Post chaos may halt teachers’ strike by delaying return of ballot papers beyond deadline

Striking postal workers could scupper teachers’ industrial action by delaying the return of ballot papers.

More than 500,000 teachers are considering possible strike action in England and Wales, with deadlines for votes from January 9. It is thought that post strikes mean some ballot papers have yet to arrive.

Any postal votes returned too late could impact the outcome of the ballot. 

A spokesman for the NASUWT union said: ‘We know from Royal Mail that the strikes have had a significant effect on the delivery of mail and this would include the distribution and return of ballot papers. However we have no figures on the volumes affected.’

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Postal worker strikes could delay the return of ballot papers for teachers voting for industrial action

A National Education Union spokesman said it supported postal walkouts.

He insisted: ‘We are confident our members will vote in the margins required for action to take place.’

It comes as strikes launched by militant unions caused chaos over Christmas, with huge disruption across travel, postal and NHS services.

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Postal strikes caused chaos over Christmas alongside industrial action across travel and NHS services

The latest include Border Force staff, who resumed strikes on Wednesday in an ongoing row over pay, jobs and working conditions.

Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) members working as officers at Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow airports and the port of Newhaven have walked out.

Driving examiners have also launched a five-day strike as part of escalating industrial action by civil servants in a dispute over pay, jobs and pensions.

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