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Gloucestershire Business News

Postal workers set to strike on Black Friday

Royal Mail workers are set to stage two 48-hour strikes around Black Friday and Cyber Monday in a row over pay, jobs and conditions.

The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) will recommend around 115,000 of its members reject a pay offer of around 9 per cent spread over two years.

But the union cancelled two strikes on 12 and 14 November, saying it wants to take more "proportionate" action, the BBC reported.

Royal Mail urged workers not to strike at the "busiest time of the year".

The union called Royal Mail's pay offer "derisory", and said the strike days include two of the the most lucrative weekends of the year for online shopping and promotional discounts at retailers.

Workers will walk out on 24 and 25 November - known as Black Friday - and then again on 30 November and 1 December - just two days after Cyber Monday, one of the busiest online shopping days.

The BBC quoted a Royal Mail spokesperson as saying: "Royal Mail proposed a new pay-for-change offer to the CWU worth 9 per cent over two years, despite making a loss of £219m in the first half of the year.

"The CWU is playing a dangerous game with its members' jobs and the future of Royal Mail."

The CWU's general secretary Dave Ward said the 48-hour strikes were partly in protest at the "Uberisation" of the postal service, including "widespread changes... introducing Uber-style owner-drivers, mail centre closures and changes to Sunday working".

Union members will also be asked on Thursday to deliver a vote of no confidence in Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson.

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