Post deal seeks a new way forward

Details of an agreement which led to planned walkouts on Friday and Monday being called off were released by the Communication Workers Union, which said "significant concessions" had been made by the Royal Mail.

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "There is no doubt that the strength of support from postal workers in the strikes has made Royal Mail think again. They have made significant concessions this week that are clear for everybody to see."

He added: "Those concessions have allowed us to suspend strike action and work towards a full and final agreement. The union has always been focused on achieving modernisation by consent and now the company has finally acknowledged that is how we must go forward.

"The agreement ensures the imposed change that has led to the bitter local disputes will now be subject to negotiation and agreement. It also deals with clear-up arrangements and discipline but most crucially the interim agreement is clear in shaping the final agreement and the benefits that postal workers can now expect from the future.

"Trust remains an issue between the union and the company but the introduction of an independent chair to continue the negotiations and fortnightly reviews will mean that nobody can walk away from this agreement."

The document agreed by the union's postal executive on Thursday night said the aim was to make significant progress on further negotiations by early December, concluding a final deal by the end of the year. "Both Royal Mail and CWU recognise that exceptional efforts will need to be made quickly during the period of calm to rebuild trust and goodwill," said the document.

Changes implemented this year will now be reviewed, while there will be "genuine negotiations" in offices where changes have been made without agreement.

The two sides have pledged to establish a "new and completely fresh approach that will bring about a radically different culture in industrial and employee relations."

Other goals include improved job security, a new and improved reward and benefits package, fair workload and commitment to modernisation.