04 October 2007, 14:04 PM

  • The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has announced further strike action with two 48-hour strikes planned, starting today.

Expected to cause widespread disruption to businesses, the first postal strike will begin at lunchtime on Thursday 4th October and ends at lunchtime on Saturday 6th October. The second will commence in the early hours of Monday 8th October, finishing in the early hours of Wednesday 10th October. This will be followed by an unspecified programme of weekly strikes, starting week commencing October 15th, until the resolution of the dispute.

According to Royal Mail information, during the strikes, the priorities will be to keep mail flowing, by keeping as many sorting machines and vehicles as possible operating, and processing as much mail as possible through the system. However, strike action will severely limit Royal Mail’s ability to provide any services for the coming period. It states, ‘Customers should expect severe disruption to all postal services during the strikes and for a significant period afterwards’.

Royal Mail is advising customers to bring mailings forward as far as possible and not to post on strike days. Its website www.royalmail.com will contain the latest update on affected areas.