News -
Post Office Disappointed At CWU's Decision to Walk Away From Talks On A Fair And Affordable Pay Deal For People Working In Its Supply Chain Network
· Post Office undertaking biggest transformation in UK retail history to become commercially viable and reduce reliance on public money
· Post Office offering consolidated pay increases with additional lump sum payments
· Any ballot will not include employees working in the Post Office’s over 11, 500 branches across the UK
· Post Office offer of meeting with ACAS remains on the table
The Post Office is extremely disappointed that the CWU has announced its intention to call a ballot for strike action across its Supply Chain network rather than accept its offer of a fair and affordable pay deal which comprises of a series pay increases comprising more than five per cent, together with lump sum payments comprising up to £1400, over the proposed three year deal.
It reassured customers that any ballot on the Supply Chain pay offer will not include any of the Post Office’s customer facing employees working across its 11,500 strong branch network.
The Post Office said its door remains open to talks and that its offer of meeting with ACAS, which has so far not been accepted by the CWU, remained very much on the table.
It said that the CWU has publicly demanded a “no strings attached” pay increase for 2014/15. This would not help the business achieve its essential transformation plans. It stressed that any deal must be linked to delivering changes to make this part of the business more competitive for the future and reduce reliance on public money.
Keith Rann, Head of Supply Chain said: “We have made a fair and affordable pay offer. After almost six months of talks with the CWU we remain absolutely committed to reaching an agreement which recognises our people for their hard work and allows us to make the changes we need to modernise and grow our business.
“We are undertaking the biggest modernisation programme in UK retail history to ensure we become commercially viable and reduce our reliance on public money. We urge the CWU to reconsider their unrealistic demands and resume talks to discuss an affordable pay deal”
The Post Office’s pay offer follows the same, self-funding, principle as the deal agreed with the CWU earlier this year for people working across the Post Office’s Crown network.
Any pay agreement for 2014/15 will follow on from a deal, which delivered a compound consolidated pay increase to people working in the Post Office’s Supply Chain of over 10% over the previous three years.
The Post Office’s pay offer to the CWU is linked to their commitment to working with the Post Office to deliver cost savings. The Post Office proposals comprise of a two or three year pay deal, which includes:
· 2014/15 A 1.9% consolidated pay increase effective from 1st April 2014, plus two lump sum payments, £500 to be paid in December 2014 and £200 payable in March 2015
· 2015/16, and 2016/17, an increase in basic pay in each of the two years of 1.6% per cent, plus lump sum payments of £500 payable in December 2015 and £200 payable in December 2016
Ends
Notes to editors:
The Post Office serves over 17 million customers a week and a third of small businesses. Some 99.7% of the total population live within three miles of a post office and over 93% live with one mile of a post office. For many rural communities, the post office is the only retail outlet. Post Offices branches remain highly valued and trusted, and are the focal point of many communities. For more information, visit www.postoffice.co.uk.
For more information, please contact:
Ruth X Barker
Post Office Press Office
Tel: 020 7 250 3138
Mob: 07945 769021
Email: ruth.x.barker@postoffice.co.uk
Twitter: @postofficenews
