Royal Mail is advising people to prepare for a strike by postal workers in the next few days which is expected to close Crown Post Office branches (non-franchise offices) and disrupt deliveries and sorting offices.

The Royal Mail is in dispute with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) over pay and conditions.

The union has called on its members who collect, sort and deliver parcels and letters to take strike action tomorrow (Friday) and Wednesday, August 31, and Monday and Tuesday, September 8 and 9 2022.

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said: ‘We’re really sorry for the disruption that this strike action is likely to cause people. We want to reassure our customers we will do everything we can to minimise disruption and get our services back to normal as quickly as possible.

‘Royal Mail has well-developed contingency plans, but they cannot fully replace the daily efforts of its frontline workforce. We will be doing what we can to keep services running, but customers should expect significant disruption.’

On days when strike action is taking place the Royal Mail said it will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked24 parcels as possible, prioritise the delivery of COVID test kits and medical prescriptions wherever possible, but will not be delivering other letters.

Customers are asked to post items as early as possible before strike dates and continue to post their items at postboxes or post offices, The company said: ‘Royal Mail believes there are no grounds for industrial action. Royal Mail is ready to talk further with the CWU to try to avert damaging industrial action but it must be about both change and pay.’

The CWU claims the Royal Mail is eroding workers’ rights and not rewarding them. Union Deputy General Secretary Terry Pullinger said: ‘Postal workers in this country are being pushed to the edge, but there can be no doubt that they will fight the planned erosion of their workplace rights with determination.’