The Communication Workers Union (CWU), representing Royal Mail employees, has approved a three-year wage agreement, which will result in a 6% salary increase in 2023.
This pay boost will be followed by another 2% raise in April 2024. Together with a 2% pay increase earlier this year, this adds up to a total wage increase of 10% for postal service workers.
Over three-quarters of CWU members supported the deal, which includes additional benefits such as deferred start times from 2024, revisions to sick pay, and a guarantee against forced redundancies.
From fall 2023, there will be a shift towards more seasonal working patterns, with staff expected to work longer hours during busy periods, such as Christmas, and fewer hours during less busy periods, like summer.
The agreement also stipulates that Sunday work will be a mandatory part of all new employee contracts.
A spokesperson for Royal Mail stated, “The agreement provides Royal Mail a platform for the next phase of stabilizing the business while continuing to drive efficiencies and change.”
This agreement follows a series of strikes conducted by CWU members over the past year in response to pay disputes, with a round of industrial action in December causing significant disruptions over the Christmas period.
Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distributions Services PLC (LSE:IDS), saw its shares rise by 2.6% in early Wednesday trading, opening at around 234p.
