Posties take their anger to the UK’s halls of power

THOUS A N D S of Royal Mail workers have staged a rally to mark another strike in the increasingly b i t t e r d i s put e o v e r “unachievable” conditions they said would “destroy” the company.

Members of the Communication Workers Union ( CWU) from across the UK congregated outside Parliament in London to voice their anger about the proposed changes they believe would turn them into “gig” economy workers.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “They’re fighting for their jobs, their livelihood, and the service that they provide to the public. What the company are asking postal workers to agree is that we sack thousands of them whilst at the same time bringing in self- employed drivers, new recruits … and whilst retaining agency workers.”

He said the company’s demands for workers to start up to three hours later “will destroy the future of Royal Mail”, adding: “We’re not prepared to accept that under the banner of modernisation.”

Ward said the action was aimed at securing job security for postal staff, who were classed as key workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The union was expecting more than 15,000 members to attend the rally, describing it as the biggest postal workers’ demonstration in living memory.

Parliament Square was a sea of pink high- vis vests, flags and colourful flares. Meanwhile, picket lines were mounted outside Royal Mail offices across the country.

Strikes are also planned on Sunday and next Wednesday and Thursday.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We spent three more days at Acas this week to discuss what needs to happen for the strikes to be lifted.

“In the end, all we received was another request for more pay, without the changes needed to fund the pay offer.

“The CWU know full well that in a business losing more than £ 1 million a day, we need to agree changes to the way we work so that we can fund the pay offer of up to 9% we have already made.

“While the CWU refuses to accept the need for change, it’s our customers and our people who suffer.”