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Royal Mail workers mounted picket lines outside delivery and sorting offices in Wallingford, Abingdon, Carterton, Chipping Norton, Witney and Thame in a worsening dispute over pay and conditions.
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are walking out today and tomorrow, threatening disruption to deliveries, and will now take further action at the end of the month.
The union announced a further 48-hour stoppage on September 30 and October 1, saying its 115,000 members were increasingly angry at an “imposed” 2 per cent pay rise.
The industrial action follows strikes last week.
The union said its members face a “dramatic” reduction in living standards because of the soaring rate of inflation.
Oxfordshire FBU Brigade Chair Jon Shuker supporting local @CWUnews picket lines this morning ✊ pic.twitter.com/AKc3X93wuf
— Oxfordshire FBU (@Oxfordshire_FBU) September 8, 2022
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “There can be no doubt that postal workers are completely united in their determination to secure the dignified, proper pay rise they deserve.
“When Royal Mail bosses are raking in £758 million in profit and shareholders pocketing in excess of £400 million, our members won’t accept pleads of poverty from the company.
“They are sick of corporate failure getting rewarded again and again.”
Mr Ward said the fresh strikes had been called following the “despicable” way staff were being treated.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “The CWU’s decision to announce further strike action is placing jobs at risk. Royal Mail is losing £1 million a day. Strike action has weakened our financial position and is threatening the long-term job security of our postmen and women.
“We are now a parcels business. We must adapt old ways of working designed for letters to a world increasingly dominated by parcels and act fast.
“We want to protect well-paid, permanent jobs long-term and retain our place as the industry leader on pay, terms and conditions.
“The CWU rejected our offer worth up to 5.5 per cent for CWU grade colleagues, the biggest increase we have offered for many years. In a business that is currently losing £1 million pounds a day, we can only fund this offer by agreeing the changes that will pay for it.
“We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience the CWU’s continued strike action will cause. We are doing all we can to minimise any delays and keep people, businesses and the country connected.”
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