Royal Mail apology after boss offers pay rise in April Fool’s prank
Charlie Parker
Tuesday April 04 2023, 12.00am, The Times
Royal Mail has apologised after a manager announced a big pay rise for striking staff in what turned out to be an April Fool’s prank.
A letter seen by staff said the company and the Communication Workers Union had “reached an agreement” after months of strikes. It detailed a breakthrough salary increase of 11 per cent, backdated to April last year, and said staff would be able to use their own cars to make deliveries.
The notice was put up at the Royal Mail Gloucester North branch, but was shared widely because it encouraged staff to spread the word on social media.
Celebrations turned to anger when workers realised it was a prank. The union described the stunt — which came days after reports that it was preparing to announce strike dates following a failure to reach an agreement with Royal Mail — as “nasty” and “tone deaf”.
The union said: “Throughout the postal workers’ strike, Royal Mail workplaces have seen managers engaging in unprecedented levels of intimidation against postal workers . . . For many employees, the workplace is now a completely toxic environment where nasty, tone-deaf ‘jokes’ such as these are considered culturally acceptable.”
On social media, Royal Mail workers described the manager behind the note, who has not been named, as a “horrible human being”. Some called for the person to be sacked. Others said that those who had believed the notice should “give their heads a wobble” as it was “unbelievable” and clearly “banter”.
Royal Mail said: “We apologise for any upset caused by this misjudged April Fool’s joke . . . The local manager has apologised.”