Further Christmas disruption in Sussex as postal and rail workers go on strike

Postal workers will strike today and tomorrow (December 15), three days after there previous walk out.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) is in the second day of its 48-hour rail strike, with Communication Workers Union (CWU) members joining them in a national walk out today (December 14).

Postal workers will strike today and tomorrow (December 15), three days after there previous walk out.

The CWU tweeted: “Royal Mail are making no genuine attempt to resolve the dispute and want to starve people back to work, destroy their terms and conditions and rip up a 500 year old service.”

Rail passengers have been advised to check with their rail operator as the railway workers enter their second day of striking this week.

Royal Mail says it will not be able to deliver first and second class letters, as it will be without 115,000 striking postal workers, but but will try to deliver as many parcels and Special Delivery letters as possible.

The final day for sending first class Christmas post has been brought forward to Friday, December 16, instead of December 21. Second class post was brought forward to Monday, December 12, instead of December 19.

Royal Mail says people will not be able to claim compensation for late deliveries, letters will not be collected from post boxes and Royal Mail delivery offices will be closed, as will customer service points.

Post offices will be open as normal for bill payments and banking - because they are separate from Royal Mail.

The CWU has also planned industrial action for December 23 and 24.

Rail passengers have been advised to check with their rail operator as railway workers enter their second day of striking this week.

Workers are calling for better conditions and pay rises to match the pace of inflation, with the cost of living rising at its fastest rate for more than 40 years.

Mike Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, said: “I'm optimistic that we can get a deal, but we need the government to facilitate a deal at the moment."

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Passengers should be prepared for no services at all on some routes, as well as no early morning or late night services on other routes.

People should expect busy carriages with only one in five services operating between 07:30am and 6:30pm.

Only Brighton mainline services will be running today from 7am to 6pm serving – Brighton, Hove, Preston Park, Hassocks, Burgess Hill, Wivelsfield, Haywards Heath, Balcombe, Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport.

No other stations in Sussex will be served.

On Thursday, timetables will be closer to normal, but early morning services are likely to be disrupted as trains and staff may be in the wrong place.

The RMT will go on it’s second 48-stike this week on Friday, December 16, with normal services returning on Sunday, December 18.