POSTAL deliveries across East Ayrshire will grind to a halt again today in the latest strike action by Royal Mail workers.

Local posties are expected to join colleagues from across the UK in a walkout on Wednesday, August 31.

Staff at the Cumnock delivery office formed a picket line at the Tanyard premises on Friday as 115,000 postal workers around the country walked out as part of a campaign to secure what their union calls a “dignified, proper pay rise”.

Picket lines were formed by members of the Communication Workers Union at the delivery offices in Ayr, Kilmarnock, Troon, Prestwick, Maybole, Girvan, Irvine, Kilwinning, Saltcoats, Dalry and Largs.

In addition to today’s walkout, further strikes are planned for September 8 and 9.

The CWU says Royal Mail management imposed a 2 per cent pay rise on employees, who were classified as key workers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, through executive action earlier this summer.

Dave Ward, general secretary of the CWU, said: “ Postal workers are completely united in their determination to secure the dignified, proper pay rise they deserve.

“We can’t keep on living in a country where bosses rake in billions in profit while their employees are forced to use food banks.

“When Royal Mail bosses are raking in £758 million in profit and shareholders pocketing in excess of £400m, our members won’t accept pleas of poverty from the company.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said the strike action “thrusts Royal Mail into the most uncertain time of its 500-year history”.

They added: “We are losing £1 million a day. We must change to fix the situation and protect high quality jobs.

“We cannot cling to outdated working practices.”