Post Office workers are to stage a mass walkout with a 24-hour strike today in a dispute over pay during a summer of industrial action planned in many industries.
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) who deliver cash and supplies to sub-post offices, process finances and work in administration are involved in the row.
The CWU said the action was in protest at a 3% pay offer for the 2022-23 financial year, alongside a one-off lump sum payment of £500, and no pay increase for the 2021-22 financial year.
Industrial action has already led to a national strike of train operator and Network Rail workers and more is to come while there are also strikes planned in several other transport sectors.
CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey has blamed the Post Office leadership for failing to put in place a "sensible and fair pay agreement."
He said: “The blame for this disruption lies entirely with the senior Post Office leadership, who have repeatedly failed – and wilfully refused – to set out a sensible and fair pay agreement.
“Everyone knows that the only solution is a fair pay rise that properly rewards members for their extraordinary efforts in serving the public and delivering a profitable Post Office, while also taking account of the extreme cost of living.
“There most certainly is money available, but management do not want to give workers their fair share.”
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We have a range of contingency measures in place to minimise the impact of CWU strike action in our supply chain today.
“Our 11,500 branches are open as usual. We’re disappointed that the CWU have made the decision to strike but remain hopeful that we can reach a pay agreement soon.”
– CWU members in Crown Post Offices went on strike on Monday, also over pay.
Meanwhile drivers from eight major train companies have overwhelmingly voted to strike over pay, threatening huge disruption to rail passengers this summer.
Aslef members at Southeastern, Chiltern, LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express, Arriva Rail London, Great Western, and West Midlands Trains all voted to strike.
Turnout for the vote to strike with Aslef, Britain's trade union for train drivers, was more than 80%, with 9-1 in favour. The general secretary of the union said although rail workers did not want to disrupt passengers, they had chosen to strike as a "last resort" in the face of the rising cost of living.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: "Strikes are always the last resort. We don't want to inconvenience passengers - our friends and families use public transport, too - and we don't want to lose money by going on strike but we've been forced into this position by the companies driven by the government.
"Many of our members - who were the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic - have not had a pay rise since 2019. With inflation running at north of 10% that means those drivers have had a real terms pay cut over the last three years."
