Royal Mail workers are to hold 19 days of strike action over pay and terms and conditions during the peak postal build-up to Christmas.

A week before Christmas, one of the busiet times of the year, industrial action will affect Crown Post Offices – the larger branches usually located on High Streets. Staff are walking out which will speed up the demise of this antiquaited business.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the walkout would start on Monday 19 December and include Christmas Eve in statement. Customers will move their business to alternative providers.

The newly privitised Royal Mail staff have decided to stop working. The Royal Mail workers have voted to go on national 24-hour strike on 4 November. Staff were given free shares in the company only recently.

The government has given formal notice to the stock exchange that it plans to privatise the Royal Mail “in the coming weeks”.

The new Royal Mail will need to compete effectively in the private sector only if the regulator permits competition.

Government plans to sell-off the Royal Mail in the biggest privatisation for 30 years have sparked a mixed reaction in today’s papers.

Key points

• This does not affect the Post Office – although options on mutualisation will be considered. No Post Offices will close.
• A majority stake will be floated on the stock exchange
• The 6 day a week flat rate service is set in stone.
• 10% of shares available for employees, free to the employee, to either give them a cash windfall or a say in how the company is run.

Spoiler Alert

There are some challenges to be overcome. First of all, the Communications Union is already opposed and will no doubt do what they can to disrupt the sale.

The Royal Mail has capped retailers supplies this month to 20% of a retailer’s annual allocation so limiting the number of stamps that can be purchased before the price rise at the end of the month when the cost of a first class stamp rises to 60 pence. Some retailers are running low as customers buy stamps in bulk before the price rise. Demand for stamps has increased after the announcement of the price rises at the end of last month.

• Thursday 43,700 staff in mail centres, delivery units in mail centres, network logistic drivers and garage staff walking out from 0400 GMT
• Friday 400 Sites in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke will be doing bugger all too
• Saturday 77,000 delivery and collection staff across the UK

The CWU hopes to show that the Royal Mail is breaking employment law by hiring 30,000 temporary workers to deal with the backlog of post and the expected Christmas rush.

Delivery and collection workers at Royal Mail walked out as part of nationwide strikes.
Further strikes at Royal Mail will take place next week, starting on Thursday 29 October, says the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

Because, despite the strike, the government continues to maintain the Royal Mail’s monolopy on the British Mail market altenative providers are expensive. Nevertheless some of them are now turning away business because they can’t meet the demand.

If the strikes continue for a prolonged period contingency plans for delivery of hospital appointments and medical test results have been drawn up.

After months of unofficial strikes by the british mail workers today sees the first day of official action and also the announcement by the CWU of more official action to come.

The prime minister has urged both sides to resume negotiations to bring an end to the “self-defeating” strike. However, he shouldn’t be wasting his time, rather he should be opening up the British mail market to free and fair competion. That way workers can work, mail will be delivered and strikers can strike for as long as they have a job left.