When are the Royal Mail strikes? Date of UK postal dispute and how post will be disrupted

Royal Mail workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strikes in a dispute over pay, as the summer of discontent continues.

In July a total of 97.6 per cent, of those who voted – more than 115,000 workers – backed strikes, on a turnout of 77 per cent. The union said it was an unprecedented result.

The action by Royal Mail workers comes on top of strikes by rail workers, bus drivers, port workers, barristers and airline staff – while teachers, doctors, nurses and civil servants are all set to be balloted on strike action in the coming months.

When are they going on strike?

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are set to walk out on Friday August 26 and Wednesday 31 and on Thursday September 8 and Friday September 9 in a dispute over pay.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “Nobody takes the decision to strike lightly, but postal workers are being pushed to the brink.

“There can be no doubt that postal workers are completely united in their determination to secure the dignified, proper pay rise they deserve.”

He added: “Postal workers won’t meekly accept their living standards being hammered by greedy business leaders who are completely out of touch with modern Britain.

“They are sick of corporate failure getting rewarded again and again. The CWU’s message to Royal Mail’s leadership is simple – there will be serious disruption until you get real on pay.”

Scottish regional secretary of the CWU, Craig Anderson told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland on Wednesday that negotiations had broken down.

“We’re taking this action because we’ve been given no other option,” he said.

“The negotiations started in February regarding a pay rise for the workers within Royal Mail and the negotiations have broken down.”

It is likely to be the biggest industrial action taken by workers this summer in Britain, according to the CWU.

Why are they going on strike?

Royal Mail said workers have been offered a 5.5 per cent pay rise, but the union says the rise reflects a 2 per cent pay increase, a further 1.5 per cent in exchange for a change in terms and conditions as well as a £500 bonus.

Royal Mail said that, following the conclusion of negotiations with the CWU, it has given an unconditional 2 per cent pay increase, backdated to April 1 2022.

A further 3.5 per cent increase is available, subject to agreeing on a series of changes, the company said.

Mr Anderson added: “They’ve imposed a 2 per cent pay award without agreement.

“They offered another 1.5 per cent based on signing away terms and conditions, and a further £500 as a bonus for having targets that they knew weren’t achievable. So there was never a 5.5 per cent pay offer put on the table.”

He called for Royal Mail to “sit back round the table” and look at where members are at regarding the cost-of-living crisis.

He added: “A fair offer from our perspective would be for them they sit back round the table with us and actually look at where or what comes out at the moment with a cost-of-living crisis, where the company’s been with the profits that they’ve made, and actually start negotiating on a percentage pay raise that reflects that.”

How will post be affected?

A strike on this scale, involving more than 100,000 workers, will result in severe disruption to deliveries across the country.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “In the event of industrial action, we have contingency plans to minimise customer disruption and will work to keep people, businesses and the country connected.”

i reported last month that Royal Mail has been in communication with pharmacies to ensure that there is as little disruption as possible to deliveries of vital medicines.

Organisations such as the NHS will also be prioritised after the strike action to ensure important letters reach their recipients as soon as possible.

In a statement to the stock market on Wednesday, Royal Mail said the decision to strike is an “abdication of responsibility” for the long-term job security of CWU members.

“In more than three months of talks, CWU has failed to engage meaningfully on the business changes required,” it said.

“The negative commercial impact of any strike action will only make pay rises less affordable and could put jobs at risk.

“The CWU has a responsibility to recognise the reality of the situation Royal Mail faces as a business, and to engage urgently on the changes required.

“Royal Mail remains ready to talk with the CWU to try and avert damaging industrial action and prevent significant inconvenience for customers. But any talks must be about both change and pay.

“Royal Mail has contingency plans in place and will be working hard to minimise disruption and restore normal service as soon as possible.”

Ricky McAulay, operations director at Royal Mail, apologised to customers “for the disruption that CWU’s industrial action will cause.”

He accused the union of “failing to engage in any meaningful discussion on the changes we need to modernise, or to come up with alternative ideas.”

Additional reporting from Press Association.