POSTAL workers have voted to continue striking into 2023 as part of an ongoing pay dispute.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) – which represents Post Office workers – have voted in favour by 91.24 per cent in a national reballot to continue their industrial action into the new year, from a 65.21 per cent turnout.

The union currently has strikes planned for Thursday and Friday November 24 and 25 – which covers Black Friday, Wednesday, November 30 and Thursday, December 1.

Further strikes are also planned for Friday, December 9; Sunday, December 11; Wednesday, December 14; Thursday, December 15; Friday, December  23; and Saturday, December 24.

The union recently held talks with Royal Mail, but although it “recognises progress” was made “in some aspects”, it said Royal Mail management failed to put any commitments into writing.

The reballot also saw a 92.36 per cent vote in favour of “action short of a strike” –  which essentially means working to rule – from the same turnout.

The dispute centres around workers rejecting a pay freeze for 2021/22 and a pay offer of five per cent with effect from April 1, 2022, with a £500 one-off lump sum. 

In the context of RPI inflation reaching 14.2 per cent, this represents a dramatic real-terms pay cut for workers.

CWU acting deputy general secretary (postal) Andy Furey said: “This dispute has always been about a company having respect for dedicated public servants who, as key workers, provided unprecedented customer service during the pandemic.

“The determination of these people hasn’t swayed, and nor has their sense of betrayal.

“They won’t accept their living standards being smashed by people running a service that generated tens of millions of pounds in profit out of our members’ efforts.

“There is more than enough money for a reasonable pay rise – implementing this real-terms pay cut has always been a management choice, not a necessity.

“We urge management to see sense, get into real negotiations and cut a fair deal to avert these strikes.”

So far in the dispute, picket lines have been held at the following Gwent locations:

  • Abercarn Delivery Office;
  • Abergavenny Delivery Office;
  • Abertillery Delivery Office;
  • Blackwood Delivery Office;
  • Caerphilly Delivery Office;
  • Caldicot Delivery Office;
  • Chepstow Delivery Office;
  • Cwmbran Delivery Office;
  • Ebbw Vale Delivery Office;
  • Fleet & Maintenance Services SC Newport;
  • Hengoed Delivery Office;
  • Merthyr Tydfil Delivery Office;
  • Monmouth Delivery Office;
  • Newport East Delivery Office;
  • Newport West Delivery Office;
  • PFW Newport LD;
  • Pontypool Delivery Office;
  • Tredegar Delivery Office;
  • Usk Delivery Office.