Royal Mail workers will strike for 48 hours later this month in a dispute over pay, pensions and jobs.
Communication Workers Union members will walk out at 11am on 19 October in a move that will cause disruption to deliveries but won’t hit the crucial Christmas period, as had been feared.
It had been reported earlier this week that workers planned to strike on the “Black Friday” weekend of 24 and 25 November – one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
It is the first time that postal workers have gone on strike since the Royal Mail was privatised in 2015.
The company said it was “very disappointed” that staff had voted for industrial action and vowed to use all legal options at its disposal to fight it, including applying to the High Court for an injunction.
“We believe any strike action before the dispute resolution procedures have been followed would be unlawful strike action,” the Royal Mail said.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said the dispute was a “watershed” moment that would determine not only members’ pensions, jobs and pay but also the future of the UK’s postal service.
“Postal workers delivered a massive ‘Yes’ vote for strike action and we are determined to take whatever steps are necessary to deliver an agreement that will protect and enhance our members’ terms and conditions and improve the range of services on offer to customers,” he said.
Mr Ward said the union would launch a “major campaign” to gain public and political support for postal workers. “This is your service. We must work together to save it,” he said.
The CWU said 89.1 per cent of members who voted were in favour of a strike, with a turnout was 73.7 per cent.
That was well above the 50 per cent threshold required under the new Trade Union Act.
The union has called on Royal Mail bosses to resign, accusing them of excessive cost cutting since the service began a two-year transition to privatisation in 2013.
