Unions call off vote on Royal Mail pay deal amid allegations of a ‘toxic’ work environment
Unions call off vote on Royal Mail pay deal over allegations of a ‘toxic’ working environment
A union vote on a pay deal that could have ended the bitter dispute at the Royal Mail has been called off.
Leaders of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) suspended voting over allegations of a “toxic” work environment.
The CWU, which represents about 115,000 postal workers, would send ballots to members to give them a say on an agreement reached last month to end the dispute with the delivery company that last year saw workers work for 18 days. ceased.
The offer included a 10 per cent pay rise over three years, a £500 bonus and a profit-sharing agreement.
But in an extraordinary announcement, the CWU said the vote would be suspended, blaming Royal Mail for ‘workplace attacks’.
‘Attacks’: Communications Workers Union bosses have suspended scheduled vote on the Royal Mail’s latest pay offer amid allegations of a ‘toxic’ working environment
“The environment in which we are trying to make this agreement remains toxic,” said CWU general secretary Dave Ward.
The union also made several demands, including an online meeting between all its UK representatives and managers.
Some sources suggested that the deal negotiated by CWU leaders met resistance from members, with as many as 32 percent of postal workers expected to vote against the agreement.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘The sooner we can get a positive vote result, the sooner we can give our people the pay rise we agreed with the CWU and ensure greater job security.’
Shares in Royal Mail owner IDS fell 1.8 percent, or 3.65p, to 196.95p.