Portsmouth postal workers go out on strike over 'insulting' pay rise offer

Dozens of post office staff in Portsmouth joined a national day of strike action in a protest over pay.

The day of action, staged by the Communication Workers Union (CWU), was hailed as the ‘biggest strike in the UK since 2009’, with more than 115,000 postal workers walking out.

In Portsmouth, a picket line was set up near the postal depot at the Voyager Park industrial estate, in Copnor.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said his members voted in favour of the strike by 97.6 per cent in a ballot, after management ‘imposed’ a two per cent pay rise on employees but ‘rewarded themselves with record bonuses’.

Backing those out on strike in Portsmouth were members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

Veteran firefighter Mark Chapman, regional secretary of the FBU, said he was joining postal workers in ‘solidarity’ over a ‘shocking’ two per cent pay increase proposed for both postal workers and firefighters, which would ‘fail to keep up with soaring inflation rates’.

Speaking of the postal staff’s strike action, Mr Chapman said: ‘They were resolute. They know they’re absolutely in the right. Their pay is an insult.

‘They were absolutely resolute to go out on strike. They are striking for themselves, for their families, and for the future generations of postal workers.’

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Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson has faced intense criticism after it was claimed £400m of the £758m record profit last year was given to shareholders.

‘Against the background of rocketing inflation, rocketing energy bills, it’s simply not acceptable,’ CWU boss Mr Ward added. ‘Postal workers in the UK are one of the last remaining pillars of our society.

‘We are going to fight hard to get our members the pay deal that they deserve.’

Mr Chapman added: ‘Firefighters like postal workers received the same two per cent pay offer. That won’t make ends meet and pay for soaring energy bills and inflation.

‘The government must wake up to the fact that this crisis is here and is now. They failed to act quickly enough during the coronavirus virus crisis and they are once again sleepwalking into another crisis.’