CWU official picket armband, photo Paul Mattsson

CWU official picket armband, photo Paul Mattsson   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

On 6 September, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) served notice to Royal Mail for a strike ballot.

After months of unsatisfactory talks between the business and CWU representatives, the union leadership has now decided to act over the company’s attacks on pensions, terms and conditions of employment and working practices.

As part of the ‘Four Pillars’ of security the union is seeking from the business, the CWU has put forward an alternative ‘Wage in retirement’ proposal to address Royal Mail’s plan to replace the current defined-benefit pension scheme with a far less generous one.

The other demands are a reduction to the working week, extensions to the legal protections promised after privatisation and a commitment to grow the business.

The industrial action is to win the ‘Four Pillars’ demands and the Socialist Party is calling for a Yes vote. The ballot ends on 3 October.