Post Office staff to go on five day-strike strike next week that is set to cause Christmas post chaos
POST Office workers have voted to stage a five-day strike starting next Monday that threatens Christmas chaos.
Thousands of staff will walk out in a dispute over jobs, pensions and branch closures.
The action will begin on 19 December and include Christmas Eve.
This year's last day for first-class Christmas post had been 21 December.
Shop counter staff will walk out on December 19, 20 and Christmas Eve, while cash handlers are preparing to strike on December 22 and 23.
It will involve staff at large high street Crown Post Offices.
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Post Office chiefs have tried to play down the action, saying "at least" 97 per cent of of its 11,600 branches would remain unaffected.
Union bosses have already warned the strike will disrupt deliveries in the run-up to Christmas.
But they say the action is necessary to save people’s jobs as more than 6,000 Post Offices have closed since 2002.
Andrew Furey, assistant general secretary of the CWU, said: “It will be absolute chaos in the lead-up to Christmas because it’s prime time for deliveries.
“The main impact will be on parcels and packages.”
He continued: “People will be taking out money, and they will be paying for parcels and some of the post offices have got bureau de change.
“People will turn up at the branches and they will be closed because they have no cash.”
Responding to tweets from furious customers, the Post Office replied: "We will be working hard to minimise disruption, not all of our branches will be affected."
It said it was "extremely disappointed" by the announcement of strikes.
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