Postal strikes hit UK on Christmas Eve

Managers stood in for post office workers in the UK today as thousands of staff staged a Christmas Eve strike in a row over opening hours.

In a separate dispute hundreds of London Underground drivers walked out in protest at the demotion of a colleague, causing travel disruption in the capital.

The two disputes were unconnected but marked an outbreak of industrial unrest at the end of a year where strikes have been few and far between.

The Royal Mail said it managed to keep open many of the 294 offices where counters staff walked out at 12.30pm in protest at plans to stay open until 4pm.

The company estimated just 45 of the crown offices were closed by the action, with many staying open thanks to the efforts of managers.

Chief executive David Mills said he felt it was important to provide a service until later in the day so that two million customers could collect their benefits and have cash over the four-day Christmas break.

“We are grateful to the vast majority of our staff who worked,” said Mr Mills, adding that 99% of the country’s 15,300 network of post offices were open beyond 12.30pm.

The Communication Workers’ Union insisted main post offices should have closed at 12.30pm as they have done on Christmas Eve since the 1970s.

National officer Andy Furey said every customer could have been served by 12.30pm, adding that workers deserved some time off with their families on Christmas Eve.

On London Underground, about half of trains on the Piccadilly Line were not running as drivers staged a 24-hour strike in protest at the demotion of a colleague for passing four red signals.

Services to Heathrow airport were affected and the company laid on buses to replace Tubes.

The drivers’ union Aslef threatened further industrial action in the New Year.

But there was some good news when the Rail Maritime and Transport Union called off a planned strike by signal workers on New Year’s Eve after a deal was agreed to end a dispute over jobs, pay and hours.