Talks between Royal Mail and postal staff have ended and not using 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 Staff Union (CWU) on the Westminster-based Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service ended after 1am on Wednesday with the 2 sides failing to succeed in settlement on pay and situations.

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

The newest negotiations have been led by Dave Ward, the CWU’s common secretary, and several other Royal Mail board members, though the chief govt, Simon Thompson, and chair, Keith Williams, weren’t immediately concerned.

The corporate on Wednesday mentioned it had elevated its provide to the union, however that it was “not an possibility” to hold on with out vital adjustments. The CWU mentioned that “unacceptable pressures” have been being positioned on postal staff.

Royal Mail is owned by the not too long ago renamed Worldwide Distributions Techniques (IDS), the FTSE 250 firm created when the postal service was privatised. IDS has mentioned that Royal Mail, the half that runs the UK’s regulated letter supply enterprise, is anticipated to lose between £350m and £400m this yr, and had even raised the opportunity of placing the corporate right into a type of administration if talks fell by.

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

Nonetheless, the CWU argued that was a “selective” account. A spokesperson mentioned: “The corporate suggested the union that the administrators who’ve been main negotiations are not out there and that the board will likely be assembly right this moment to find out their subsequent steps.

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

A Royal Mail spokesperson mentioned: “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 succeed in an settlement, together with making quite a lot of additional enhancements to our provide. These enhancements have been all primarily based on suggestions from the CWU, and we have been hopeful that the CWU would put a deal to its members.

“We stay dedicated to reaching an settlement with the CWU. We have now been clear all through the dispute that not reworking our community and dealing practices shouldn’t be an possibility in a enterprise shedding mo