‘Our workers are struggling’: Post Office workers across Scotland continue striking over pay dispute

Post Office workers across Scotland took to the picket line for a third day of action as part of a pay dispute today.

All cash delivery and collection services have been impacted while members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) take part in the strike.

The full team from the Aberdeen Post Office Cash Services gathered on Justice Mill Lane this morning in solidarity with the industrial action.

The team worked throughout the pandemic to supply post offices all across the north and north-east with money and valuable goods.

According to Allan Roberston, CWU area representative for the supply chain, workers are struggling as inflation continues to rise and the cost-of-living crisis deepens.

He blasted the absence of a pay rise last year for supply-chain workers as a “disgrace”.

They were considered key workers, who would put their health on the line to continue delivering their service and keep Post Offices open and running.

‘We’re not being unreasonable’

Mr Robertson said: “In the 37 years I’ve been in this business, we’ve always had a percentage pay increase every year, even when the Post Office has made a loss.

“But to offer us nothing in a year when our members were key workers is a disgrace.

“They’ve made a profit, and a healthy profit, and to offer our members nothing when they’ve worked through the pandemic, put their lives at risk and their families lives at risk, it’s not acceptable.

“With inflation and rising national insurance and utility bills – our members are struggling.”

The Post Office has now offered a 3% pay rise on 2022-2023’s salary as well as a lump sum of £500, however, the workers’ dispute is with last year’s pay.

Mr Robertson has warned if the dispute is not resolved by September, the union will re-ballot which will enable the workers to strike over the Christmas period.

He added: “We don’t want to be out there having an effect on people over the Christmas period, we want to get back to work and deal with the job at hand without losing wages once a month or whatever.

“They just feel let down by the business. A lot of the guys are senior and they’ve been here for a long time. They like their job, they get on with it, but having to work through what they have and not get anything for it is awful.

“We’re not being unreasonable, we’re just looking for something to say ‘well done’ or ‘thank you for all the hard work’.”

‘Workers and their families deserve pay rises’

Tommy Campbell, a retired Unite delegate of the Trades Union Congress joined the workers on their strike this morning.

He commented that he was “very proud” to be standing in solidarity with the workers and their strike for higher pay is “justified”.

Mr Campbell said: “We’re now in a cost-of-living crisis, all workers and their families deserve to have pay rises, at least to inflation if not above.

“With food and fuel and other prices going up then all workers are quite rightly justified in taking a stand to get higher pay.”

CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey has said the senior Post Office leadership is to blame for the disruption. He explained they have failed and “willfully refused” to set out a sensible and fair pay agreement.

Mr Furey added: “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.

“There is money available, but management does not want to give workers their fair share.”

The Post Office spokesman said measures are in place to minimise the disruption from strike action in the supply chain.

He said: “Our 1,300 branches in Scotland, and 11,500 branches across the UK, are open as usual.

“We’re disappointed that the CWU have made the decision to strike but remain hopeful that we can reach a pay agreement soon.”