Edinburgh postal strikes: SNP MPs attack Royal Mail over jobs threat

Plea for company to engage with union

SNP MPs have urged Royal Mail to stop threatening job cuts and engage with union officials to reach a pay settlement and avoid further postal strikes.

The company, which has a workforce of 115,000, has said it may have to cut up to 10,000 jobs and is imposing a below-inflation pay deal of two per cent on workers, with possible further increases of up to 5.5 per cent if workers agree to changed terms and conditions as Royal Mail tries to introduce more automation in its parcels sorting offices. Postal workers have staged a series of strikes, with more planned for early next month.

In a joint open letter to Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson, the SNP MPs said: “Clearly, this announcement to slash jobs is a tactic in the ongoing pay dispute with postal workers, and we believe it shows bad faith on the part of Royal Mail.

Royal Mail postal workers have taken strike action over an imposed two per cent pay rise. Picture: Michael Gillen.

"Pay negotiations are complex, but it is unacceptable to see the language employed by Royal Mail in threatening its workforce with job losses because they dare to ask for a fair work package. We all need the unions and Royal Mail to work together to find a solution for our postal workers and our communities.”

Edinburgh North & Leith MP Deidre Brock called on Royal Mail to engage meaningfully with the Communications Worker Union to find an acceptable solution to prevent

further postal strikes.

She said: “Postal workers in my constituency are struggling to make ends meet in the face of soaring energy and food costs while Royal Mail shareholders benefit from bumper profits in the millions. Royal Mail staff and their families need financial security. The decision to strike will not have been easy for any of them, but this is about more than pay; it is also about protecting the postal service we all rely on and value.

“Rather than making threats to workers, Royal Mail need to get back to the negotiating table – in a meaningful way – and put our communities at the heart of discussions.”