THE Communications Workers Union has blamed Royal Mail for the latest strike, claiming that CEO Simon Thompson is refusing to attend talks to break the deadlock.
CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey told GB News: “The responsibility for this strike lies with Royal Mail who are refusing to negotiate a reasonable and fair agreement that our members can embrace.
“All our members are seeking is job security, a reasonable pay agreement, and we oppose the changes that they're seeking to bring in that are absolutely draconian.
“They call it a modernisation, it is actually Victorian changes that they want.”
He told Andrew Pierce: “Royal Mail declared record profits of £758 million only in May, and they handed out to shareholders nearly £600 million this year alone. Royal Mail can afford to give our members a reasonable deal.
“But it's not just about pay. This is about job security. Royal Mail announced on 14 October up to 10,000 job losses and that's simply unacceptable, particularly when they've got nearly 12,000 agency workers within this industry.
“They don't need those agency workers. What they need to do is invest in their directly employed people. After all, they delivered and connected this country during Covid as key workers. They did a fabulous job and were applauded by the public.
Andy Furey calls for a 'reasonably pay agreement'.
Image: GB News
“What we're trying to do and our members here today, over 15,000 of them, is we're demonstrating against the breakup of Royal Mail and we're trying to preserve a wonderful service for the community and society as a whole.”
Asked if strike action is permanently damaging the business, Mr Fury told GB News: “Our members have been taking strike action since the end of August. This is the 13th day of strike action. Our members are absolutely determined and resilient, and they want to ensure there is a future for Royal Mail.
“Members care about Royal Mail. They care about the job, they care about the customer. And that's not the case with Simon Thompson and the board.
“We want to ensure there is a Royal Mail in the future and we actually believe fundamentally that Royal Mail needs to come to the negotiating table and thrash out a deal. We're available for talks tomorrow, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Let's try and get an agreement. Let's try and reach a way forward.
“But it takes Simon Thompson to come to the negotiating table to reach an agreement. We want the strikes to be called off so our members put this down. It's down to Simon Thompson to get involved in these negotiations.”
He added: “The challenge to Simon Thompson the CEO is to come and join us in a proper debate. What you're simply doing is you're repeating what Royal Mail say, what you need to do is actually come and listen to the workers and understand what the issues are.
“The issues are here our job security, a better service, ensuring that there is a role now in the future. If Simon Thompson has his way, there won't be a role now in the future.”
