Royal Mail: The CWU is striking at our busiest time

Royal Mail is asking its customers to post their mail earlier than usual for Christmas this year as a result of the ongoing strike action by CWU.

The Company is bringing forward its Latest Recommended Posting Dates for domestic and international mail to help manage any impact from planned strike action by the CWU during the festive season.  The CWU intends to take further industrial action on 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December.

The changes to Latest Recommended Posting Dates are designed to help the Company keep mail moving in the run up to the Christmas period when mail volumes are higher.

With the threat of more planned CWU strike action across the UK, Royal Mail continues to deploy a range of contingency plans to keep communities, businesses and the country connected throughout the CWU’s ongoing industrial action.

Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Mail, said: “The CWU is striking at our busiest time, holding Christmas to ransom for our customers, businesses and families across the country. We apologise to our customers for any disruption and delay that the CWU strike action is causing. We ask our customers to post early for Christmas to help us deliver Christmas.”

Meanwhile CWU warns of a  “Christmas meltdown” referring to “the huge numbers of parcels and deliveries stacking up in every Royal Mail Group workplace across the country.”

Throughout this year, 115,000 postal workers have been taking industrial action.

CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “Royal Mail bosses are risking a Christmas meltdown because of their stubborn refusal to treat their employees with respect. “Postal workers want to get on with serving the communities they belong to, delivering Christmas gifts and tackling the backlog from recent weeks.

“But they know their value, and they will not meekly accept the casualisation of their jobs, the destruction of their conditions and the impoverishment of their families.

“This can be resolved if Royal Mail begin treating their workers with respect, and meet with the union to resolve this dispute.”