Royal Mail, BT and Openreach: Around 5,000 Northern Ireland workers take part in the UK's biggest strike of the year so far

Northern Ireland members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are embroiled, with their colleagues across the UK, in long-running rows with the companies and have already taken strike action in recent weeks.

Erin Massey, CWU regional secretary for Northern Ireland, said: "Across the UK, we have around 170,000 people out on strike and in Northern Ireland we have just shy of 5,000 members out on strike. It's large numbers

"There is a picket line of some description outside every sorting office and every delivery office, during the hours of impact, at every office in Northern Ireland.

"The BT workers' pickets are staggered - at Belfast, Ballymena, Bangor, Enniskillen, Derry, Portadown. The 999 call handlers in Portadown are back out again today."

She continued: "I think our members' determination is growing stronger. Our members are disgusted at the lack of engagement from both companies.

"We are not for backing down. Our members are becoming more angry as time goes on, and we have more people joining us at the gates as time goes on."

Kerry Fleck, a regional organiser with the CWU, added: "Our membership density in BT and Royal Mail is very, very high - in the high 90s - and we're having very little experience of scabbing or people crossing picket lines which is an indication that both of those disputes are still very, very strong.

"When you talk about our members - certainly in Royal Mail - you have to remember that effectively everyone's in the union."

The CWU has accused Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson of side-stepping talks aimed at avoiding strike action.

The union said that in recent weeks, relations between worker and employer have deteriorated, with Royal Mail serving legal notice that it was withdrawing from existing agreements with the CWU, as well as threatening to cut 10,000 jobs following strike action last week.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “Instead of sitting down and sorting out his problems like an adult, Simon Thompson chose to be a vanishing act instead.

“When someone like him earns £62,750 a month and can give himself six-figure bonuses, it is a disgrace that he sees it fit to disrespect our members in such a way.

“Simon can’t dodge the reality that a mood of rebellion is sweeping postal workers who won’t accept Thompson’s hostile and bizarre behaviour.

“Postal workers go above and beyond every day and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We won’t be backing down until we get just that.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “On Friday, 14 October, we announced losses of £219 million in the first half of the year.

“This once again demonstrates the urgent need for Royal Mail to change.

“Further strike action would materially increase our losses for the full year and may necessitate further operational restructuring and job losses.

“Four weeks have passed since we invited the CWU to enter talks with Acas to resolve the change and pay dispute.

“We once again urge the CWU to join us in Acas talks.”