Postal workers deliver a huge setback to Royal Mail by announcing sweeping strikes in December

Postal workers at the UK’s Royal Mail company announced they will be staging strikes for six more days in December. Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) declared that they will be going on strike on 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December. The BBC reported that these are usually the busiest days of the year for the 500-year-old company.

The Guardian reported that workers are already set to strike on 24, 25 and 30 November, as well as 1 December. The dispute between Royal Mail and the Union revolves around pay, jobs and working conditions. The CWU represents more than 115,000 postal workers and has said that it is willing to reach a negotiated settlement with Royal Mail, saying it would “continue to engage the company to that end".

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The postal strikes will join others already lined up for December. Nurses could also announce similar strikes if the British government fails to bring a deal to the table in the next 5 days. Pat Cullen, the Royal College of Nursing’s chief executive, said in a statement, “I waited for today’s autumn statement by the chancellor before concluding that the government remains unprepared to give my members the support they need at work and at home.”

Additionally, bus drivers for Abellio company have announced similar strikes in November and December. Members from National Rail Services and London Underground routes are also expected to stage walkouts later this month.

The extension of the strikes by Postal workers is a major setback for Royal Mail, which recently reported a half-year adjusted operating loss of £219 million, as per Investing.com. A Royal Mail spokesperson reacted to the development by saying that the workers should be “focused on the long-term health of the business, rather than damaging strike action.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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