Royal Mail staff to strike on Christmas Eve as six more walkouts announced

Royal Mail workers are to strike on Christmas Eve as well as five more days throughout December as a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions continues. Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will walk out on December 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24.

This is on top of strikes already notified for November 24, 25 and 30, and December 1. Royal Mail has been holding what it described as “intensive” talks with the CWU in a bid to resolve the dispute.

A CWU 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.”

Earlier today it emerged that Royal Mail has asked the Government for an early move to cut its letter service to five days a week as it unveiled hefty losses after a hit from crippling strike action. Boss Simon Thompson vowed to do “whatever it takes” to turn the group around after half-year results showed it tumbled to a £219 million underlying operating loss in the 26 weeks to September 25 against earnings of £235 million a year ago.

The group said three days of strike action in the first half cost Royal Mail around £70 million, while a further five days in October are estimated to have cost another £30 million. It has formally asked the Government to switch from a six-days-a-week letter delivery service to five, covering Monday to Friday, under its Universal Service agreement, while looking to maintain a seven-day parcel delivery service.