Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers may be disappointed as their bargains may take longer to arrive.
More than 100,000 Royal Mail workers are set to go on strike on Black Friday and Cyber Monday amid their ongoing action to disrupt services. It will come as a huge hit to retailers as the two days of deals normally see millions of sales.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) announced two 48-hour strikes around Black Friday on November 25 and Cyber Monday on November 28. Workers will also strike on Wednesday 30th November and Thursday 1st December - just two days after Cyber Monday, one of the busiest online shopping days, reported The Mirror.
READ MORE: Royal Mail worker warns what major changes will mean for customers
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said industrial action will continue in the run-up to Christmas unless the dispute is resolved. He said: "Posties are in the fight of their lives against the Uberisation of Royal Mail and the destruction of their conditions.
“But 115,000 of our members will not just accept this war on their livelihoods and their industry. They will never give up the fight to protect this industry and to protect their hard-won working conditions.
“Simon Thompson has to either accept that or walk away – until he does one or the other, serious disruption will continue.”
CWU Acting Deputy General Secretary Andy Furey said: “Simon Thompson’s plan is evident – they want to destroy this company as we know it. They want outsourcing, casualisation, the decimation of working practices and pay.
“But so many of our members have given their entire working lives to building this company. They deserve a much better deal than what is on offer, and Simon Thompson is on another planet if he thinks we’ll stop fighting to achieve that.”
Yesterday, the CWU warned that "Royal Mail has just declared war on your postie" ahead of announcing further strike dates. A Communication Workers Union spokesperson said: “These proposals are about dismantling a 500-year-old service and destroying the lives of those who serve it.
“Make no mistake – Royal Mail bosses have just declared war on your postie.”
It comes after six days of strikes that were set to go ahead on November 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10 were called off after a challenge by Royal Mail. Members have already taken part in a series of walkouts in recent weeks in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: "On Monday October 31, Royal Mail proposed a new pay-for-change offer to the CWU worth 9% over two years, despite making a loss of £219 million in the first half of the year.
"The CWU have been in talks with us at Acas and claim they are open to change but they now need to show it. Instead, the CWU have announced four days of strike action which will damage our business further at our busiest time of year.
"The CWU is playing a dangerous game with its members' jobs and the future of Royal Mail. We urge CWU to withdraw these strikes for the good of our customers and our people.
"We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience the CWU's continued strike action will cause. We are doing all we can to minimise delays and keep people, businesses and the country connected."
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