UK post, rail workers walk out in Christmas strikes

British postal workers began what could become the longest strike in the Post Office's 300-year history Monday as part of a wave of industrial action that is also threatening Christmas travel chaos.

Thousands of members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) launched five days of strike action in protest at post office closures, job losses and pension changes, upping pressure on Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May.

The CWU said around 3,500 workers would be striking, hitting hundreds of post offices at the busiest time of the year for Britain's postal service.

A further 1,000 Royal Mail delivery staff could take unofficial industrial action by refusing to cross the picket lines at post offices although Royal Mail said it was expecting "little or no impact" from strikes.

"This is incredibly high stakes," CWU general secretary Dave Ward told AFP at a demonstration outside the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in central London.

"If we don't take this action now we are absolutely certain that the post office on the high street will cease to exist in a couple of years' time."

Union members turned up with a reindeer and Father Christmas actor to hand over sack loads of post cards to the government's business department, signed by members of the public supporting their campaign.

-- 'It has to be saved' --

Pete Donaghy, a CWU worker, told AFP that jobs and pensions were at risk, as well as services for the most vulnerable.

"Elderly, disabled and blind people rely on the Post Office. It has to be saved. Once it is gone we won't get it back," he said.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Southern Railway also began a 48-hour strike Monday in a long-running labour dispute that has affected 300,000 passengers for months.

Meanwhile British Airways cabin crew were holding talks Monday aimed at averting strikes on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, while Swissport baggage handlers are planning walkouts on Friday and Saturday.

British Airways pledged to run a full schedule on Christmas Day and Boxing Day despite proposed industrial action by Unite and urged the union to abandon the plans.

"We are making sure that this attempt to ruin Christmas for thousands of our customers fails," said British Airways CEO and chairman Alex Cruz.

- 'Bring down' the government? -

May is facing calls from members of her own Conservative Party to intervene and tighten legislation to prevent rail strikes.

Chris Philp, a Conservative MP, told BBC radio: "Unions have pushed this too far... We need fresh union legislation."

A Downing Street spokesman said the disruption to people's lives from strike action was "completely unacceptable".

"The government wants all parties to get back around the negotiation table, settle their disputes and bring an end to the misery that hundreds of thousands of people are now suffering," he said.

Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said workers were still suffering from the fallout of the 2008 global financial crisis and there should be more attention on "what's wrong with these companies".

The political row heated up after the Sunday Times published a video showing RMT union president Sean Hoyle telling a rally that trade unions were working together to "bring down" the government.

Industrial action has risen sharply in Britain this year, against the background of a sharp leftward turn in the opposition Labour party under its veteran Socialist leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The number of days lost to strike action in the year to October 31 totalled 304,000 compared to 205,000 days for the preceding 12-month period, according to the Office for National Statistics.