Royal Mail strike threat
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• More than 34,000 Royal Mail drivers are set to strike within the next three weeks unless management scraps plans for work changes which could leave some drivers more than £400 a year worse off.
Postal workers including drivers voted two to one in favour of industrial action after 11 months of negotiations between Royal Mail and the union ended in stalemate. The dispute centres on Royal Mail's plans to group postal workers, including drivers, into small teams which would operate as separate units.
While Royal Mail claims the changes will mean improve
ments in pay and holidays for many workers, the union says almost a third of its members would be worse off under the proposals. The CWU says a typical driver on permanent late shift would be £443 a year worse off through reductions in shift allowances and pension payments. A CWU spokeswoman says drivers would be expected to take on additional management responsibilities, drawing up their annual leave rotas and making provisions to cover workers who are sick.
Last-ditch talks to avert national strike action are likely to be held next week.