Royal Mail workers’ union to strike in the run-up to Christmas

Britain’s Royal Mail said on Tuesday that members of its largest labour union, the Communication Workers Union (CWU), will strike in November and December in the run up to Christmas.

Royal Mail said the CWU notified it that they plan to call on members who collect, sort and deliver parcels and letters to take two days of national strike action on Nov. 12 and 14, while the CWU said it plans to strike on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25, also known as Black Friday.

The CWU, which represents more than 115,000 postal workers at Royal Mail, also said that workers will strike on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

The CWU’s postal executive will meet on Thursday to discuss new actions in the Christmas build-up, adding that the union will hold a vote to reject Royal Mail’s pay deal and whether workers have confidence in the company’s chief, Simon Thompson.

The dispute between Royal Mail, owned by International Distribution Services Plc IDSI.L, and its largest union flared up again on Monday after the CWU rejected a new conditional pay hike offer, citing “unacceptable changes”.