Royal Mail big-wigs have had to come out and say sorry for an April fools’ prank that was so misjudged, it almost an april fools of an april fools!
The ‘nasty’ April Fool’s Day prank where striking staff were told by a manager they would get a huge pay rise. Royal Mail has seen 18 days of strikes over the last year, as workers’ fight to save their jobs and protect their livelihoods.
The letter claimed Royal Mail and the Communication Worker’s Union (CWU) had ‘reached an agreement’ after a bitter row over pay and working conditions.
It said a breakthrough pay rise of 11 per cent, backdated to April 2022, would be given out on Tuesday to all staff.
Job cuts
It went on to say a ‘recruitment campaign’ to hire 10,000 ‘telegram boys’ was being rolled out when in fact 10,000 jobs are expected to be cut at the mail service by August.
The manager behind the prank has since said sorry, the Royal Mail said, with a company spokesman apologising for any ‘upset caused by this misjudged April Fool’s joke’.
But the letter, which went on display at the Royal Mail Gloucester North base, outraged postal employees, with one raging: ‘It isn’t a f***ing joke, it’s people’s livelihoods. that manager should be f***ing sacked. I don’t think it’s a laughing matter. DO YOU?’
A Communication Workers Union spokesperson added: ‘For many Royal Mail employees, the workplace is now a completely toxic environment where nasty, tone-deaf ‘jokes’ such as these are considered culturally acceptable.’
Poster in full
Royal Mail and WU reach agreement – Saturday April 1, 2023
We are pleased to announce that agreement has been reached.
Please take note of the following points:
11 per cent pay rise, backdated to April 2022, to be paid on 07/04/23.
UK Government to pay £500 million per year to subsidise USO but no increase to the price of stamps or tax rises to pay for it.
Reversal of all recent revisions and reintroduction of shorter deliveries.
Reintroduction of job and finish.
Removal of ‘Scan In Scan Out’.
Brand new fleet of diesel vans and bicycles to replace electric vans
Staff now allowed to use private cars on delivery
No limit on ghosting overtime
Reintroduction of EPOD cards and removal of PDA devices
Recruitment campaign launches on 03/04/23 to employ 10,000 new telegram boys
Related: Watch: Joe Lycett spoofed GB News & sent letter to Liz Truss
