Royal Mail has reported that it is “very disappointed” that the CWU
union has issued a formal notice to ballot for industrial action.
In a statement issued
today (7 September), Royal Mail said: “We believe there are no grounds
for industrial action. We remain committed to reaching a negotiated
agreement with the CWU on pay and pensions, and other issues we have
been discussing.”
The postal operator also pointed out that: “A ballot does not necessarily mean there will be industrial action.”
The Royal Mail statement added: “We have offered to continue working towards a new pay deal, including aspects of productivity-related pay and opportunities to consider a shorter working week. We are not proposing to change our core terms and conditions or our commitment to a predominantly permanent workforce. A more flexible and adaptable Royal Mail is the best way to secure as many high quality jobs as possible at the Company now and in the future.
“Under its proposals, Royal Mail would continue to provide the best pay and terms and conditions in the industry. Many competitors pay around the National Living Wage. Royal Mail pays 45-50% more than this.
“We know how important pension benefits are to colleagues. We have moved a long way compared to our original Defined Contribution proposal. We previously announced that we are offering to replace the current Defined Benefit scheme, the Royal Mail Pension Plan (RMPP), with another type of Defined Benefit scheme, a Defined Benefit cash balance scheme. It would be by far the best pension in the delivery industry. It benchmarks very well compared to other large companies.”
The postal operator also pointed out that: “A ballot does not necessarily mean there will be industrial action.”
The Royal Mail statement added: “We have offered to continue working towards a new pay deal, including aspects of productivity-related pay and opportunities to consider a shorter working week. We are not proposing to change our core terms and conditions or our commitment to a predominantly permanent workforce. A more flexible and adaptable Royal Mail is the best way to secure as many high quality jobs as possible at the Company now and in the future.
“Under its proposals, Royal Mail would continue to provide the best pay and terms and conditions in the industry. Many competitors pay around the National Living Wage. Royal Mail pays 45-50% more than this.
“We know how important pension benefits are to colleagues. We have moved a long way compared to our original Defined Contribution proposal. We previously announced that we are offering to replace the current Defined Benefit scheme, the Royal Mail Pension Plan (RMPP), with another type of Defined Benefit scheme, a Defined Benefit cash balance scheme. It would be by far the best pension in the delivery industry. It benchmarks very well compared to other large companies.”
Source: Royal Mail
