The UK is seeing another wave of strikes this week as Royal Mail workers engage in industrial action alongside the rail industry. In total there will be six days of strike action. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is leading the strikes, which have been prompted over disputes regarding pay and working conditions. A representative from Royal Mail has said they’ve made an offer of a 9% pay rise over 18 months. The CWU has said they were not offered a good deal and will continue with strike action.
Strike days involve no delivery of first and second class letters, no collection of letters from post boxes, and the closure of Royal Mail delivery offices. Customers will not receive compensation for late deliveries. Parcels and Special Delivery letters may still be delivered, but will be run by a limited staff.
See also: How Do the Rail Strikes Affect Students?
The strikes began with a rally in Central London last week and have continued this week with over 100,000 employees taking part. Unless negotiations are successful, the strikes will continue on the 23rd and 24th of December. It’s no accident that the timing coincides with the busiest time for deliveries of the year in the lead up to the holiday season. Union leaders are hoping the disruption will be significant enough to motivate Royal Mail leadership to make an offer that meets their demands.
With inflation reaching the highest it’s been in 40 years, the cost of living has been on the rise this year. Energy bills and food prices have set record highs, while wages haven’t risen to meet inflation rates. Most recently, inflation has dipped back down to 10.7% from 11.1%, but whether it will continue to fall is uncertain.
The strikes have caused many customers to rely on DPD and other couriers instead for their Christmas deliveries. The influx of new customers has overwhelmed DPD’s capabilities, forcing it to stop offering its next day delivery services as the company deals with its backlog of shipments.
The postal service is not the only industry being affected by strikes during the holidays. RMT rail strikes will be taking place four days this week, leaving only 20% of services running. In addition, there are bus strikes planned for the 16th and 17th in London. NHS nurses are striking on the 15th and 20th of December.