POST Offices across Scotland will face massive disruption unless bosses stop engaging in “power play” with their workers’ wages, a union has warned.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) – which represents Post Office staff – say workers won’t accept a “collapse in their living standards”.

Hundreds of employees look set to strike tomorrow, Tuesday, May 3.

Post Office management is insisting on a pay freeze for 2021-22, despite the company generating a profit for the last two years during the pandemic, from the efforts of their key worker employees.

They have recently offered a 2 per cent pay increase – plus a £250 one-off payment for 2022-23.

CWU members considered the pay freeze a “slap in the face” and voted by 97.3 per cent on a 70.2 per cent turnout to take strike action.

Despite repeated attempts by the union to instigate meaningful negotiations, Post Office management has refused to get around the bargaining table. Andy Furey, CWU Assistant Secretary, said: “Post Office management is insisting they are simply following government policy on public sector pay policy.

“But they have repeatedly contradicted themselves and have also said that it’s their decision to impose a pay freeze.

“We know Post Office has turned over huge profits in these past few years – management could afford to provide our members with a reasonable pay increase if they wanted.

“This is not an issue of affordability. This is about power play from management that is needlessly antagonising its key worker employees. The attitude of Post Office needs to be viewed in the context of inflation rising by at least 9 per cent already this year.

“Our members don’t appreciate being taken for fools, which is why they have voted in massive numbers for strike action.

“Post Office can’t put their heads in the sand. This dispute won’t go away, and our members are united – they won’t accept a collapse in their living standards.

“To avoid more disruption to services this year, the CWU urges Post Office to get around the bargaining table and thrash out a settlement with us that treats our key worker heroes with the respect they deserve.”

A Post Office spokesperson said: "We want to assure our customers that the vast majority of our 11,500 branches are unaffected by the CWU’s decision to instruct their members to take strike action on Tuesday, May 3, and will remain open throughout the day.

“There are 114 branches – typically in city centres – across the UK that are directly managed by Post Office. In Scotland, there are ten branches that could be impacted. Two of these are in the Glasgow area - Glasgow (West Nile Street) and Springburn Way Glasgow.

“Posters are displayed which show where the nearest alternative branches are located. Customers can also find more information at postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder.”