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Royal Mail mounted picket lines outside delivery and sorting offices again on Saturday in a continuing dispute over pay and conditions.
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) walked out on a 48-hour strike on Friday, hitting post deliveries across the country.
Talks between the two sides were held on Thursday but there was no sign progress and the union is planning to step up industrial action in the coming weeks.
Here’s what you need to know about strike action ahead.
When are the rest of the Royal Mail strikes in 2022?
Staff represented by CWU announced 19 days of action taking place throughout October and November 2022.
Four days of widespread action involving all CWU workers, estimated to be around 115,000, have been organised. There will be 24-hour walkouts, beginning 4am, on:
- Thursday 13 October
- Thursday 20 October
- Tuesday 25 October
- Monday 28 November
Smaller groups and teams will strike on various dates in November and December, and the CWU has said the action will have a knock-on effect on all deliveries. These dates are as follows:
- 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 union said it will have a “dramatic impact” and will cover peak mail periods such as Black Friday on 25 November, Cyber Monday on 28 November and the Christmas build-up.
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How is post affected on Royal Mail strike dates?
Despite “well-developed contingency plans”, Royal Mail previously acknowledged that these “cannot fully replace the daily efforts of its frontline workforce”.
This means major disruption to postal services is inevitable on the full strike dates, with “some disruption” likely on the days of partial action.
Royal Mail advises its customers to:
- Post items as early as possible in advance of the strike dates
- Continue to post items at postboxes or Post Offices, but be aware collections will be less frequent on days when strike action is taking place
The most significant effect is that Royal Mail will not be delivering any letters on these days, except for those sent by Special Delivery.
Special Delivery parcels are also being prioritised, although Royal Mail adds: “However, we cannot guarantee delivery of all items by 9am or 1pm next day.”
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.
The majority of Post Offices are expected to be open on the dates walkouts are talking place, although a small number will be affected by the CWU action.
Postal deliveries – and collections from businesses, Post Offices and postboxes – should resume the day after each strike takes place.
Why are Royal Mail workers striking?
The union is pushing for a pay offer more in line with inflation, with its members voting overwhelmingly in favour of action.
Speaking on Saturday, CWU general secretary Dave Ward said the union will be offering Royal Mail a way to get back into “serious talks”, offering the chance to suspend industrial action if progress is made.
He said it would be “useful” if the Government explained its position about the future of Royal Mail amid union fears that the company is being positioned for a takeover.
Mr Ward said new Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg had told the union it could meet one of his department’s officials.
“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. We call on everyone to stand with their local postal worker.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “The CWU can be in no doubt of the impact its reckless pursuit of 19 days of industrial action has on our weakened financial position and the job security of its members.
“Royal Mail is losing £1m a day. We operate in a competitive market, and our customers have choices. Continued strike action will force our customers to make those choices sooner rather than later.
“Our invitation to enter into talks through Acas remains open. Our people need the CWU leadership to recognise the reality of the situation Royal Mail faces as a business, and to engage urgently on the changes required to adapt to customer demands in a highly competitive market.
“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.”
Additional reporting from Press Association
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