Talks between Royal Mail and postal employees have ended with out a deal, elevating the prospect of additional strikes disrupting the UK’s letter and parcel deliveries.

The talks between postal service bosses and the Communications Employees Union (CWU) on the Westminster-based Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service ended after 1am on Wednesday with the 2 sides failing to achieve settlement on pay and circumstances.

The dispute has lasted for nearly a 12 months, with 18 days of strikes held between August and the tip of 2022. The CWU gained a powerful mandate to take additional motion in a member poll in February, and its leaders had been final week contemplating additional strikes in April if talks failed. Its postal govt will meet on Wednesday to debate additional choices.

The most recent negotiations had been led by Dave Ward, the CWU’s normal secretary, and a number of other Royal Mail board members, though the chief govt, Simon Thompson, and chair, Keith Williams, weren’t straight concerned.

The corporate on Wednesday stated it had elevated its provide to the union, however that it was “not an choice” to hold on with out important modifications. The CWU stated that “unacceptable pressures” had been being positioned on postal employees.

Royal Mail is owned by the just lately renamed Worldwide Distributions Programs (IDS), the FTSE 250 firm created when the postal service was privatised. IDS has stated that Royal Mail, the half that runs the UK’s regulated letter supply enterprise, is anticipated to lose between £350m and £400m this 12 months, and had even raised the potential for placing the corporate right into a type of administration if talks fell via.

A supply near Royal Mail stated the ultimate breakdown associated to variations in phrases and circumstances for brand new workers, who had been paid lower than longer-serving employees. The corporate had supplied to convey new workers to pay parity over 5 years, however the CWU wished parity inside three years, the supply stated.

Nonetheless, the CWU argued that was a “selective” account. A spokesperson stated: “The corporate suggested the union that the administrators who’ve been main negotiations are not accessible and that the board might be assembly immediately to find out their subsequent steps.

“There was progress in a number of areas, and the union made it clear final evening that we’re prepared to proceed negotiations immediately and tomorrow to finalise an settlement. This provide has been reiterated to the corporate this morning.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson stated: “After 11 months of talks, together with mediation by Sir Brendan Barber and Acas, we’re deeply involved that our talks with CWU have concluded with out an settlement. We made substantial efforts to achieve an settlement, together with making plenty of additional enhancements to our provide. These enhancements had been all based mostly on suggestions from the CWU, and we had been hopeful that the CWU would put a deal to its members.

“We stay dedicated to reaching an settlement with the CWU. We’ve been clear all through the dispute that not remodeling our community and dealing practices isn’t an choice in a enterprise shedding mo