Royal Mail and telecommunications workers in the region went on strike over pay this week.
Members of the Communication Workers Union with BT and Openreach downed tools on Tuesday and Wednesday.
And posties were on picket lines across the region on Wednesday.
Nationally 40,000 BT and Openreach staff members walked out in protest at a £1,500 pay rise which they say doesn’t combat the cost of living crisis.
In Dumfries, union members staged a protest outside the former telephone exchange building on Loreburn Street on Tuesday and Wednesday.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “The reason for the strike is simple: workers will not accept a massive deterioration in their living standards.
“In the context of Retail Price Index inflation levels already hitting 11.7 per cent this year, this is a dramatic real-terms pay cut.”
A spokesperson for BT said: “We know our colleagues are dealing with the impacts of high inflation and, although we’re disappointed, we respect their decision to strike.
“We have made the best pay award we could and we are in constant discussions with the CWU to find a way forward from here.”
Also on Wednesday, Royal Mail staff, who are also represented by the CWU, walked out as they continue their fight for better pay.
Union bosses say the company “imposed” a two per cent pay rise on staff who are now preparing for further strikes next Thursday and Friday.
Mr Ward said: “Our members just lost total confidence in the actions of the company, the board, and they’ve lost faith in the leadership and people will understand that when they see the way that the company have conducted themselves.
“The company made record profits last year: £758 million.
“They gave away more than £400 million to shareholders, they rewarded themselves with huge record bonuses for achieving their financial targets and then imposed a two per cent pay increase on postal workers.
“Against the background of rocketing inflation, rocketing energy bills, it’s simply not acceptable. Postal workers in the UK are one of the last remaining pillars of our society. We are going to fight hard to get our members the pay deal that they deserve.”
Simon Thompson, chief executive of Royal Mail, has insisted: “What is actually on the table at this point in time is 5.5 per cent, which would cost us around about £230 million. And that’s an extra £230 million in a business that is currently losing £1 million a day.”
Labour MSP Colin Smyth threw his support behind striking CWU workers by joining both picket lines on Wednesday.
He said: “Not one of these workers wants to go on strike but their employers have left them with little choice.
“The cost of living crisis is real and workers should not be faced with the situation where they cannot afford to feed their families, despite working harder than ever.
“The situation is untenable and I fully support those who have been forced to strike.”
