Further Post Office strikes before Christmas

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Post office workers will be taking a further four days of industrial action over the critical festive period in opposition to planned job cuts, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) announced today (Tuesday).

Swansea supply chain CWU will also be balloting staff working in crown post offices in January, asking them to take part in further industrial action.

The first-set of industrial action was taken last week by workers responsible for distributing cash and providing vital support services to all post offices in the UK. However, talks have not reached agreement and further strikes have been planned for 23rd, 24th, 31st December and 2nd January*.

The pay dispute and the associated job losses currently surrounds the 1,500 employees working in the Admin and Supply Chain, who have been threatened with 28 per cent job losses.

Dave Ward Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "We will continue with our plans for further industrial action until the Post Office removes the very real threat of compulsory redundancies from negotiations. There are no circumstances under which we would accept compulsory redundancies of workers in the Admin and Supply Chain.

"These workers risk their lives every day to do their jobs. Last week's strike demonstrated the strength of feeling amongst the workers with large picket lines across the country. This is a crucial dispute and these workers understand how real the threat of compulsory redundancies is to their futures.

"Many of these workers have dedicated their working lives to the Post Office and now they are being told that in the New Year they may lose their jobs. It is an appalling way to treat dedicated, hard-working employees and by balloting staff working in the crown post offices, we will show how strongly we feel about these proposals as a union. We are urging the Post Office in talks to listen to the strength of feeling amongst our members and to remove the threat of Compulsory Redundancies."

*Future strike action will take place on 23rd, 24th, 31st December and 2nd January (Tuesday 30th December for Scotland because a public holiday is held on 2nd January in Scotland).