When postal strikes are planned in August and September, and how post is affected

Royal Mail workers will go on strike on four days in August and September in a dispute over pay.

The action is organised by the Communication Workers Union (CWU), and involves roughly 115,000 employees.

Royal Mail has said the union had rejected a pay rise offer “worth up to 5.5 per cent” after three months of talks.

The union is demanding a rise more in line with inflation, which is currently at 9.4 per cent and is expected to reach 13 per cent later this year.

Here is everything you need to know about the walkout.

When are the Royal Mail strikes?

Royal Mail staff plan to strike on:

• Friday 26 August
• Wednesday 31 August
• Thursday 8 September
• Friday 9 September

How will services be affected?

Royal Mail has said letters will not be delivered on strike days.

The company has apologised to customers, but says it has plans to minimise the disruption.

In a statement it said: “Royal Mail has well-developed contingency plans, but they cannot fully replace the daily efforts of its frontline workforce. We will be doing what we can to keep services running, but customers should expect significant disruption.”

On days when strike action is taking place, Royal Mail says it will:

• Deliver as many special delivery and tracked 24 parcels as possible
• Prioritise the delivery of Covid test kits and medical prescriptions wherever possible
• Not be delivering letters (with the exception of special delivery) 

Items posted the day before, during or in the days after any strike action will be subject to delay.

Royal Mail said it cannot guarantee delivery of all special delivery items by 9am or 1pm next day, so it is suspending the regular guarantees while strike action is occurring.

The company is advising people 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 

Why are workers striking?

Dave Ward, CWU general secretary, 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 that people “can’t keep on living in a country where bosses rake in billions in profit while their employees are forced to use food banks”.

“The CWU’s message to Royal Mail’s leadership is simple – there will be serious disruption until you get real on pay,” he said.

Ricky McAulay, operations director at Royal Mail, accused the union of failing to engage in “any meaningful discussion” after months of talks.

“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,” he said.

“In a business that is currently losing £1m a day, we can only fund this offer by agreeing the changes that will pay for it.”