Postal strikes could affect the General Election, Black Friday and Christmas
The CWU and Royal Mail are trying to find agreement
A postal union has been accused of a "politically motivated" threat ahead of potential strike action in the run-up to the General Election.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) insisted it has not yet called action, adding that it had its "ballot in play well before the election".
Royal Mail said it wrote to the CWU last week to say that if the union provides a binding commitment to remove the threat of strike action for the rest of 2019, the company will enter into discussions without preconditions.
But Royal Mail said the CWU is not prepared to take up the offer.
Andrea Leadsom, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said: "CWU's threat to ruin Christmas and disrupt the postal system during the General Election is just a preview of things to come if Jeremy Corbyn is ever allowed near the keys to Number 10.
"The timing of this threat is clearly politically calculated and would disrupt both the election and people's Christmas deliveries."
Published: by Radio NewsHub