Why our postal workers are striking

There have been regular days of action by UK postal workers since August. Even though it’s tucked away from passers-by, the depot in Drury Lane on the Ponswood industrial estate has had an active picket line every strike day – come rain or shine (and there’s been a lot of days of rain). As we enter December, there’s still no offer on the table that is acceptable to these essential workers. Seven days of strike action are planned between now and Christmas. HOT’s Erica Smith interviewed a long-standing local postal worker to find out why our posties are holding out for a better deal.

The postman I spoke to is a modest man with the best part of thirty years working for the postal service. He asked not to be identified because of concerns that management would look uncharitably on one of their employees speaking to the press. But he was happy to explain to me why he and his colleagues have chosen to strike. This is only the third time he has been out on strike, and this dispute has been the longest running by far.

In 2011, 90% of the ‘Royal Mail’ was privatised. At the beginning of this year, the company achieved its biggest ever profit for the shareholders. Management staff have recently negotiated a pay increase, but the posties putting letters through our doors were told that the company could not afford to give them a pay rise that adequately keeps up with the rising cost of living.

This is despite the fact that in 2020 postal workers dropped their plans to ballot for strike action, worked through the Covid pandemic, were praised to the skies by management and were championed widely – including by the (then) Prince Charles – as essential workers.

Changes to terms and conditions

As well as inflation and the fuel crisis impacting on the real value of postal workers’ wages, they are also concerned about the attack on their terms and conditions of employment.

My local postie explained that at the moment, his working day starts at 6.20am. This allows time to sort the mail for his round and to get out on the streets whilst the day is still cool enough in summer months, and he can finish his round whilst it is still light enough in winter.

Senior management want to change the starting time of postal workers to 9.20am. This means that a five-hour delivery round would start in the heat of the mid-day sun. “I have concerns about the health of posties carrying heavy bags of mail through hot summer days – and their safety if they have to complete their rounds in the dark through the winter months.”

He also worries that the ethos of the Royal Mail has changed – now it’s all about making money for shareholders. “Our progress on our rounds is tracked so we are no longer encouraged to stop and talk to vulnerable members of the community, we have to finish our round as quickly as possible.”

Sickness policy has also changed – until recently if a member of staff was off sick they had a conversation with a line manager about why they had needed time off work. Now there is no human interaction – sickness days are recorded automatically and there is no opportunity to explain why you have been unable to work.

“We are being de-humanised – the ‘human’ has been taken out of ‘human resources’ – we are now just seen as ‘resources’.

New members of staff are not given the same terms and conditions as current employees. They will be expected to work longer hours for 20% less in their pay packets. Since 2018, employees have had to agree to be prepared to work on Sundays.

Part of a bigger picture

I mention that I am not impressed by the standard of service that independent couriers like EVRI are currently offering. Not only is the service unreliable, but as self-employed individuals, the contractors have very little protection. My postie agreed: “We had an agency worker for a while who had also worked for EVRI. When his van broke down, he had to buy another one the same day so he could turn up for work in the morning. He worked there for eight years, but after a serious bout of illness, he was only allowed one week of sickness leave before being taken off their books.”

Talking to the postal workers on the picket line this morning, I was impressed that they are not just holding out for their own benefit. The longer established workers are there to fight for better terms and conditions for new workers too.

“This is all part of a wider struggle – greed is poisoning every aspect of society and ultimately is destroying the planet we live on.”

Seven days of strike action are planned between now and Christmas. The posties plan to be on the picket line on each day of action between 6am and 2pm. The days are: Thursday 1st, Friday 9th, Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th, Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th December. If you live in St Leonards, drop by to support your posties opposite Trade Paints in Drury Lane on Ponswood Industrial Estate (TN38 9AA), or visit the Hastings picket line at the sorting office behind Hastings Station.

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