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Royal Mail workers are staging the first of a series of planned strikes on Thursday 13 October, as part a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions.
Staff represented by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) members are holding 19 days of strike action in October and November.
The walkouts are poised to cause widespread disruption to postal services, with the potential for the walkouts to continue into the festive period – here’s everything you need to know.
When is the next postal strike?
The next widespread Royal Mail strike involving all CWU workers will take place on Thursday 20 October.
This is followed by other large-scale walkouts on Tuesday 25 October and Monday 28 November.
A series of smaller Royal Mail strikes is also being planned by various groups and teams represented by the union on dates in November and December.
While these are not expected to cause such widespread disruption, the CWU has warned that there will be a knock-on effect on deliveries.
These are taking place on the dates below:
- Processing, distribution, international, collections and admin workers: Thursday 3, Wednesday 9, Tuesday 15, Thursday 24 November and Thursday 1 December
- Delivery workers: Friday 4, Thursday 10, Wednesday 16, Friday 25 November and Friday 2 December
- Network workers: Wednesday 2, Tuesday 8, Monday 14, Wednesday 23 and Wednesday 30 November
The final day of industrial action is currently scheduled for Friday 2 December but negotiations have ground to a halt, meaning more strike dates further into the Christmas period are possible, i understands.
While it is possible that strike-induced delays may have resolved by late December, it is advisable to post Christmas presents well in advance this year.
A Royal Mail source recommended posting parcels two or three days earlier than usual ahead of dates when industrial action is planned.
Why are Royal Mail workers striking?
When announcing the latest round of planned strikes, CWU general secretary Dave Ward said the “signifcant announcement” of strikes “matches the level of anger our members feel” at their treatment.
He added: “The chief executive of Royal Mail Group is treating postal workers as if they are stupid.
“These are the same people that have kept the country connected and returned Royal Mail Group to record profit.
“Postal workers across the UK now face the fight of their lives to save their jobs and the service they provide to every household and business in the UK.”
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “On September 22, Royal Mail invited CWU to enter into talks through Acas to find a resolution to our dispute on change and pay.
“This evening, rather than responding to our offer of Acas talks, the CWU announced further damaging industrial action, once again taking the path of prolonging disruption over resolution.
“Royal Mail is losing £1m a day and must change faster in response to changing customer demands. We operate in a competitive market, and our customers have choices.
“Further strikes and resistance to transformation by CWU will only make our financial position worse, and threatens the long-term job security of our postmen and women.”
More on Royal Mail
Is there post on strike dates?
The union said its planned strikes will have a “dramatic impact,” covering peak mail periods such as Black Friday on 25 November, Cyber Monday on 28 November and the Christmas build-up.
Royal Mail, which has a full, in-depth list of FAQs which you can find here, advises its customers to:
- post items as early as possible in advance of the strike dates
- continue to post items at post boxes or post offices, but be aware collections will be less frequent on days when strike action is taking place
Despite “well-developed contingency plans”, Royal Mail has acknowledged that these “cannot fully replace the daily efforts of its frontline workforce,” with significant disruption on strike dates.
The most significant effect is that Royal Mail will not be delivering any letters on these days, except for those sent by Special Delivery, while Special Delivery parcels are also being prioritised.
Royal Mail has also promised to “prioritise the delivery of Covid test kits and medical prescriptions wherever possible” when strikes are taking place, alongside other Tracked24 parcels.
Any items posted in postboxes or Post Offices the day before, during or following strike dates are likely to be subject to delays.
Most post offices are expected to be open on the dates walkouts are talking place, although a few will be affected by the CWU action.
Postal deliveries – and collections from businesses, post offices and post boxes – should resume the day after each strike takes place.
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