Strike action by almost 1,000 workers at a large Royal Mail depot in Swan Valley, Northampton, has been averted after an agreement was reached between union leaders and their employer.
After a meeting between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) yesterday a “principle resolution” has been reached on local issues including job cuts and budget savings targets.
A joint statement from Royal Mail and the CWU said: “Following local dialogue between Royal Mail and the CWU an in principle resolution has been reached. This resolution will be put to the CWU membership for acceptance. It is expected that this will resolve all of the local issues, there will be no impact on service and no requirement for a ballot.”
Gareth Eales, area processing representative for the CWU said: “We are pleased to reach a resolution ‘in principle’ this agreement will now be put to our membership for acceptance.
“We expect the members to endorse this resolution, meaning there will be requirement for a strike ballot and there will be no disruption to our customers, which is of course positive.
“The focus will then be about resolving the local relations to ensure we don’t get to this point again”
Last week Mr Eales said industrial relations had been deteriorating in the mail centre for the last six months and goodwill shown by the union and its members in opening the new mail centre has been “traded for the pursuance of single rather than mutual interests.”