ROYAL Mail workers are preparing for further strike action on Wednesday, August 31 in Carlisle as part of a national dispute over pay and working conditions.
Communications Workers Union (CWU) members are walking out after 97.6 per cent of its members voted to take several days of industrial action to get a ‘dignified, proper pay rise’.
The current offer of a two per cent pay rise, far below the rate of inflation, has been roundly rejected and termed a ‘real time pay cut.’
There are around 100 Royal Mail staff who are members of the Carlisle branch of the CWU and they are all expected not to turn into work.
They are being joined by staff at BT and Openreach staff who are also members of the CWU, and their coordinated strike action is set to be the biggest of the summer so far.
''The reason for the strike is simple: workers will not accept a massive deterioration in their living standards'' said CWU boss, Dave Ward.
“We won’t have bosses using Swiss banks while workers are using food banks. Workers are saying enough is enough. They have serious determination to win, and are not going to stop until they are listened to.”
These strikes are just one of a series of industrial disputes this summer with rail workers, barristers and bin men also walking out and more disruption is set to follow with nurses and teachers also being balloted about potential strike action.
Disruption is expected with Royal Mail saying it has ‘well developed contingency plans’ to deal with the backlog and is warning customers to expect delays when posting mail.
Further strikes by Royal Mail staff are scheduled for Thursday, September 8 and Friday, September 9.