Trade union Unite said that 2,400 managers will work to rule on 15-19 July, followed by strike action on 20-22 July over “what has now been confirmed by Royal Mail as a plan to cut 700 jobs and slash pay by up to £7,000,” the union stated. 

Unite described the Royal Mail’s strategy as “ruinous”.

“Unite is calling on Royal Mail to recognise that it has to restore jobs because the proposed cuts are so savage they will destroy the service.”

Mike Eatwell, Unite national officer with responsibility for Royal Mail, said: “Our members have been forced to the position of taking industrial action because those running Royal Mail refuse to see sense.  

“We have taken another detailed look at Royal Mail’s proposals, and it is worse than we first thought. The business is seeking to cut 700 posts on top of the 1,200 cut last year. It is already running on fumes, depending on Unite members’ dedication and professionalism to hold the service together.”

The union said that the upcoming work-to-rule and strike action would have the following impacts:

• Deliveries will not be covered 
• Managers will take their breaks and start and finish on time 
• Managers will take their rest days leaving units with no manager on site 
• Weekend volunteer operation will not be covered 
• Units will have no person in control responsible for safety of the staff and buildings 
• Goodwill to work extra unpaid hours will cease 
• Some key services, like next day delivery and tracked items, will be delayed 

When the vote in favour of industrial action was confirmed earlier this week, Royal Mail said that the ballot only covered around a third of its 6,000 managers, and it had “contingency plans in place to keep letters and parcels moving in the event of a strike.”

The result of the separate CWU ballot that could involve strike action by more than 115,000 postal workers, will be announced on 19 July.