Royal Mail pensions talks

The talks with the Royal Mail over plans to close its pension scheme in its current form are ‘complex and difficult’, Unite warned today (April 28).

Unite, which has about 6,000 members working for the Royal Mail, was responding to a pensions update statement from the company today. The company confirmed earlier this month that the career average defined benefit scheme will close on March 31 next year.

Unite officer for the Royal Mail Brian Scott said,”Unite continues to meet with the Royal Mail management to discuss its pensions proposals, and these negotiations are complex and difficult.

“At this stage, it is not possible to say if an agreed solution can be found, but we are committed to making every effort to ensure our members have decent pensions’ provision in the future.

“As we have previously stated, if we don’t achieve a satisfactory outcome, we can’t rule out an industrial action ballot on this issue. However, we will be consulting with our members closely at every stage over the coming weeks.”

Unite will start pay negotiations with the management soon to meet a pay review date later this year.

The Royal Mail is now a privately-owned company, following its controversial sell-off by the coalition government after five centuries of state ownership.