Queen Elizabeth II meets Britain’s longest serving postman Bob Hartley as she visited to the Royal Mail Windsor delivery office in Berkshire to mark the 500th anniversary of the postal service as the monarch begins her 90th birthday celebrations. Photo: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
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Unions have cancelled upcoming strikes to pay their respects to the passing of Queen Elizabeth.
To pay their respect to the Queen, unions the RMT, TSSA and CWU have called off upcoming industrial action at Royal Mail and on the railways.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday afternoon, aged 96.
The new King Charles has announced a 17-day period of mourning, during which time the nation will have to come to terms with the loss of its longest serving monarch.
Many events have been cancelled in the wake of the news, including the PGA Championship golf, English Football League and all Friday horse races.
On the day of the Queen’s funeral, which is expected to take place on Monday September 19, many businesses will likely close or change their opening hours. It is not yet known whether the day will be a bank holiday.
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Royal Mail posties
The Communication Workers Union has cancelled strike action which was due to go ahead on Friday September 9, following the previous day’s strike.
The strike has been the biggest industrial action of the year, and the first time posties have walked out in almost a decade. Against the backdrop of 11 per cent inflation, the CWU is demanding a higher pay rise after rejecting an offer of a 2 per cent rise , though Royal Mail says the offer is worth up to 5.5 per cent.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “Following the very sad news of the passing of the Queen, and out of respect for her service to the country and her family, the union has decided to call off tomorrow’s planned strike action.”
Train workers
Train workers unions the RMT and TSSA have cancelled upcoming strike action set for September to respect the public period of mourning.
Members of the RMT had been prepared to strike on September 15 and 16 in a dispute over pay and proposed job cuts including to railway maintenance roles that it says pose a threat to the safety of rail passengers.
“RMT joins the whole nation in paying its respects to Queen Elizabeth,” said RMT leader Mick Lynch in a statement.
“We express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and the country.”
The TSSA has also expressed its condolences to the Queen’s “family, friends, the country and those affected by her passing”.
Train drivers union ASLEF has suspended the planned three days of strike action by tram drivers on London Tramlink next week following an improved pay offer from First Tram Operations which operates the system on behalf of Transport for London.
The union has also postposed strike action planned for September 15 in light of the sad news of the Queen’s death.
“We express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and the country,” said an ASLEF spokesperson.
Criminal barristers
Criminal barristers are currently on strike indefinitely to protest low pay and Britain’s dysfunctioning justice system that is forcing victims to wait years for justice.
Public demonstrations by criminal barristers planned to begin on September 12 have been cancelled.
However the strike action will continue to go ahead in accordance with the latest Criminal Bar Association ballot.
“Criminal barristers, who as before chose to honour the ballots, continue not to accept new criminal legal aid-funded defence instructions, including returns, under AGFS, and continue not to attend criminal courts in relation to such defence cases at whatever stage, including trials,” said a spokesperson.
All criminal courts will remain open except for the day of the state funeral.
Journalists at Reach
Hundreds of journalists at publisher Reach PLC, which prints The Mirror, The Express, Daily Star and many local newspapers, are due to go on strike on from September 13 to 15 to protest low pay.
The National Union of Journalists is currently involved in negotiations with Reach over a new pay offer.
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