Your post might be delayed today as some post office workers go on strike

Your local branch may be closed, short-staffed or picketed.

Author: Frankie GoldingPublished 3rd May 2022

Some Post Office workers are going on a one-day strike today over a pay dispute.

This comes after receiving a pay freeze in 2021 and an offer of a 2% increase from April this year, alongside a £250 one-off lump sum.

The strike has been arranged by members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), who voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action in April.

Here's how you might be affected:

114 post offices across the UK have been confirmed to be closed.

This includes larger crown post offices as well as smaller sub-post offices.

The pay dispute also involves counter staff, as well as those in clerical, administration and call centres, so you may experience delays should you try to contact these post office departments today.

Individual staff may also be joining the walk-out even though the branch they work for may be open.

So even though your local branch may not be closed, you could still experience delays.

You may also see official CWU pickets outside various post offices and post office cash-handling centres across the UK today should you choose to pay a visit.

A Post Office spokesperson has said however: "We have been notified by the CWU that they have instructed their members to take strike action on Tuesday May 3.

"We want to assure our customers that the vast majority of our 11,500 branches are unaffected by this decision and will remain open throughout the day."

Here's what the union had to say:

Union officials said the offer was "exceptionally poor", especially as RPI inflation has reached 9%.

CWU official Andy Furey said: "Despite this union's best attempts to avoid strike action, the Post Office has displayed no interest whatsoever in meaningful negotiations.

"As such, workers have delivered an overwhelming mandate for strike action.

"The current offer of a mere 2% pay rise over two years is nothing short of an insult to these key workers who provided exemplary services to this nation during the pandemic.

"As the cost-of-living crisis mounts, working people across the country are facing stark realities.

"This isn't any less true of Post Office employees, who deserve far better than the degrading offer currently on the table.

Explaining how this 2% pay rise has made post office workers feel, Andy said: "Post Office management need to understand that by undervaluing these workers, they have provoked real anger across the country."

"We urge them to get round the table with us and reach a decent, fair agreement that shows respect for Britain's key workers who kept post offices open for society during the pandemic."

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