Christmas post chaos as Royal Mail workers to strike for six days in December
The strike includes Christmas Eve.
Postal workers are to stage six fresh strikes next month, including on Christmas Eve.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) which represents 115,000 Royal Mail posties, announced the wave of strikes Thursday evening.
Workers will walk out on December 23 and 24, in addition to December 9, 11, 14 and 15.
The industrial action from postal workers comes amid a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
A union spokesperson said: ‘The CWU want a negotiated settlement with Royal Mail Group and will continue to engage the company to that end.
‘But those in charge of Royal Mail need to wake up and realise we won’t allow them to destroy the livelihoods of postal workers.’
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘Our preference is for an agreement with the CWU but the change we need is not optional.
‘They should be focused on a resolution to this dispute for their members and the long-term health of the business, rather than damaging strike action.’
The Royal Mail, a company that operates Britain’s postal service, is planning sweeping structural changes that the CWU has said will turn well-paid jobs into a ‘casualised, financially precarious workforce’,
These plans include gutting sick pay, inferior terms for new staff and delaying the arrival of the post to the public by three hours, the union said.
The Royal Mail, an arm of International Distribution Services, said yesterday that talks with the union have been extended.
But the posties are in no way alone. An explosion of industrial action has swept the UK, with criminal barristers to refuse collectors picketing over pay.
Ground handlers, those who help guide aircraft, load luggage and other duties, at London’s Heathrow Aiport will walk out 4am Friday.
The 72-hour strike involves 350 workers protesting against aviation services firm Menzies’ ‘derisory’ pay offer that Unite union said falls ‘far below’ inflation.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.