Clive Ticker, Islington’s CWU rep, right, with Crown Post Office worker JJ outside the Upper Street branch

THERE have been warnings that Crown postal workers are having to “choose between heating and eating” as workers came out on strike over a “woefully inadequate” pay rise this week.

Upper Street’s branch was one of 114 Crown Post Offices to close on Tuesday following strike action by the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

“We’re striking be­cause postal workers put their lives on the line during the pandemic to be rewarded with a nought per cent pay rise,” said Clive Ticker, Islington’s CWU union rep.

“This year, they’ve offered us a paltry 2 per cent pay rise. With national insurance going up and utility bills spiralling, it’s woefully inadequate – in real terms, it’s a pay decrease.”

Mr Ticker added: “There’s real hardship cases going on – 80 per cent of the workforce are female, some of whom are single mothers, some are having to choose between heating and eating. It’s as simple as that. It really is that bad.”

Crown Post Offices are larger branches often found on British high streets, which are run directly by Post Office Limited. The remaining 97 per cent of post offices – roughly 11,000 branches – operate as independent businesses managed by franchise partners, also known as sub-postmasters. These private branches remained open throughout the strike.

Mr Ticker said Crown Post Office workers are “really disillusioned” with their employers, particularly given the ongoing sub-postmaster scandal that has seen hundreds of workers wrongly prosecuted for theft and false accounting as a result of a faulty IT system.

However, Mr Ticker has stressed postal workers want to reach a negotiated settlement. “With the Post Office, you’ve got an inbred loyalty to it: we’ve got 200 years’ worth experience in that [Upper Street] office.

“They care really passionately about the public – people who work at the post office joined the Post Office to provide a public service.”

Mr Ticker added: “The CWU wants to get involved in meaningful negotiations. Our national officer has written to them and they haven’t even had the courtesy of replying to him. So that’s the kind of animal we’re dealing with. We’re hoping to move things forward today.”

A Post Office spokes­person said: “The vast majority of our 11,500 branches were unaffected by the CWU’s decision to instruct their members to take strike action on Tuesday May 3 and remained open throughout the day.

“Of the 114 branches – typically in city centres – across the UK that are directly managed by the Post Office, 50 were able to open [on Tuesday]. However, our Islington branch was closed.

“The nearest alternative branch to Islington was our branch at 213-215 Upper Street, located around 300 metres away.”