Post Office Strike Demonstrations

Post Office workers on strike in February 1971. The strike was held from 20th January for 7 weeks until 8th March and involved over 200,000 workers. The Postal Workers Union were striking to support their request for a 13% minimum pay rise. It was the first time that all members had walked out on strike and there was considerable disruption for the public with post offices being opened for just 4 hours on 2 days a week. At this time pensions, family allowances and benefits were paid through the post office and so there were long queues of people trying to collect money when the post offices were open. On 8th March the Union agreed a complex package of wage increases after an efficiency enquiry. Many postal workers were unhappy because this was considerably lower than the 8% pay rise they had been offered before they went on strike. At the time it was estimated that the Post Office lost an estimated £250,000 million in lost revenue.