CWU postal workers vote to become Covid-19 emergency service

Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) members in the Royal Mail have put forward a proposal to form an “additional emergency service” as they secured a “massive” vote in favour of strike action.

In a ballot initially instigated two weeks ago, 94.5% of the 63.4% of workers that participated voted in support of carrying out strike action.

The union says that it recognises that there has been a growing health crisis in the spread of Covid-19 since it started the process, and said it had changed the “language of priorities”.

The organisation therefore put forward a motion that could allow their workers to deliver medical aid, check on the vulnerable and support people working from home.

CWU said: “In any national emergency in our history and in our day-to-day existence the universal postal service has played a vital role, these unprecedented events remind us all of that postal workers always come through and will stand ready to serve the nation again.

“But Royal Mail Group must play their part by agreeing our proposal and ensuring the very best standards of safety and support to its employees.

“We will be writing to the Prime Minister to gain the governments support for this approach. In the meantime, we will meet with the company tomorrow to move this proposal forward.”

The CWU strike ballot opened on March 2nd and was concluded today. 110,000 CWU members work within the postal organisation.

The union is striking in order to stop what is said are plans to turn Royal Mail into “just another glorified parcels carrier”.

This was the second time the organisation has balloted its membership in six months, following High Court action by Royal Mail to get the last one declared void.