Royal Mail staff attack 'grossly unfair' proposals

Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Tuesday May 24, 2011
The Morning Star

Postal sector delegates called for urgent action today to defend members' pensions, warning that thousands of Royal Mail workers were on "grossly inferior" schemes.

The company closed its final-salary scheme in 2008 and moved existing members on to a new scheme called Care.

London division rep Mark Palfrey told delegates in Bournemouth that because Care was closed to new members, there were now 10,000 people in the "grossly inferior and unagreed" Royal Mail pension plan.

He called on union representatives on the Royal Mail trustee board to press for a "clear pension strategy" that would enable all workers to join Care.

Mr Palfrey added: "The union must also ensure that under privatisation, our pensions are protected."

Wolverhampton and District delegate Dave Jones said that the union had missed an opportunity during the 2007 dispute to save the final-salary scheme, but had instead "marched members to the top of the hill and back down again.

"Ever since, our pensions have deteriorated."

But CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward intervened, saying that the proposals dealt with "the reality of today's situation.

"We can't keep on fighting yesterday's battles," he said.