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Royal Mail staff set for 19-days of strike action in the run-up to Christmas

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Royal Mail staff are set to go on strike

Royal Mail staff will walk out for 19 days over the busy Christmas period as a row over pay and pensions continues.

The Retal Gazette reports the Communication Workers Union (CWU) has confirmed industrial action will be taken by workers throughout October, November and December.

Further strikes are planned on "Black Friday", Friday, November 25, and "Cyber Monday" on Monday, November 28, which the union says will have a "dramatic effect."

READ MORE: UNIONS LAUNCH A LEGAL CHALLENGE AGAINST THE UK GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO STRIKE

Smaller strikes will be held in the run-up to Christmas involving different combinations of staff.

A spokesman for the CWU said the action will have a knock-on effect on any deliveries on those dates.

Full strikes will be held on:

  • Friday 30 September 2022  and Saturday 1 October 2022
  • Thursday 13 October 2022
  • Thursday 20 October 2022
  • Tuesday 25 October 2022
  • Monday 28 November 2022

CWU general secretary Dave Ward 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.”

“These are the same people that have kept the country connected and returned Royal Mail Group to record profit,” he said.

“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.”

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Royal Mail had proposed a pay rise of up to 5.5 percent in May 2022 in relation to the courier adding an additional, seventh working day as it expanded its Sunday delivery services on 31 May.

But the offer was rejected by the CWU, who says it is too low to cover the living costs caused by spiraling inflation.

Royal Mail said: "We’re sorry this strike action is likely to cause you some disruption. We will be working to get our services back to normal as quickly as possible.

"Royal Mail has well-developed contingency plans, but we cannot fully replace the daily efforts of our frontline workforce.

"We’ll be doing what we can to keep services running, but you should expect significant disruption on dates when strike action is taking place."

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