Rishi Sunak says government’s pay offers ‘reasonable’ despite strikes
Thousands of Royal Mail workers have walked out today in the first of a series of strikes in the run-up to Christmas in a bitter dispute over pay and working conditions.
According to the Communication Workers Union (CWU), around 15,000 Royal Mail workers will attend a rally held at Parliament Square from 1pm, in what they have called the biggest postal worker demonstration in living memory.
CWU claims Royal Mail imposed a 2 per cent pay increase on members without consultation, with general secretary Dave Ward saying that the organisation is “refusing” to treat employees with respect.
“Postal workers want to get on with serving the communities they belong to, delivering Christmas gifts and tackling the backlog from recent weeks,” said Mr Ward.
“But they know their value, and they will not meekly accept the casualisation of their jobs, the destruction of their conditions and the impoverishment of their families.”
Members of the CWU are planning more strikes in December, including on Christmas Eve. The next will take place on Sunday 11 December. The public has been advised to plan ahead when sending packages for Christmas.
It comes amid a winter of strike action in the UK, including walkouts planned by nurses, ambulance staff, rail workers and Border Force officers.
Today’s Royal Mail strike marks the first in a series this month in the run-up to Christmas.
Further strike action will take place on:
On strike days, Royal Mail has said that disruptions are likely. Staff will not be delivering letters with the exception of those sent with Special Delivery, but it cannot guarantee they will arrive.
Eleanor Noyce9 December 2022 10:22
Hello and welcome to our live updates on the postal worker strike action today.
Eleanor Noyce9 December 2022 10:18
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