Royal Mail strike action: Northern Ireland staff determined to continue action despite hardship

Erin Massey, NI Regional Secretary, said that financial hardship was hitting members in the run up to Christmas, but that they would continue.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said the CWU is striking at the busiest time, “deliberately holding Christmas to ransom for our customers, businesses and families across the country”.

But Ms Massey said members are “still resolute and determined to see it through”.

She told the News Letter: "Everybody has been out on strike who was previously out over this last number of months."

Royal Mail has about 3000 employees in Northern Ireland and CWU membership is in "the high nineties" of that figure percentage wise, she said.

Thursday was day 13 of the latest action, during which workers receive no pay, she explained.

"But we have had meetings with our members and people are determined to see it through now more than ever, even though it is getting harder the closer it gets to Christmas."

She acknowledged that the reaction from the general public to the strike has been mixed.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said that if a pay offer of 9% was "truly" made, it would settle that part of the dispute.

He said: “This dispute is probably the biggest attack on any group of workers that we've seen in the UK for decades."

He said Royal Mail wants employees to accept it "sacking thousands and thousands of postal workers".

"They want to bring in new workers, self-employed owner drivers, they want to bring in workers on 20% less pay terms and conditions."

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Three weeks ago, we made a best and final pay offer worth up to 9% over 18 months. Instead of working with us to agree on changes required to fund that offer and get pay into our posties’ pockets, the CWU has announced plans to ballot in the New Year for further strike action.”

Posting dates for Christmas cards are December 16 for first class mail and December 21 for special delivery guaranteed.