IOM - Pay freeze may lead to post strike

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of- ... _1_2908097" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

THE government’s controversial pay freeze is preventing Post Office workers and management from resolving their escalating pay dispute that could result ultimately in a strike.

The warning comes from a union official who said the freeze should not apply to Post Office staff.

Following unsuccessful attempts to reach an agreement, the union says discussions have now reached official dispute stage.

Industrial relations officer Ian Cochrane could meet with both sides as early as next week to try to end the row.

Communication Workers’ Union national officer Terry Pullinger, who represents about 300 of the 452 postal workers, warned that while it was hoped an agreement would be reached, strike action had not been ruled out by members.

He said the government’s ‘broad brush public sector pay freeze’ meant they faced ‘an impossible situation’.

‘I think government has a responsibility to come and face the talks, or come and get involved, and see if they can find a solution,’ he said.

He said union talks with Post Office management seemed ‘irrelevant’ because they were repeatedly told there was no room to manoeuvre due to the pay freeze.

‘We have been extremely patient and have explored every possible avenue to try to find an agreement,’ he said.

‘Every attempt gets blocked up by a cul de sac saying “government policy”.

‘It doesn’t matter what road we take.’

Mr Pullinger said he believed government would not want to back down over the public sector pay freeze because it would set a precedent for other unions, such as Prospect, to pursue their claims for a pay rise.

The Post Office, a statutory authority, was hit by the government’s public sector pay freeze which came into effect last year.

When the union began its annual pay discussions with the Post Office last April, Mr Pullinger said they were told there was no room to manoeuvre.

But Mr Pullinger said that postal workers should not be treated in the same way as civil servants because the Post Office was not a government department and contributed to the government as Treasury took 50 per cent of its profits.

He said government policy meant the Post Office had failed to deliver the terms of an agreement made in 2009, which meant if the business continued to be successful, workers would see a share of it.

‘That’s being denied,’ he said.

Last year the CWU put forward other proposals to get around a pay freeze including a rewards package for employees, but no solution to the dispute has been found yet.

A Post Office spokesman said: ‘It is our understanding that no dispute has been officially registered, but the industrial relations officer has been asked to assist to explore any opportunities which may be acceptable to both parties.’