Queen death: Rail and postal worker strikes called off ‘out of respect’

Strike action by postal and rail workers has been called off following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Royal Mail workers were due to stage the second day of a 48-hour strike on Friday in a dispute over pay and conditions.

However “out of respect for her service to the country and her family” the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents postal workers, has called off their strike.

Queen Elizabeth died peacefully at Balmoral in Scotland on Thursday afternoon, and the announcement of her death followed shortly afterwards at 6.30pm.

The RMT union has also called off their planned railway strike action on September 15 and 17, which was to involve about 40,000 workers at Network Rail and 14 train operating companies.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "RMT joins the whole nation in paying its respects to Queen Elizabeth.

"The planned railway strike action on September 15 and 17 is suspended.

"We express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and the country."

The train drivers union Aslef has also postponed a strike planned for September 15.

“In light of the sad news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Aslef is postponing its industrial action on 15 September,” the union said.

“We express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and the country.”

The TSSA rail union also cancelled planned industrial action for September 26, and said it would be “respecting the period of public mourning”.

The Rail Delivery Group said train timetables would be normal now that strikes were not going ahead.

A spokesperson from the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said it welcomed the decision by the RMT to call off next week’s strike action at a time of "national mourning".

"The whole railway family is united in sending our condolences to the Royal Family," the spokesperson said.

Network Rail has confirmed that train services will run as normal next week now all strikes planned for next Thursday and Friday have been called off.

The RMT union intends to reschedule the strikes, but has not yet decided when.

It would need to give two weeks’ notice of any action, as would the Aslef union.

The Criminal Bar Association said that planned barristers’ demonstrations next week had been cancelled "out of respect".

But it added that there had been "no movement" from the government so industrial action would continue.