Postal union sets strike dates

London postmen plan to strike over their allowance

Postal union workers in London are set to stage a 24-hour walk-out on 1 October, union leaders have said.

The strike by Communication Workers Union (CWU) members is set to cripple mail deliveries in the capital and could affect deliveries across the UK.

London workers backed the move in a row over London Weighting pay - a special allowance in the city - by about 11 votes to four last week.

The union has about 30,000 postal worker members in the city.

The Royal Mail said the strike decision was "damaging", adding it showed the CWU "remains out of touch with customers and postmen and women alike".

But it said "robust" contingency plans were in place to keep disruption to a minimum.

Unacceptable

Last week, union members nationally voted by a margin of just 2,000 against industrial action but there was strong support for strikes in a separate row in London.

Currently, London postal workers earn between an extra £2,368 and £3,484, according to the Royal Mail - a figure that includes both London Weighting and an extra recruitment allowance paid in regions with a tight job market.

The company says it is offering an increase to £2,667 a year in outer London and £3,784 in inner London.

But the CWU says the offer is unacceptable as "the distinction between inner and outer London is not tenable: house prices, childcare and transport are as expensive outside the arbitrary limit as within it".

A strike in London could affect the whole of the UK

The union has demanded an across-the-board rise for London workers of £4,000.

Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier said its offer was "fair" as it puts postal workers in the top third of the London weighting league table.

He added: "There is no more money to come. Our final pay offer will cost £340m a year."

'No mandate'

Mr Crozier also cast doubt on the CWU's decision to take action.

He said: "Only four out of 10 postmen and women in London supported a strike.

"In our Post Office branches and in our parcels business, it's fewer than three out of 10.

"There is simply no mandate for strike action."

Meanwhile, agreement has still to be reached on the national pay dispute, despite union members rejecting a national strike last week.

Union officials blamed pressure from management for the outcome, but said postal workers would continue to fight for a better wage.

The pay and conditions row was sparked when postal staff rejected a pay raise valued by management at 14.5% over 18 months.

Workers say it is tied to changes that would mean the loss of thousands of jobs.