Post Office workers to strike in week before Christmas, although Royal Mail deliveries said to be unaffected
Workers at the Post Office have announced that they will strike during the run-up to Christmas.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) says that strike action will commence on Monday 19 December and run through to Christmas Eve in 300 branches around the country.
They have so far notified the Post Office, which is run separately to Royal Mail, of two days of strike action. They must give seven days’ notice of strike action.
The CWU said the strike was prompted by a dispute over planned changes to workers’ pensions, as well as closures and movements of branches. It is the latest in a line of strikes over the changes.
Read more: Metro Bank's business customers get 11,600 new branches
A Post Office spokesperson said that the changes were part of a “modernisation programme” to ensure access to branches.
CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey said: “Our members want the Post Office management to pause its closure and privatisation programme, hold off on its planned pensions changes, and commit to sitting down with us and with the other key stakeholders of this Great British institution and, together, construct a lasting vision."
The last strike took place in October in 119 branches. There are 11,600 Post Office branches around the UK.
Kevin Gilliland, network and sales director at the Post Office, said: “Just today, we agreed with the CWU that we would resume talks, which have been ongoing throughout the summer, on Wednesday.
“We are extremely disappointed that they prefer to resort to calls for strike action and we will be reviewing our position in light of this development. Our focus must be on supporting our customers, who rely on us at Christmas more than ever.”
The CWU represents 199,443 members in the UK, spread through various sectors including post and telecommunications.