Thousands of Royal Mail workers could join Post Office strikes holding Christmas hostage
STAFF at Royal Mail have reportedly threatening new wildcat strikes which could delay millions of Christmas cards and presents.
An additional 1,000 Royal Mail delivery staff could take unofficial industrial action at the same time as a separate five-day strike over jobs, pensions and branch closures.
The postmen and women are expected to refuse to cross the picket line and collect from the strike-hit branches, .
A source said the strike would cause "absolute chaos" and have a "huge impact" on services in the run up to Christmas, and create a "bottleneck on the system" with customers hoping to post Christmas cards and presents before the final posting dates.
Sources have also said that if the wildcat action lead to punishment from managers the unions may formally vote for strike action.
The strike is due to start today with a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Government's Business Department, .
Workers are protesting about job losses, the closure if a final salary pension scheme and the franchising of Crown Post Offices.
Some 4,000 workers are involved in the walk out which will see 300 post offices close or operate a skeleton service.
However, Post Office say 97% of its 11,600 branches will be open and just 3% will close as part of the industrial action.
According to Royal Mail and Post Office, the strikes will not affect the Christmas Post.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "There will be little or no impact on Royal Mail as a result of the CWU strike at the Post Office. Deliveries will carry on as normal and the last posting dates for Christmas remain unchanged. Our 120,000 Royal Mail frontline colleagues are not involved in the Post Office dispute.
"Post Office limited has over 11,000 branches which will continue to operate as normal. Customers who need to post at a Post Office should use these branches.
"Royal Mail customers will also continue to have access to Royal Mail services including pre-paid parcel drop- off through over 1,200 Customer Service Points at Delivery Offices nationwide. Our Customer Service Points are open six days a week, with over 200 of the busiest offices also open on Sundays."
RELATED STORIES
The industrial action by Royal Mail staff also come at the same time as strikes by Southern Rail and cabin crew at British Airways.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at Southern Rail are involved in a bitter dispute over changes to the role of conductors.
British Airways staff voted to strike over pay.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368