People across Australia will be presented with the opportunity to send their mail postage free from Monday after postal workers announced details of protected industrial action at Australia Post.
"On Monday Australia Post employees will allow unstamped letters through - instead of returning them to sender.
"We've received plenty of positive feedback from the public about this move and it promises to be a great Christmas gift for them - and mail volumes", said Ed Husic, National President of the Communications Electrical Plumbing Union.
"Our message to the public: if you want to send a Christmas Card this year, 'ditch the e-mail: go free-mail'.
"Postal workers across Australia voted overwhelmingly - and in unprecedented numbers - to take protected industrial action against Australia Post. From Friday, we will be undertaking a range of different actions .
"This is a move of last resort after Australia Post refused to move since April on modest claims for improved job security, better workplace safety and protection of take home pay.
"Our members know Christmas is a special time and they are conscious of limiting the public impact - which is why we have elected for the free mail days. This action could affect 70 million Christmas cards and revenue of $35 million, according to Australia's Post's own predictions of mail volume during this period.
"Prior to any action commencing, we wrote to Post yesterday indicating that while our members wanted to take action, the CEPU was still willing to meet with Managing Director Graeme John and Chief Operating Officer Jim Marshall to sort this agreement out.
"Late yesterday we were advised that the Mr John and Mr Marshall would not meet, even though Mr John took the unusual step of writing to each Australia Post employee urging them not to support our ballot.
"Given he has an interest in trying to avoid industrial action, we're disappointed that both key decision makers in Australia Post won't listen to what their employees are telling them: 'we want our issues dealt with and we're prepared to take action to show we want a better deal'.
"Since April we've gotten nowhere in trying to get a new enterprise agreement with Australia Post. Based on yesterday's response from senior management, we're going to get no closer to sorting any of this out."
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