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FESTIVE strikes have begun across Cumbria as long running industrial disputes continue.
Communications Worker’s Union (CWU) began strike action on Friday, December 23 leaving thousands of letters, parcels and presents undelivered before Christmas Day.
Network Rail staff who are members of the RMT have also begun strike action covering the whole of the Christmas weekend and into the new year.
Families have been left unable to travel to see loved ones over the festive period and businesses have been affected on what is one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
The AA has issued an amber traffic warning saying that due the strikes the roads are much more likely to be busy with many more people choosing to travel by car with the M6 and the A66 in Cumbria listed as potential busy spots.
“The rail strikes have convinced more people to travel by car this year, and while hundreds of miles of roadworks have been removed to ease the pain, it might not be enough to keep the queues away,” head of roads policy Jack Cousens said in a statement.
The CWU have apologised for any disruption caused by strike action but have said that it is ‘necessary.’
A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “We will be doing all we can to deliver Christmas for our customers.
“Thousands of employees from across the business have swapped their regular day jobs to help sort and deliver the festive mailbag.
“We are grateful to them and the more than 12,000 posties who returned to work on the last strike day.”
The RMT have blamed the government for failing to prevent the latest strike action saying that they have ‘abdicated their responsibility to sort out strikes’ but the government have urged RMT members to take pay deals.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The union remains available for talks to resolve this dispute.
“But until the government gives the rail industry a mandate to come to a negotiated settlement on job security, pay and condition of work, our industrial campaign will continue into the new year, if necessary.”
Strike action is set to continue into the new year with more dates announced by rail workers and ambulance drivers as Cumbria continues to see the largest levels on industrial action by workers for over a decade.
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