Royal Mail strike - live: Postal workers hold rally in London as walkout causes delays

The area outside parliament was filled with postal workers in pink fluorescent jackets from the Communication Workers Union

Rishi Sunak says government’s pay offers ‘reasonable’ despite strikes

Thousands of Royal Mail workers have gathered for a rally in Parliament Square after walking out in the first of a series of strikes in the run-up to Christmas.

The area outside parliament was filled with postal workers in pink fluorescent jackets from the Communication Workers Union, who earlier said 15,000 Royal Mail workers were expected to attend the rally.

CWU claims Royal Mail imposed a 2 per cent pay increase on members without consultation, with general secretary Dave Ward saying that the organisation is “refusing” to treat employees with respect.

"Postal workers want to get on with serving the communities they belong to, delivering Christmas gifts and tackling the backlog from recent weeks,” said Mr Ward.

"But they know their value, and they will not meekly accept the casualisation of their jobs, the destruction of their conditions and the impoverishment of their families.”

Members of the CWU are planning more strikes in December, including on Christmas Eve. The next will take place on Sunday 11 December. The public has been advised to plan ahead when sending packages for Christmas.

It comes amid a winter of strike action in the UK, including walkouts planned by nurses, ambulance staff, rail workers and Border Force officers.

[9 December 2022 18:30 · Emily Atkinson]

Rail strikes: Train firm cancels Midlands half of route network for nearly a month

As members of the RMT union prepare for the next national rail strike, one leading train operator has announced it will close half its rail network as a result of industrial action – for 26 days in a row.

Chiltern Railways, which runs trains to and from London Marylebone station, will stop running on the Midlands part of its network from 13 December – when the next 48-hour strike begins – until 8 January inclusive.

For almost a month, no Chiltern services will run north of Banbury in Oxfordshire. The 24 stations affected include the important Birmingham stations of Snow Hill and Moor Street, as well as Kidderminster, Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Our travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:

[9 December 2022 19:30 · Emily Atkinson]

Simon Calder: Should we reschedule our imminent Eurostar trip?

Travel correspondent Simon Calder answers your questions on travelling during rail strike periods, fuel waste by airlines and night flight rules:

[9 December 2022 20:30 · Emily Atkinson]

Many troops to be drafted in to fill jobs of striking workers over Christmas, says Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak has confirmed that many military personnel are to be drafted in to prevent disruption during industrial action over Christmas, in a move which has been condemned by union bosses as “strike-breaking”.

More from political editor Andrew Woodcock here:

[9 December 2022 21:30 · Emily Atkinson]

Watch: Rishi Sunak confirms military to be used to minimise disruption from strikes

[9 December 2022 22:30 · Emily Atkinson]

Editorial: Anti-union laws are not the answer to a winter of discontent

Those hoping that the government will somehow save them from inconvenience (or worse) this Christmas will be disappointed. The government appears to have no answers and not even much seasonal goodwill.

Read our editorial in full here:

[9 December 2022 23:30 · Emily Atkinson]

Watch: CWU hold protest rally outside Parliament as strikes over pay and conditions continue

[10 December 2022 00:30 · Sam Rkaina]

We’re ending our live strike coverage for the day, but stay with independent.co.uk for the latest updates.