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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Postal workers to vote on strikes | Postal workers to vote on strikes |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| More than 130,000 postal workers are to be balloted on strike action in a row over pay. | More than 130,000 postal workers are to be balloted on strike action in a row over pay. |
| The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) rejected a 2.5% pay rise offer and said it would begin balloting staff later this month. | |
| The CWU said Royal Mail's business plan would lead to 40,000 job losses, pay cuts, mail centres and delivery office closures and threaten pensions. | |
| The Royal Mail said it was a fair offer in a "competitive" market. | The Royal Mail said it was a fair offer in a "competitive" market. |
| It added that the recent opening up of the UK's postal sector meant it had lost business to rivals. | |
| The Royal Mail also warned the union that it would be "madness" to back strike action. | |
| However, the CWU argued that the Royal Mail had reneged on a deal agreed last year to limit the impact of competition and automation. | |
| "Royal Mail has abandoned our agreed approach in favour of a short sighted Business Plan that amounts to a cost cutting frenzy, reductions in pay and a defeatist attitude towards competition," the CWU said. | |
| Should the CWU vote back action, it could trigger the first national post walkout in 10 years. | |
| Ballot papers will be sent out to CWU members on 22 May and the result of the vote will be announced on 7 June. |