Union delivers Royal Mail strike dates in pension and pay row

Royal Mail (LSE: RMG.L - news) has vowed to stop the first national postal strike since 2013 after the union representing frontline staff announced a 48-hour walkout.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which has refused to rule out strikes in the run-up to the crucial Christmas delivery period without a resolution, said 110,000 workers would down post from 11am on Thursday 19 October.

The decision followed, what it called earlier this week, "overwhelming" support for such action in a strike ballot - demanding bosses to resign saying they had lost the trust of their workforce.

The CWU accuses management of presiding over a campaign of cost cutting and asset stripping since its controversial privatisation four years ago - hitting pay and pension deals in the process.

Royal Mail responded to the strike date announcement by immediately threatening to block the action in the courts should its offer of more talks be rejected.

It claims a legal agreement it has with the union prevents it from taking strike action at this stage of a grievance process.

CWU general secretary, Dave Ward, said: "This is a watershed dispute that will determine not only our members' pensions, jobs and pay but also the future of the service.

"Postal workers delivered a massive Yes vote for strike action and we are determined to take whatever steps are necessary to deliver an agreement that will protect and enhance our members' terms and conditions and improve the range of services on offer to customers.

"As well as this call to action, the CWU will now launch a major campaign to gain public and political support for postal workers.

"This is your service. We must work together to save it."

The union said its members at Parcelforce would also be involved in the action, threatening wider disruption to deliveries.

Post Office mail operations, while not directly involved in the dispute, are likely to suffer knock-on effects.