Royal Mail could face a fresh wave of strikes after talks with the union representing UK postal workers broke down.
(Bloomberg) — Royal Mail could face a fresh wave of strikes after talks with the union representing UK postal workers broke down.
The business, owned by International Distributions Services Plc, said Wednesday it was “deeply concerned” that negotiations with the Communication Workers Union had ended without an agreement.
It said it made “substantial efforts” to end the dispute, including a 10% raise over three years plus a £1,500 ($1,871) bonus for delivery staff.
The CWU has a mandate from workers to hold more strikes in the months ahead, adding to industrial action that has already lasted nearly a year.
However, the union said Wednesday that it was still “willing to continue negotiations today and tomorrow to finalise an agreement.” It said the company had put an end to the talks on Tuesday night.
Relations between the union and Royal Mail bosses have soured during the battle over pay and working conditions, and recently worsened after the Guardian newspaper reported that the company’s board had threatened to put Royal Mail into a form of insolvency if a deal could not be agreed.
Royal Mail has argued that the business has no future if it cannot take advantage of the growing parcels market. The company has forecast adjusted operating losses of between £350 million and £450 million for the year.
(Updates with response from the CWU.)
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