Post Office workers will walk out for three days in August in pay row – as BT workers plan strikes

Post Office workers will stage fresh strikes on for three days in August as part of an escalating row over pay, continuing the summer of discontent.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) announced Post Office workers will take industrial action on August 26, 27 and 30. 

BT and Openreach workers will also strike in a dispute over pay, adding to the swathes of industrial action this summer by hundreds of thousands of union members – including train drivers walking out in a row over pay tomorrow.

The CWU said around 40,000 of its members will walk out on August 30 and 31, following two previous strikes.

The August 31 stoppage will coincide with a strike by CWU members in Royal Mail in a separate row over pay and conditions.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: ‘It’s disgraceful that one of the UK’s wealthiest and most profitable businesses is refusing to pay a fair wage to its employees – the women and men whose hard work and dedication contribute so much to this company’s success.

‘At a time when inflation is at its highest level in decades, and when this company is returning ever-increasing profits, paying out enormous amounts to shareholders and to its senior executive, it’s totally unacceptable to treat the workforce in this appalling way.

‘This is why our members voted to strike in such huge numbers and why they will keep fighting until a fair deal is won.

‘As well as the industrial action, this union is making and will continue to make political representations as well – and we warmly welcome every Member of Parliament or local councillor who wants to join us on our picket lines.’

CWU deputy general secretary Andy Kerr said: ‘Our BT and Openreach members responded magnificently to the first strike call in July and we’re confident they will be every bit as rock-solid in this second bout of action too.

‘We remain, as ever, open to negotiations, but in the meantime we are organising and preparing to deploy our pickets all around the UK.

‘This union remains a good friend to have and a constructive partner to work with – we continue to urge BT/Openreach to choose that path.

‘But if they continue to choose the path of conflict, they will continue to discover that this union is a strong, determined and indefatigable opponent.’

Britain faces fresh rail chaos tomorrow with NO trains running across large swathes of the country as militant unions walkout AGAIN in row over pay

• Drivers from nine rail companies will walk out of their jobs for a 24-hour period
• Among those impacted with be thousands of football fans travelling for matches
• Even railway companies whose drivers aren’t striking are warning of disruption

 By RORY TINGLE, HOME CORRESPONDENT FOR MAILONLINE

Britain’s ‘Summer of discontent’ will continue tomorrow with no trains running across large swathes of the country as drivers walk out in a row over pay – despite enjoying a median salary of £59,000. 

Drivers from nine rail companies will walk out of their jobs for a 24-hour period in a row over pay, while other firms are warning there will be a knock-on effect that could cause significant disruption. 

The strike will take place on a Saturday, hitting thousands of people travelling to sporting events and those trying to travel on their holidays during the summer break. 

One of the UK’s most popular bands, Coldplay are due to perform at Wembley Stadium on Saturday in front of as many as 90,000 fans – who may be affected by the planned strike.

The announcement was made by Aslef on the same day as other strikes by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Transport Salaried Staffs Association crippled services, with only around one in five trains running and some areas having none at all.

An estimated 6,500 drivers will be taking part.       

Last night it emerged junior doctors are also set to strike again unless the Government commits to a significant pay rise.

The British Medical Association (BMA) says it will ballot junior doctors for industrial action following an ‘unacceptable’ pay increase of 2 per cent.

The BMA is calling for a rise of up to 26 per cent, which it claims represents ‘pay restoration’ to the level of wages in 2008, after which point salaries began to fall steeply in real terms due to the cost of living.

The organisation, which represents all doctors in the UK, says its junior doctors are demoralised, burnt out and feeling undervalued.

The decision to ballot members follows ‘deafening silence’ from the Government over the issue of pay restoration, it added.

In a recent BMA survey of junior doctors, 83 per cent said this year’s 2 per cent pay award was ‘completely unacceptable’.  

A breakdown of tomorrow’s rail strikes is as follows – 

Avanti West Coast

All services across Avanti West Coast routes have been cancelled.

Chiltern Railways

The company is ‘strongly’ advising customers to avoid travelling unless they have to, given a knock-on effect from other operators.

Busy trains, short-notice cancellations and delays are all thought to be likely.

A reduced service of one train per hour is running on the Aylesbury Vale Parkway – Marylebone route between noon and 8pm.

CrossCountry

CrossCountry will not run any services on Saturday.

Gatwick Express

Although its drivers are not striking, services are likely to be ‘impacted’ given industrial action on London Overground and Southeastern.

Great Western Railway

A limited service will operate between Bristol Temple Meads – London Paddington, Reading – Oxford and Reading – Basingstoke.

Timetables will start later and finish earlier than normal.

Greater Anglia

Greater Anglia has asked customers to avoid travelling with their ‘heavily reduced and disrupted’ service.

One train per hour will run in each direction between London – Norwich, London – Colchester, Southend Victoria – Liverpool Street, and Liverpool Street – Stansted Airport.

Heathrow Express

All Heathrow Express services have been cancelled.

Hull Trains

A ‘significantly reduced’ timetable is running, consisting of one service to and from King’s Cross.

London North Eastern Railway

No trains are running north from Edinburgh Waverley, while southbound trains are restricted to one every two hours.

No trains are running north from Leeds, while just one train is running south to London King’s Cross.

One northbound train per hour is running from King’s Cross, while one northbound and one southbound train is running every two hours from Newcastle.

London Northwestern Railway

No London Northwestern Railway services are running.

Northern

Although services are running as normal, strikes affecting other operators could make trains busier than normal.

Southeastern

All Southeastern services have been cancelled.

Southern

Southern drivers are not involved in Aslef’s strike, but services may be ‘impacted’ given disruption on London Overground and Southeastern.

Stansted Express

Stansted Express have advised customers to avoid travelling on Saturday.

One train each way is running between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street every hour.

Engineering work means there will be a bus during the journey between Waltham Cross and Harlow Town.

Transport for Wales

Although not directly affected by strikes, services are likely to be hit by the reduced timetable of other operators.

Customers have been advised to avoid non-essential travel between Carmarthen – Newport, Cardiff – Lydney, Shrewsbury – Wolverhampton, and North Wales Coast, since trains are expected to be busy.

West Midlands Railway

No West Midlands Railway services are running on Saturday.