Royal Mail says it has delivered a “best and final” provide to the union representing its frontline staff, in a bid to avert a 48-hour strike to start on Thursday and protecting the Black Friday procuring spree.
The firm, which claimed earlier this month {that a} sequence of walkouts in a row over pay and modernisation had price it £100m, stated a variety of “extensive improvements” have been on the desk to resolve the dispute with the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
The central provide was a pay deal of as much as 9% over 18 months.
Royal Mail stated its measures additionally included a brand new revenue share scheme for workers and making voluntary redundancy phrases extra beneficiant.
The CWU was but to reply with an announcement however a tweet posted by the union advised that the phrases have been unacceptable.
“We have today met with Royal Mail Group. CEO Simon Thompson did not even attend the meeting. The strikes tomorrow and Friday go ahead.”
Loss-making Royal Mail has argued that it should transfer with the occasions to outlive.
It has sought to be excused its requirement for letter deliveries on Saturdays and desires to have the ability to ship extra worthwhile parcels seven days per week – on Sundays, for the primary time, below its plans.
Royal Mail stated final month it was to seek the advice of on 6,000 redundancies however promised on Wednesday there could be no job losses earlier than the top of March subsequent 12 months below its provide to the CWU.
Its dad or mum agency IDS has threatened to carve Royal Mail from the broader group except it may set up a path again to profitability which, Royal Mail has argued, is not possible with expensive industrial motion.
The union performed a vote of no confidence in Mr Thompson amongst its 115,000 Royal Mail members earlier this week.
He stated of the deal now on the desk: “Talks have lasted for seven months and we have made numerous improvements and two pay offers, which would now see up to a 9% pay increase over 18 months alongside a host of other enhancements. This is our best and final offer.
“Negotiations contain give and take, however it seems that the CWU’s method is to only take. We wish to attain a deal, however time is operating out for the CWU to alter their place and keep away from additional damaging strike motion tomorrow.
“The strikes have already added £100 million to Royal Mail’s losses so far this year. In a materially loss making company, with every additional day of strike action we are facing the difficult choice of about whether we spend our money on pay and protecting jobs, or on the cost of strikes.”
Source: information.sky.com”