Nationwide postal strike averted by workers' vote to accept pay deal

The threat of a nationwide postal strike was averted yesterday when workers voted overwhelmingly to accept a two-year pay deal.

Members of the Communication Workers Union backed the offer by 52,438 votes to 22,059 in a 52 per cent turnout. The deal is worth 2.2 per cent, backdated from October, and 2.3 per cent from October this year.

The vote sealed a tentative deal struck a month ago between union negotiators and Consignia officials, which led to the cancellation of what would have been the first nationwide stoppage since 1996.

The union's deputy general secretary, John Keggie, who has described the deal as a victory for common sense, said members had shown great restraint. "This is a significant and important result recognising the challenges and the problems the union and its membership are presently facing," he said.

"Other opportunities for improvements to pay through consolidation and future changes being pursued by the business are being discussed."

He said the process had followed a long and difficult set of negotiations, and reaffirmed the intention of both sides to achieve a minimum wage of £300 for postal workers.

Consignia's chairman, Allan Leighton, said he was delighted by the ballot result.

The vote comes in the month that the company is expected to announce losses of more than £1bn for 2001-02.

"Our people are demonstrating that they understand the dire state of the business, the constraints it places on us in terms of pay and the need to make changes to the way we work," he said.