BBC- Royal Mail: When are the postal strikes and Christmas post dates?
Postal workers are holding a series of strikes, delaying letter and parcel deliveries.
It means the suggested last dates for sending Christmas post have been brought forward.
When are the next strikes?
A wave of strikes has been called for 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December - some of the busiest days for pre-Christmas deliveries.
Postal workers belonging to the Communication Workers Union started their industrial action in August.
How will the strikes affect deliveries?
On strike days the Royal Mail says it will not be able to deliver first and second class letters.
However, it will deliver as many parcels and Special Delivery letters as possible.
The timescale commitment offered on Special Delivery Guaranteed items will be suspended the day before any strike.
People will not be able to claim compensation for late deliveries.
Royal Mail delivery offices and customer service points will be closed. Letters will not be collected from post boxes.
Royal Mail has hired thousands of agency workers to help process the backlog.
The Post Office is a separate business, and post offices will be open, although some services, such as posting letters, may be affected. Other services such as bill payments and banking will run as normal.
When do I have to send Christmas post?
The last posting days for delivery before Christmas have come forward.
They are now 12 December (instead of 19 December) for second class post.
And 16 December (instead of 21 December) for first class.
How much are Royal Mail workers paid?
The action is over pay and conditions.
Median pay at Royal Mail is £32,465 a year, and the average pay for a postal delivery worker is £25,777.
Royal Mail has offered a pay deal which it says is worth up to 9% over 18 months.
However, this is below the current rate at which prices are rising - 11.1%.
The CWU wants a higher pay offer. It also objects to proposed changes to working conditions, such as ending a number of allowances and the introduction of compulsory Sunday working.
What does Royal Mail say?
Royal Mail is moving from its traditional business of delivering letters - which is no longer profitable - to the fast-growing world of parcel deliveries, driven by the increasing popularity of online shopping.
It faces stiff competition from other couriers, which give their workers less generous pay and benefits.
The company says it is losing around a million pounds a day, and cannot afford to give its workers a higher pay rise.
It says strikes have added £100m to its losses, and has announced plans to cut up to 10,000 jobs.
The company has improved its offer to workers, including more generous redundancy terms and a profit-sharing scheme.
On 24 November, Royal Mail said it had made its "best and final offer", and accused the union of "holding Christmas to ransom".
Who owns Royal Mail?
Royal Mail was owned by the government until 2013, when it was privatised.
Postal workers are holding a series of strikes, delaying letter and parcel deliveries.
It means the suggested last dates for sending Christmas post have been brought forward.
When are the next strikes?
A wave of strikes has been called for 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December - some of the busiest days for pre-Christmas deliveries.
Postal workers belonging to the Communication Workers Union started their industrial action in August.
How will the strikes affect deliveries?
On strike days the Royal Mail says it will not be able to deliver first and second class letters.
However, it will deliver as many parcels and Special Delivery letters as possible.
The timescale commitment offered on Special Delivery Guaranteed items will be suspended the day before any strike.
People will not be able to claim compensation for late deliveries.
Royal Mail delivery offices and customer service points will be closed. Letters will not be collected from post boxes.
Royal Mail has hired thousands of agency workers to help process the backlog.
The Post Office is a separate business, and post offices will be open, although some services, such as posting letters, may be affected. Other services such as bill payments and banking will run as normal.
When do I have to send Christmas post?
The last posting days for delivery before Christmas have come forward.
They are now 12 December (instead of 19 December) for second class post.
And 16 December (instead of 21 December) for first class.
How much are Royal Mail workers paid?
The action is over pay and conditions.
Median pay at Royal Mail is £32,465 a year, and the average pay for a postal delivery worker is £25,777.
Royal Mail has offered a pay deal which it says is worth up to 9% over 18 months.
However, this is below the current rate at which prices are rising - 11.1%.
The CWU wants a higher pay offer. It also objects to proposed changes to working conditions, such as ending a number of allowances and the introduction of compulsory Sunday working.
What does Royal Mail say?
Royal Mail is moving from its traditional business of delivering letters - which is no longer profitable - to the fast-growing world of parcel deliveries, driven by the increasing popularity of online shopping.
It faces stiff competition from other couriers, which give their workers less generous pay and benefits.
The company says it is losing around a million pounds a day, and cannot afford to give its workers a higher pay rise.
It says strikes have added £100m to its losses, and has announced plans to cut up to 10,000 jobs.
The company has improved its offer to workers, including more generous redundancy terms and a profit-sharing scheme.
On 24 November, Royal Mail said it had made its "best and final offer", and accused the union of "holding Christmas to ransom".
Who owns Royal Mail?
Royal Mail was owned by the government until 2013, when it was privatised.
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