Australia - Postal workers to strike over Christmas

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The union that represents about 20,000 Australia Post workers believes industrial action is unavoidable, with negotiations breaking down over a new enterprise agreement.

Postal workers across the country will launch industrial action in the lead-up to Christmas after negotiations with Australia Post failed to deliver an agreement.

It could bring some unexpected Christmas cheer for Australians sending cards, with industrial action to include bans on checking for properly-stamped mail, meaning it will effectively be free.

Communications Electrical Plumbing Union national president Ed Husic has written to the company in an effort to sort out the dispute and is awaiting a response but believes industrial action is unavoidable.

"We think Australia Post will spend more time legally resisting our action rather than sorting this issue out," he said.

As well as bans on checking for properly-stamped cards or letters, industrial action is expected to include work stoppages.

Australia Post employees are seeking a new agreement which protects penalty shifts, rosters and take-home pay and want a commitment from their employer to improve workplace safety.

They also want an end to the use of company-paid doctors which the union accuses of forcing employees back to work when they are still sick or injured.

Mr Husic said negotiations on a new agreement, which have been under way since April, had failed to deliver any improvement in conditions for workers.

"Since April we've gotten nowhere ... with Australia Post," he said.

"In the end, our members got sick of being told by a senior management team that took home $8 million in salaries last year that Australia Post can't afford to consult better on workplace change."

More than 9,000 of the 11,500 workers who took part in a ballot launched on November 25 voted in support of industrial action.

"Since April, Australia Post has had ample opportunity to sort out the differences at the negotiating table," Mr Husic said.

"Instead they refused to move or used a hardline legal strategy to delay a ballot that could have been held in September, but through Australia Post's actions, has been carried out right before Christmas."

The union will announce details of the planned industrial action in the next 24 hours but said it would looking to reduce the impact on the public as much as possible.