-committed to by Royal Mail CEO Simon Thompson in a letter dated 6th January.<\/p>\n

In effect, the changes represent the removal of the right of the CWU to negotiate at a local level, and must be viewed as a real step towards the derecognition of the union.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So, Royal Mail has been ignoring its legal agreement with the CWU – and bosses<\/a> have been forcing through changes to working conditions anyway. This is hardly unsurprising, though. On the same day the CWU announced the strike, two bits of news<\/a> about Royal Mail showed just what a shitshow the company has become.<\/p>\n

What a shitshow<\/h2>\n

First, and the CWU tweeted that Royal Mail is re-hiring managers it made redundant. Plus, it’s paying them a salary which would make a postal worker’s eyes water<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Royal Mail Group paid thousands of managers 2 years pay to leave on voluntary redundancy. <\/p>\n

They are now paying them \u00a340,000 to come back on a 9 month contract. <\/p>\n

Vote YES to end the reign of shame. #WeAreStillHere<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/fcN1mFSwhd<\/a><\/p>\n

— The CWU (@CWUnews) February 2, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n