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Cumbria’s postal workers will take strike action on Black Friday and Cyber Monday as part of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) national industrial dispute.
Postal Workers have held a series of strike days over the summer and into the autumn over a dispute with Royal Mail over pay, jobs and working conditions.
The CWU have announced today that workers will be striking on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 which is known as Black Friday, the biggest shopping day in the calendar where shops and retailers slash prices for one day only before the Christmas period.
Workers will also strike on Wednesday, November 30 and Thursday, December 1 – just two days after Cyber Monday, one of the busiest online shopping days.
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “Posties are in the fight of their lives against the Uberisation of Royal Mail and the destruction of their conditions.
“But our members will not just accept this war on their livelihoods and their industry.
“They will never give up the fight to protect this industry and to protect their hard-won working conditions.
The CWU have been campaigning for a pay rise for workers to help mitigate the sharp rise in the cost-of-living.
Royal Mail have offered a pay rise worth nine per cent of two years, but this was called ‘derisory’ by the CWU and a “a dramatic real-terms pay cut”.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail proposed a new pay-for-change offer to the CWU worth nine per cent over two years, despite making a loss of £219m in the first half of the year.
“The CWU is playing a dangerous game with its members’ jobs and the future of Royal Mail. We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience the CWU’s continued strike action will cause.
“We are doing all we can to minimise delays and keep people, businesses and the country connected.”
Cumbrian members are also being asked to deliver a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson.
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