Over 100K postal workers go on 48-hour strike in UK

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) – Thousands of postal workers started a two-day strike across the UK on Friday.

Around 115,000 workers of the Royal Mail started the latest industrial action due to disagreements over pay rise and working conditions.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) announced that they will continue their one-day walkouts until Christmas, announcing further 19 days of action and saying it will have a “dramatic impact.”

“This is a significant announcement, but it is one which matches the level of anger our members feel at the way Royal Mail Group has treated them,” The CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said.

He added: “The chief executive of Royal Mail Group is treating postal workers as if they are stupid.

“These are the same people that have kept the country connected and returned Royal Mail Group to record profit.”

The postal workers’ strike came amid other strikes, including ongoing or imminent actions by dock workers, criminal barristers, and railway workers.

Many other work groups, including health workers and teachers, are also preparing similar actions in October amid the worst inflation in the country over the past 40 years, with 10.1%.

The actions are expected to add into the economic turmoil in the UK, sparked by the massive tax cut announcement last week by the new government.