Scottish Labour’s Pam Duncan Glancy MSP has written to Royal Mail urging the postal service to reconsider major jobs cuts due to hit from next August.
In her letter the Glasgow MSP told the Royal Mail Chief Executive, Simon Thompson that she is ‘disappointed that Royal Mail have so far failed to effectively communicate with the Communications Workers Unions’ and has urged the company to accept the union’s request to hold discussions in the hope of finding an alternative business plan.
Earlier this month Royal Mail announced that it would be cutting 10,000 jobs in 2023 following projections that it will be facing a full year operating loss of around £350 million, which bosses have blamed on strikes by members of the CWU.
The CWU argue that the Royal Mail scrapped previous agreements and has begun to impose changes to key principles without negotiation or agreement from workers. They are also demanding a pay raise for their members which fully addresses the current cost of living crisis. The strikes are currently set to continue throughout November.
Commenting Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP said:
“The CWU have my full support, I stand by the workers, and I am disappointed at the way in which the Royal Mail have handled this dispute.
“It has failed to properly engage with the union, leaving valuable workers, including many in Glasgow, unsure about whether they will have a job in a years’ time.
“Postal Workers keep us connected, and they continued to do so even through covid. They have valuable relationships with their communities and that will be threatened if these cuts are to go ahead.
“Royal Mail need to get round the table and reconsider. These proposed job cuts must be abandoned, and an alternative solution found that protects workers, customers and Royal Mail itself.”