Post Office workers stage first 24-hour strike

Around 1,500 Post Office workers walked off the job on Monday, in the first 24-hour strike over pay at the state-owned company.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at Crown post offices were taking part in the action on Monday, after the company offered a 3% pay rise for the 2023 financial year, a £500 lump sum, and no pay rise for the 2022 period.

Crown post offices are the standalone branches wholly-owned by the Post Office, and are usually found on high streets in town centres.

Supply chain and administrative workers, meanwhile, will strike on Thursday, which the CWU said would affect service at sub-post offices, which make up the bulk of the Post Office network.

“The blame for this disruption lies entirely with the senior Post Office leadership, who have repeatedly failed - and wilfully refused - to set out a sensible and fair pay agreement,” said CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey.

“Everyone knows that the only solution is a fair pay rise that properly rewards members for their extraordinary efforts in serving the public and delivering a profitable Post Office, while also taking account of the extreme cost of living.”

Furey said there “most certainly” was money available for larger pay offers, but claimed managers at the Post Office did not want to give workers their “fair share”.

“Stop the spin and get serious about pay. Until you do this, the strikes will continue.”

Reporting by Josh White at Sharecast.com.