The Royal Mail has announced more strikes in December.
Current scheduled action days are:
- November 24, 25 and 30th
- December 1, 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24th
Source: December Royal Mail strike action to include Christmas Eve | Trade unions | The Guardian
(At the time of writing this, the Royal Mail website does not show the December strike dates.)
In all sectors, service providers feel the impact of national and global influences, whether it’s Brexit, the pandemic, rising fuel costs, or fluctuating currency rates.
We would like to warn patients having treatment that includes lab work that the planned Royal Mail postal strikes could affect communication between their dentist and dental laboratories. We may need to schedule longer gaps between appointments. And, if there is a postal backlog, delays could happen.
Our teams are aware of the problem and will try to adjust to it so patients are not inconvenienced.
Why does a Royal Mail strike affect dentists?
Dentists use the postal service more than you may expect.
There was a time when dentists used to have small labs onsite, where a technician made and fixed dentures. These days a dentist may do some small repairs themselves, but technology has moved on. Dental laboratories create precision made dental appliances using more complex materials, so they are more aesthetic and comfortable.
This means your dentist sends your dental impressions and images off to dental laboratories. There, skilled technicians craft your made-to-measure appliance. Depending on the treatment, there are certain circumstances when a dentist wants a quick turnaround. For example, if your denture has broken, or you need a new crown for a front tooth. Appointments are made accordingly.
The impact on patients
We understand the Royal Mail strike could cause delays in both sending and receiving packages related to our patients’ dental needs. At the time of the planned strikes, the Royal Mail is suspending time guarantees. Reduced service could impact on special Delivery items and Tracked 24.
We are unsure how much our deliveries will be affected. Certainly, it will only affect patients having treatment requiring laboratory work.
While we will do our best to schedule appointments taking into account possible postal delays because of the Royal Mail postal strikes, we kindly ask for your understanding if we need to readjust a booked appointment.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has called on its members who collect, sort and deliver parcels and letters to take further strike action. The CWU are required to provide Royal Mail with a minimum of 14 days’ formal notification before taking strike action and we have received this formal notification from the CWU for the following dates:
- Thursday 13 October 2022
- Thursday 20 October 2022
- Tuesday 25 October 2022
Source: The Royal Mail latest news
Further industrial action
If pay talks fail, the CWU has announced fates for further postal strikes in November and early December.