Royal Mail parent slides to half-yearly loss as UK business drags (updated)
17/11/2022 07:21
(Adds details and background)
Nov 17 (Reuters) - Royal Mail's parent company
International Distributions Services IDSI.L on Thursday
reported a first-half loss of 57 million pounds ($67.88 million)
as higher costs and disruptions arising from strikes by its
postal workers put a strain on its finances.
The former British postal monopoly, which recently changed
the name of its holding company from Royal Mail Plc, still
expects full-year adjusted operating loss for Royal Mail - its
UK business - of around 350 million to 450 million pounds.
It is targeting for Royal Mail to return to adjusted
operating profit in full year 2024-25. The company maintained
its forecast for GLS, its international division.
Royal Mail has been locked in a bitter dispute with its
largest labour union - the Communication Workers Union (CWU) -
over pay and operation changes at the over 500-year-old postal
company, leading to several days of strikes in the past few
months.
The union plans to hold more strikes in the run-up to
the busy Christmas period, after it rejected a new conditional
pay offer, which was subject to the CWU agreeing to changes such
as Sunday working and flexible working.
Royal Mail had said it could cut up to 10,000 jobs and
warned of more layoffs and even deeper financial losses if it
cannot reach an agreement with the CWU.
The group's revenue for the six-month period ended Sept. 25
fell nearly 4% to 5.84 billion pounds, dragged by weak
performances at Royal Mail, while it also posted adjusted
operating loss for the reported period versus a profit of 404
million pounds last year.
($1 = 0.8397 pounds)
(Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry
Jacob-Phillips)
((Yadarisa.Shabong@thomsonreuters.com; Twitter: https://twitter.com/Yadarisa;
+919742735150;))