CWU gets a pay and job security deal for workers in Post Offices
The Communication Workers Union has secured a two-year pay deal for staff in Crown post offices worth 3.68 per cent and an additional £1,000 lump sum. CWU has also secured a one-year extension on the guarantee of the size of the Crown Post Office network.
The pay deal was achieved following a ballot in favour of strike action when the company refused to budge from a pay freeze in 2010-11. More than 4,000 staff in Crown post offices will now receive the pay rise, which is worth 2.25 per cent for 2010-11 and a further 1.4 per cent from 1st April 2011 with an additional £1,000 lump sum payment.
Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "We're really pleased to have secured this pay rise for staff in the Post Office; it's a piece of good news following a hard set of negotiations.
"Equally important is the guarantee that no further Crown offices will be closed during the next 12 months. The scale and quality of postal services is under threat from government plans to break up and privatise Royal Mail Group along with a declining market so job security has been a major focus of our talks with the company."
Andy Furey, CWU assistant secretary, said: "Our members sent a strong message to Post Office management that double standards on pay were not acceptable. We're delighted to have secured a two-year pay rise for these hard-working staff, but it's a shame that it took a strike ballot to get here."
Pay deal details:
· For year one 2010/11 - a 2.25% consolidated and pensionable increase in basic pay backdated to 1st April 2010.
· £1,000 lump sum to be paid before the end of April 2011.
· For year two 2011/12 - a 1.4% consolidated and pensionable pay increase effective from 1st April 2011.
· With the backdated basic pay increase for 2010/11, and a combined lump sum of £1,000 to be paid before the end of April, full time employees will now receive £1,431 in their April salaries, alongside a basic pay increase of 3.68 per cent going forward.
·
The Crown office network of 373 post offices will remain intact with no further closures for at least 12 months. CWU will be involved in any review of the network.
For more information see the CWU web page at;
http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/cwu-secures-post-office-pay-and-job-security-deal.html