A total of 130,000 postal workers in the U.K. have stepped up pressure on Royal Mail by staging a 48-hour strike Thursday with another set to begin 3 a.m. Monday.
At deadline, Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union were continuing to talk but the CWU said the strikes will not be called off until an agreement is reached.
The union also plans more job actions beginning the week of Oct. 15.
Royal Mail said it expected serious disruptions to its services during the strikes both to residential and business customers.
“This action will severely limit our ability to provide any services for the coming period,” said Royal Mail, in a statement. “Customers should expect severe disruption to all postal services during the strikes and for a significant period afterwards.”
The British government refused to become involved in the dispute and made it clear the union and Royal Mail must solve it themselves, according to wire service reports.