Postal workers in the Banbury area go on strike in a dispute over pay

Chippy Labour members joined Chipping Norton postal workers at the sorting office in Station Road, Chipping Norton from early morning today

About 115,000 Royal Mail postal workers are striking across the country

Postal workers in the Banbury area have gone on strike today (Friday) in a dispute over pay.

About 115,000 Royal Mail postal workers are striking across the country.

And they were joined by postal workers in Banbury and Chipping Norton.

Matt Hayden, CWU rep, reported that the strike in Chipping Norton was '100 per cent solid with not a single postal worker in'.

Chippy Labour members joined the picket line at the entrance to the Royal Mail Delivery Office on the first day of strike action in the post workers dispute with Royal Mail Group.

"We are proud to stand with our posties today," said Steve Akers, chair of Chipping Norton Labour Party.

Speaking to the strikers he said: "Your fight is to maintain Royal Mail as an essential public service. Royal Mail is a 150 year institution with postal workers at the heart of our communities.

"We stand with you in your action to defend your working conditions and for a decent pay rise to match inflation. With inflation now at 10.4 per cent workers need a pay packet which keeps pace. This why you are right to take the action you are. Solidarity!"

The next strike days are expected to be on Wednesday August 31, Thursday September 8 and Friday September 9.

Letters will not be delivered on strike days and some parcels will be delayed, Royal Mail warned.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said the business could not "cling to outdated working practices, ignoring technological advancements and pretending that Covid has not significantly changed what the public wants from Royal Mail".