Royal Mail staff start six days of strikes that might DELAY Christmas submit

Greater than 115,000 Royal Mail staff walked out at this time, leaving many Britons involved their Christmas packages will not arrive in time for vacation festivities.

Communication Staff Union (CWU) members congregated exterior Parliament in central London at this time – joined by RMT union chief Mick Lynch – of their newest try and safe a pay rise that matches the hovering price of dwelling.

Postal workers are anticipated to proceed putting on Sunday, in addition to subsequent week and the 2 days main as much as Christmas.

Royal Mail, slamming the CWU for inflicting clients to ‘endure,’ mentioned firm leaders are ‘doing all the things we will to ship Christmas for our clients and settle this dispute.’

Parliament Sq. was a sea of pink high-vis vests, flags and vibrant flares at this time a postal staff from throughout the UK assembled to voice their anger about proposed company adjustments that they consider will flip them into ‘gig’ financial system staff.

CWU normal secretary Dave Ward mentioned Royal Mail workers, who had been classed as key staff in the course of the coronavirus pandemic, are ‘combating for his or her jobs, their livelihood, and the service that they supply to the general public.’

‘What the corporate are asking postal staff to agree is that we sack hundreds of them while on the similar time bringing in self-employed drivers, new recruits … and while retaining company staff,’ Mr Ward argued.

He mentioned the corporate’s calls for for staff to start out as much as three hours later ‘will destroy the way forward for Royal Mail’.

‘We’re not ready to just accept that beneath the banner of modernisation.’

Mr Ward additionally defined that the strike motion was geared toward securing job safety for postal workers, who had been classed as key staff in the course of the coronavirus pandemic.

‘It is about conserving postal staff, first rate working folks, in work and ensuring that this firm has a profitable future and that it would not simply get become simply one other parcel courier,’ he mentioned.

The CWU was anticipating greater than 15,000 members to attend the rally, describing it as the most important postal staff’ demonstration in dwelling reminiscence.

Postal employee Gary Wright travelled from Bristol on coaches with round 200 colleagues to affix the motion.

Mr Wright mentioned: ‘Why we’re right here at this time is as a result of the phrases and situations that they are wanting to usher in are unachievable. 

‘They’re eager to make it into principally a gig firm taking up parcels to match with DPD and the likes of Amazon, however they haven’t obtained the infrastructure.

‘They’ve made £750 million after which to say ‘now we’re shedding 1,000,000 kilos a day’. The place that is gone, that is whole mismanagement.’

He argued that the situations the employer desires to impose would imply working Sundays for the fundamental price and ‘later begins, later finishes’.

‘I’ve to journey to work and for me to get dwelling it means it could be an additional even two hours on high of regular end time as a result of there’s site visitors and all the things.

‘We work to dwell, not dwell to work.’

Picket strains had been mounted exterior Royal Mail places of work throughout the nation.

Strikes are additionally deliberate on Sunday and subsequent Wednesday (December 14) and Thursday (December 15), in addition to December 23 and on Christmas Eve.

A Royal Mail spokesperson mentioned: ‘We spent three extra days at Acas this week to debate what must occur for the strikes to be lifted.

‘In the long run, all we obtained was one other request for extra pay, with out the adjustments wanted to fund the pay supply.

‘The CWU know full properly that in a enterprise shedding greater than £1 million a day, we have to agree adjustments to the best way we work in order that we will fund the pay supply of as much as 9% we’ve got already made.

‘Whereas the CWU refuses to just accept the necessity for change, it is our clients and our individuals who endure….

‘We’re doing all the things we will to ship Christmas for our clients and settle this dispute.’

The union claims Royal Mail imposed a two per cent pay enhance on members with out session and is ‘refusing’ to deal with workers with respect, in response to Mr Ward. 

In the meantime, Etsy sellers have been pressured to close retailers and others have warned clients to anticipate orders within the New 12 months as postal staff proceed with their walkouts.

The continued dispute between postal staff and Royal Mail bosses has pressured small enterprise house owners who depend on websites equivalent to Etsy to promote their wares to induce clients to get orders in early to keep away from disappointment.

One vendor mentioned that they had been pressured to close store due to a ‘two week backlog’. One other blasted the Royal Mail strikes for ‘placing the kybosh on Christmas and small companies’. 

Others attraction to patrons to buy items early and mentioned that ‘its not assured’ orders would arrive earlier than Christmas.  

In a letter to clients, Royal Mail advised clients to ship second class mail by December 12 and first-class submit by December 16. 

It mentioned: ‘At Royal Mail, we all know that is the time of 12 months whenever you depend on us most.

‘So we deeply remorse that the Communication Staff Union (CWU) is planning additional strikes on 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December 2022.’

Saying that they had delivered round 700,000 parcels throughout strike days, they added: ‘However the activity will get tougher as Christmas nears. So we’re asking clients to ship Second Class mail by 12 December and First Class by 16 December 2022’.

Royal Mail clients took to social media to blast the postal service over ready for packages and delayed Christmas presents regardless of ordering them early.

One particular person mentioned: ‘Why am i seeing folks wait over a month for his or her royal mail bundle… IM WAITING FOR 11 PACKAGES [sic]’.

One other mentioned: ‘Once you order Christmas presents within the third week of November after listening to you should purchase your presents early due to the @RoyalMail strikes however its now the ninth December and you continue to have not obtained them. F***in’ mint’.

A 3rd mentioned: ‘Virtually 5 days I have been ready for information on a 8 day delay on a tracked 24 parcel’. 

Others mentioned that they had been ready greater than 10 days for parcels to reach whereas one other person mentioned their daughter was ready for ‘her first household image e book’ which had been delayed within the submit. 

It comes as Britons are bracing for a strike daily earlier than Christmas as workers from completely different industries search higher pay and dealing situations. 

Rail unions have already mentioned they are going to wreak havoc on the prepare community over Christmas, whereas NHS nurses and paramedics are additionally as a consequence of stroll out for a number of days, with fears that troopers must be drafted in to cowl gaps in care.

Hundreds of Royal Mail postal staff will stroll out once more on Sunday, with additional motion deliberate all through December together with Christmas Eve.

‘Royal Mail bosses are risking a Christmas meltdown due to their cussed refusal to deal with their workers with respect,’ mentioned Mr Ward.

‘Postal staff need to get on with serving the communities they belong to, delivering Christmas items and tackling the backlog from latest weeks.

‘However they know their worth, and they won’t meekly settle for the casualisation of their jobs, the destruction of their situations and the impoverishment of their households.

‘This may be resolved if Royal Mail start treating their staff with respect, and meet with the union to resolve this dispute.’

Some postal staff in Scotland will journey to London to affix round 15,000 of their UK colleagues in what’s being dubbed the most important postal staff demonstration in dwelling reminiscence.

Earlier this week, the CWU’s Scottish Secretary hit out at Royal Mail, who laid on a breakfast for MSPs within the Scottish Parliament.

He mentioned: ‘Slightly than get again around the desk, senior Royal Mail managers are providing MSPs a free breakfast in an try and legitimise the destruction of our Postal Service.’

A Royal Mail spokesperson mentioned: ‘We spent three extra days at Acas this week to debate what must occur for the strikes to be lifted.

‘In the long run, all we obtained was one other request for extra pay, with out the adjustments wanted to fund the pay supply.

‘The CWU know full properly that in a enterprise shedding greater than £1million a day, we have to agree adjustments to the best way we work in order that we will fund the pay supply of as much as 9 per cent we’ve got already made.

‘Whereas the CWU refuses to just accept the necessity for change, it is our clients and our individuals who endure. Strike motion has already price our folks £1,200 every.

‘The cash allotted to the pay deal dangers being eaten away by the prices of additional strike motion.

‘The CWU is putting at our busiest time, intentionally holding Christmas to ransom for our clients, companies and households throughout the nation.

‘We’re doing all the things we will to ship Christmas for our clients and settle this dispute. Over the last strike days, we delivered greater than 700,000 parcels, and greater than 11,000 supply and processing workers returned to work.

‘We recovered our service shortly, however the activity turns into tougher as Christmas nears.

‘We stay prepared to speak at any time about our greatest and ultimate supply and urge the CWU to name off their damaging strike motion.’

Greater than 100,000 PCS members throughout 124 Authorities and public sector places of work have voted to strike, beginning subsequent week with motorway site visitors officers, driving examiners and Rural Funds Company workers.

It’s going to coincide with two 48-hour walkouts on the railways known as by the RMT union, which can be set to trigger journey chaos for hundreds of thousands.

Tens of hundreds of nurses and postal staff will even strike subsequent week, and ambulance workers will stroll out on December 21 and 28.

MailOnline takes a take a look at how your Christmas plans are set to be affected by the strikes. 

Nurses – December 15, 20 

Nurses are set to stroll out of A&E and can refuse to offer remedy to most cancers sufferers for 2 days this month.

As much as 100,000 nurses will take industrial motion on Thursday, December 15, and Tuesday, December 20, in a row over pay and staffing ranges.

In a proper letter to NHS bosses, the Royal School of Nursing warned it will solely decide to offering ‘life-preserving care’ on strike days. Providers which don’t meet this standards embrace hospital discharges, radiotherapy and maternity companies.

The union is demanding the Authorities supply nurses a pay rise of 17.6 per cent, which has been dismissed as ‘unaffordable’ by the Prime Minister. The default place might be that nurses will stroll out of A&Es until belief bosses persuade them they can not ship a protected service with out them.

Nurses are required by legislation to keep up a minimal staffing stage to maintain sufferers protected.

Due to this fact, some nurses might be exempt from the strike to offer this minimal stage of service. The precise numbers remaining on the job might be negotiated regionally between the RCN and every NHS Belief/Board.

Earlier strikes by NHS workers have led to the cancellation of non-emergency ops and appointments. In case your appointment is already scheduled for days the place motion takes place, it could possibly be cancelled as a result of it’s most likely not categorized as pressing. Whether or not a person appointment is axed or not will depend upon if the date falls on a strike motion day, and if nurses on the belief are strolling off the job.

One other issue is how lengthy the dispute between the Authorities and the union runs.

Some appointments not on strike days might also be delayed as a result of extra pressing procedures cancelled must be prioritised.

The RCN handbook says nursing provision in the course of the strike ought to be equal to the skeleton staffing for Christmas Day, though the NHS says it has well-tested procedures to restrict disruption.

Emergency nurses in A&E and intensive care will maintain working, as will district nurses who assist aged folks in the neighborhood. Different exemptions might be negotiated at a neighborhood stage.

Ambulance staff – December 21, 28

GMB, Unite and Unison confirmed their members will stroll out from 9 of England’s ten ambulance companies, plus Wales, on December 21. The one NHS ambulance belief unaffected might be East of England. Ambulance staff represented by GMB will even strike on December 28.

The GMB members will strike on the:

• South West Ambulance Service;
• South East Coast Ambulance Service;
• North West Ambulance Service;
• South Central Ambulance Service;
• North East Ambulance Service;
• East Midlands Ambulance Service;
• West Midlands Ambulance Service;
• Welsh Ambulance Service; and
• Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

NHS ambulance trusts affected by strike motion will draw up plans detailing the variety of workers they consider they want on to be able to present ‘life and limb’ cowl. These might be introduced to unions with particulars more likely to be confirmed over the subsequent week. Unions anticipate the extent of canopy requested by some trusts could possibly be greater than that offered on some non-strike days, given underlying workers shortages.

Unison, Unite and GMB will agree amongst themselves which workers do and don’t work. The Military could also be introduced in to drive ambulances if wanted.

Sufferers dialling 999 could face an extended wait to get via to a name handler however calls might be diverted to different areas if essential to restrict delays.

Calls might be triaged as typical, with unions pledging to reply to ‘life and limb’ calls. Class one calls embrace ‘life-threatening’ accidents and diseases, together with incidents the place a affected person’s coronary heart has stopped or they don’t seem to be respiration. Class two calls are ’emergency’ calls, equivalent to coronary heart assaults and strokes.

These with much less vital diseases could not obtain an ambulance response and could possibly be advised to make their very own strategy to hospital or to hunt care elsewhere.

Sufferers who depend on NHS ambulance companies to move them to hospital appointments might also be pressured to make different journey preparations.

Issues have been raised that aged folks ‘could properly die’ if there isn’t a cowl for journeys and falls throughout ambulance strikes.

Well being Secretary Steve Barclay mentioned there was ‘nonetheless a query’ over whether or not ambulance companies would cowl all emergency callouts throughout strikes. He mentioned officers deliberate to satisfy on Thursday to debate protection of class two callouts – which cowl coronary heart assaults, strokes, epilepsy and burns.

However the minister advised Sky Information that falls tended to return beneath a class three emergency and ‘in the mean time the commerce unions are saying these issues would not be coated’ however ‘the indication from the commerce unions’ is that situations equivalent to coronary heart assaults might be coated.

Rail staff – December 13-14, 16-17, 6pm on Christmas Eve to 6am on December 27, January 3-4, 6-7

There might be quite a lot of 48-hour prepare strikes throughout the UK this month and additional walkouts in January.

• 13-14 December;
• 16-17 December;
• 24-27 December;
• 3-4 January;
• 6-7 January.

There will even be an additional time ban throughout the railways from December 18 till January 2, which can have an effect on the variety of companies that may run.

The Nationwide Rail isn’t but displaying which rail strains might be operating companies, however mentioned their timetables might be up to date earlier than the strikes happen.

The union represents staff at 14 prepare working firms, so their companies are more likely to be affected:

Nice Western Railway, Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, LNER, Larger Anglia, Cross Nation Trains, South Western, West Midlands Railway, Northern, GTR (together with Thameslink, Southern, Nice Northern and Gatwick Specific), Southeastern, c2c.

Prepare drivers’ union Aslef mentioned it has secured a recent six-month mandate for strike motion. It means it could actually coordinate with the RMT, which has additionally known as strikes from December 24 to 27 and January 3-4 and 6-7, to carry additional chaos to the railways.

Aslef boss Mick Whelan defended threatening extra walkouts regardless of the typical prepare drivers’ wage being £60,000.

He mentioned: ‘Strikes are at all times a final resort. However the intransigent angle of the prepare firms – with the Authorities appearing with malice within the shadows – has pressured our hand.’

Street upkeep – December 16-17, 22-25, 30-31, January 3-4, 6-7

PCS members engaged on England’s highways have introduced 12 days’ strike motion over Christmas and the New 12 months.

The Nationwide Highways workers, who plan, design, construct, function and preserve the nation’s roads, will participate in a sequence of staggered strikes from 16 December to 7 January.

The motion, which dangers bringing the street community to a standstill, will coincide with deliberate strikes by RMT members on the railways.

PCS Common Secretary Mark Serwotka mentioned: ‘We all know our members’ motion might inconvenience travellers who plan to go to their kinfolk over the festive interval, however our members have been positioned on this state of affairs by a authorities that will not take heed to its personal workforce.

‘With the intense cost-of-living disaster they should be paid correctly for the essential work they do, conserving our roads operating protected and free. The federal government is within the driving seat right here – it is ready to cease these strikes by placing cash on the desk.’

Bus staff – December 9-10, 15-17, 23-24

Virtually 1,000 bus drivers employed by Abellio will strike on December 9, 10, 16 and 17.

The motion will primarily have an effect on buses in south and west London. Placing staff might be from depots in Battersea, Beddington, Hayes, Southall, Twickenham and Walworth. 

Among the bus strikes have been known as off. 

Unite mentioned its members, employed by Metroline, have accepted an 11% pay enhance, which the union mentioned was a ‘important enchancment’ on the 4% drivers had been initially supplied.

On account of the employees accepting the improved supply, the deliberate strike motion for later this month has been known as off.

Unite normal secretary Sharon Graham mentioned: ‘It is a important victory for our members at Metroline who by standing collectively and being ready to take industrial motion, have secured a vastly improved pay supply.

‘This pay deal exemplifies how Unite’s dedication to at all times prioritise the roles, pay and situations of its members is delivering noteworthy monetary dividends.’

Unite regional officer Laura Johnson mentioned: ‘From the outset, Unite members had been conscious that Metroline might afford a greater pay rise than it was providing and as soon as our members introduced strike motion, recent negotiations had been held and an improved supply was made.’

Border Drive workers – December 23-26, 28-31 

Round 1,000 Border Drive staff at main airports will go on strike from December 23 to 26 and 28 to 31, the Public and Industrial Providers (PCS) union mentioned.

In response to figures compiled by flight knowledge specialists Cirium, round 2million passengers on 10,000 flights are anticipated to reach on the airports over Border Drive strike interval.

RAF personnel have began coaching at Heathrow Airport to step in for putting guards.

The Border Drive is accountable, on behalf of the Dwelling Workplace, for passport management checks in any respect UK airports. However RAF personnel who’re accustomed to checking journey documentation and questioning passengers will step in.

Coaching started this week, with troops seen shadowing immigration officers at Heathrow’s passenger terminals.

Army personnel are additionally anticipated to face in for putting ambulance drivers and postal staff.

It’s a part of contingency plans which have been drafted by a ‘strikes unit’ inside the Cupboard Workplace.

Dwelling Secretary Suella Braverman has urged folks to rethink flying round Christmas as she warned of ‘simple, severe disruption’ for hundreds if strikes go forward.

In an interview with broadcasters, she mentioned: ‘It is very regrettable that they’ve made this resolution to probably strike over vital occasions within the run up and following Christmas because the New 12 months.

‘In the event that they go forward with these strikes there might be simple, severe disruption brought on to many hundreds of people that have vacation plans.

‘I actually need to urge individuals who have gotten plans to journey overseas to consider carefully about their plans as a result of they might be impacted.

‘We have got plans in place that may contain, to a level, bringing in a few of our army colleagues to assist us in quite a lot of roles.

‘In the end I am not prepared to compromise on safety on the border, that is the primary precedence.

‘Which will properly have an hostile influence on comfort for folks, frankly, whether or not it is the time they’ve to attend for flights, or departures, they might be delayed on arrivals and varied journey plans. In the end safety on the border is my primary non-negotiable precedence.’

Heathrow Airport baggage handlers – December 16 from 4am for 72 hours 

Passengers at Heathrow Airport will face festive chaos after baggage handlers voted to strike on the second final Friday earlier than Christmas. 

Floor handlers employed by a personal contractor on the London airport will strike in a 72-hour row over pay, as Britain prepares itself for a ‘winter of discontent’. 

There might be round 350 members of Unite who work for Menzies that may stroll out from 4am on Friday December 16.

Passengers have been warned that extra journey chaos looms because the union confirmed that their motion will result in some flight disruption. It’s going to come as faculties break up for Christmas and households look to flee the capital for the festive interval.

Common secretary Sharon Graham mentioned: ‘Menzies must have a protracted, laborious take a look at itself.

‘It is a extremely profitable firm, which has made a good pay supply to at least one group of its staff however is not ready to make the same supply to its floor handlers.

‘Unite is totally devoted to defending its members’ jobs, pay and situations.

‘Our members at Menzies will proceed to obtain the union’s full assist.’

Unite mentioned the bottom handlers have been supplied a flat price enhance – which it branded a real-terms pay lower.

Royal Mail postal – December 9, 11, 14-15, 23-24

Royal Mail staff will strike on seven days in December, together with on Christmas Eve, in a protracted operating dispute over pay, jobs and situations.

The employees will now stroll out on December 23 and 24, along with December 1, 9, 11, 14 and 15, the Communication Staff Union mentioned in an announcement, exacerbating issues that Christmas submit could possibly be severely delayed. 

Practically 99 per cent of CWU members voted in favour of strike motion after rejecting a 2 per cent pay deal. 

‘The CWU desire a negotiated settlement with Royal Mail Group and can proceed to interact the corporate to that finish,’ a spokesperson mentioned. 

‘However these answerable for Royal Mail must get up and realise we can’t permit them to destroy the livelihoods of postal staff.’  

The postal service is trying to swap from a six-days-a-week letter supply service to 5, protecting Monday to Friday solely, beneath its Common Service settlement.

The group will, nevertheless, look to keep up a seven-day parcel supply service.

Sea ports and Eurostar

The one sea port talked about within the PCS announcement setting out the placement of Border Drive strikes was Newhaven, East Sussex, from the place ferry companies function to and from Dieppe, France. 

However the union nonetheless has time to disclose that the walkout will even happen in Kent, affecting the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel. 

That might doubtless trigger extreme disruption.

Eurostar isn’t affected by the Border Drive walkout. However the RMT union has introduced strikes on December 16, 18, 22 and 23 for its members who’re employed as safety workers by non-public contractor Mitie at London St Pancras Worldwide. 

The union mentioned the strikes will ‘severely have an effect on’ cross-Channel prepare companies. Eurostar mentioned ‘negotiations between Mitie and the union are ongoing’.