LTB 162/26 - Ballot Result - RMG/CWU Dispute Resolution Processes – Deployment of USO Reform & Equalisation of New Entrants’ Pay, Terms and Conditions

Angela Wright CWU Branch Communications Officer
Jun 8
3 min read

No. 162/26

Dear Colleague,

Ballot Result – RMG/CWU Dispute Resolution Processes – Deployment of USO Reform & Equalisation of New Entrants’ Pay, Terms and Conditions

Please find attached the independent Scrutineer’s report confirming the result for the above ballots.

The results are as follows.

On the agreement between CWU and Royal Mail, which includes a resolution on USO deployment and the principle of equalisation:

RESULT	No. votes	% of valid vote
Yes	19,348	65.4%
No	10,242	34.6%

Turnout for this ballot was 32.9%.

On the additional 1.75% pay increase for new entrants:

RESULT	No. votes	% of valid vote
Yes	3,672	72.2%
No	1,415	27.8%

Turnout for this ballot was 32.3%

As this agreement has now been confirmed, the 3% pay rise for old contracts will be paid on the 5^th of June for weekly paid workers and by 30^th of June for monthly paid workers.

For new entrants, the 4.75% pay rise will be paid on the 30^th of June. Both pay rises will be backdated to April 1^st.

This yes vote now puts us in a much better position to secure our members’ jobs and ensure that the company is sustainable and can grow in the future. The result also demonstrates that there was no significant appetite within the membership to reject the agreements and end up without a position on both USO reform and equalisation for new entrants.

However, while we welcome the sizeable yes vote, we recognise that the turnout is disappointing. It reflects the reality of how difficult things are locally and that many of our members are struggling to see any positive future for Royal Mail or how things will improve.

Though we understand that change is challenging and some members are disillusioned about the future, we can be confident that the circumstances in which this agreement will be deployed are different.

This is because the union has now gained significant leverage, due to our campaigning for government scrutiny and the powerful recommendations from the recent Select Committee report.

This scrutiny has helped expose Royal Mail’s bad practices and has left them no choice but to publicly commit to a quality-of-service improvement plan and to stabilise resourcing, through the measures laid out in our agreement.

We know we have to engage more, at all levels of the union, to convince our members that this agreement can improve things in the workplace and this must be the focus of all CWU representatives in the coming weeks.

We will support our members through this change and ensure that all protections, safeguards and benefits within our agreement are deployed at local level and in every unit in the UK.

Next steps

In the coming weeks, the CWU will be pursuing the following as a priority:

Meeting all CWU representatives to develop and implement the union’s plan to ensure that no workplace is left behind.

Publicising the actions that will fundamentally reset employee and industrial relations.

Developing the new growth strategy that goes beyond just parcels and incorporates wider products and other streams of revenue, utilising our unique network and workforce.

Campaigning to ensure the Government implement the recommendations made by the Business and Trade Select Committee regarding reform of Ofcom and the wider regulation in the sector, including establishing a USO network support fund.