Postal union chiefs threaten Christmas delivery CHAOS: Royal Mail workers will walk out on NINETEEN days covering the likes of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in strike escalation
- Communication Workers Union will take strike action in October and November
- Union warns it will have a ‘dramatic impact’ and will cover peak delivery periods
- Decision made over ‘outrageous’ Royal Mail decision to push ahead with cuts
- Royal Mail says it losing £1m a day and strikes will make financial position worse
Royal Mail works will walk out on 19 days, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as union chiefs threaten delivery chaos over the Christmas period.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has announced it will take strike action in October and November across a mixture of single days with rolling action across Royal Mail Group’s network.
The union warns it will have a ‘dramatic impact’ and will cover peak delivery periods such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Christmas build-up.
Union chiefs have made the move following a threat over what they have labelled an ‘outrageous’ decision by Royal Mail Group’s senior management to withdraw from major national agreements, push ahead with cuts to workers’ terms and conditions and ‘completely sideline’ the union.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward today said: ‘This is a significant announcement, but it is one which matches the level of anger our members feel at the way Royal Mail Group has treated them.
Communication Workers Union Dave Ward pictured speaking to Royal Mail postal workers as they stand on a picket line outside a delivery office in north London earlier this month
‘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.
‘We call on everyone to stand with their local postal worker. If Royal Mail Group are allowed to get away with this then it sends a green light to every rogue big business in the UK.
‘We will not stand by and see the Royal Mail Group become the next P&O but we need your backing to win.’
But a spokesperson for Royal Mail said it is currently losing £1million and the strikes will only act to ‘make our financial position worse’.
A statement added: ‘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.
Striking Royal Mail workers gather on a picket line outside Camden Town Delivery Office on September 8
‘Royal Mail is losing £1 million 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.
‘The CWU has a responsibility to recognise the reality of the situation Royal Mail faces as a business and engage urgently on the changes required.
‘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.’
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