Christmas cheer: Strike which threatened festive postal deliveries is called off after new pay offer

Up to 1,900 engineers and cleaners employed by Romec, which maintains Royal Mail sorting offices and depots, were due to walk out

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A strike that threatened to disrupt the Christmas post was called off today after an eleventh-hour pay offer.

Up to 1,900 engineers and cleaners employed by Romec, which maintains Royal Mail sorting offices and depots, were due to walk out tomorrow.

But the Communication Workers Union tonight announced it had secured an improved deal.

Staff had been offered a pay rise of 1.5% over 27 months, while bosses paid themselves bonuses of up to 15%.

A revised offer of 3.1% over 15 months will now be put to union members.

Ray Ellis, CWU negotiator, said: “These workers have stuck together and refused to be bullied into accepting an insulting pay offer. It’s a great victory.”

Dave Ward, CWU Deputy General Secretary, said: “We are delighted.”

Romec is a facilities company jointly owned by Royal Mail and Balfour Beatty.