Post Office industrial action planned for December 3

In the build up to the busy Christmas period for sending letters and parcels, the Consumer Council is asking Post Office customers to be aware of a planned 24-hour strike on December 3.

Consumers are being advised to consider visiting on a different day or using an unaffected Post Office branch.

Potentially affected Post Offices are:

· Antrim - Castle Centre;

· Belfast City - Bridge Street;

· Bangor - Main Street;

· Coleraine - New Row;

· Derry/Londonderry - Custom House Street; and

· Newtownards - Frances Street.

Staff at the other 480 Post Offices in Northern Ireland are not taking part in any industrial action so these branches will operate as normal.

Customers can use the Post Office online branch finder at www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder on Saturday to find out if their branch is closed and which nearby branches are open.

Normal service will resume on December 5.

Michael Legg, Senior Policy Officer at the Consumer Council, said: “If you cannot wait to visit the Post Office on a different day or use another branch, you can take your mail to a post box as collections from Royal Mail will operate as normal.

“Royal Mail customers who already use prepaid parcel drop off services can continue to do so at some delivery offices. For more information call Royal Mail on 03457 740 740 or visit www.royalmail.com.

“To collect benefits and pensions at a Post Office you can use any unaffected branch or use a Post Office ATM to take out cash. Visit www.postoffice.co.uk/atm-locator to check which branches have ATMs.

“For those who usually pay bills at the Post Office, this can still be done at any unaffected Post Office branch or you can avoid late payments by calling the company and asking about alternative ways of paying, for example you may be able to pay over the phone or online,” added Michael.