Workers at Royal Mail begin vote on strike action

Workers at Royal Mail have begun voting on possible industrial action in an increasingly fractious row over pay.

The Communication Workers Union, which represents 115,000 postal workers at Royal Mail, is seeking a pay rise in line with inflation. It says the company has offered 2%, which has been rejected.

Ballot papers were sent out on Tuesday, with the result due on 19 July.

General secretary Dave Ward told Sky News he was expecting a "very big yes vote", adding: "At the same time as the chief executive and board have decided to impose a 2% pay increase on workers, they’re getting bonuses in the region of £140,000.

"By any level of fairness, this is completely unacceptable."

Royal Mail said there was "no grounds" for strike action, telling the BBC: "We offered a deal worth up to 5.5% for CWU grade colleagues, the biggest increase we have offered for many years, which was rejected by the CWU." Further talks with the union are scheduled for this week.

Unions are seeking higher pay rises for their members in the face of the cost of living crisis and soaring inflation, which is currently at a 40-year high of 9.1%.

Both the rail network and London Underground were hit by strike action last week, while criminal barristers held a day of action on Monday and tram drivers in south London began a 48-hour walkout on Tuesday.

The CWU is also involved with pay disputes at BT Group and the Post Office, and last week British Airways workers at Heathrow Airport voted to strike during the summer, although no dates have as yet been announced.

As at 1115 BST, shares in Royal Mail were ahead 1% at 284.5p.