Delivery staff are up in arms over "miserly" pay and "unacceptable" working conditions - but industrial action could have consequences for Christmas shoppers.

09:48, Sat, Nov 22, 2025 Updated: 09:49, Sat, Nov 22, 2025

UPS Delivering

UPS staff could stage walkouts next month (Image: Getty)

UK customers could face major postal delays as UPS staff threaten strike action in an ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions. More than 2,000 members of the Unite union could abandon their posts in the coming months, potentially wreaking havoc on package and mail deliveries over the Christmas period. If approved, staff including delivery drivers could begin mass walk-outs in mid-December, likely impacting last-minute festive shopping.

It comes after workers rejected UPS's latest offer of a 2.8% pay increase for 2025 and 3.2% rise for 2026 - below the inflation rate of 4.5%. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This dispute is a clear case of a rich employer putting profits before people. It is shameful that workers at a company that turns over billions have been offered such a miserly pay deal and have been left struggling to get by."

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Abundance of beautiful, rustic Christmas gift boxes

The strike action could have major consequences for Christmas (Image: Getty)

"Our members at UPS have Unite's full support in their fight for a fair pay rise," she added.

As well as frustrations over pay, staff have complained about working conditions including forced overtime and unreasonable work loads linked to departed employees not being replaced.

There have also been concerns around the use of outsourcing, putting existing jobs on unstable footing, and allegations of UPS withholding sick pay, Unite said.

The industrial action could impact Boxing Day and early January sales as well as disrupting supply chains in the run-up to Christmas, with retailers including Apple, Amazon, Dell and Louis Vuitton among those likely to be impacted by the strikes.

The prospective postal chaos could echo the issues caused by Royal Mail strikes led by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in late 2022, which sparked a surge in return deliveries after Christmas presents arrived too late to be gifted.

Matt Draper, Unite national officer, said: "Any industrial action and disruption to customers will be entirely the fault of UPS which is prioritising its own greed.

"Management needs to come back to the table with a pay offer that is acceptable to our members as well as commit to improving conditions."

A spokesperson for the UPS said: "We endeavour to create a working environment that helps our people to thrive and our business and customers to succeed. Our goal remains a balanced, fair and sustainable agreement that reflects the valuable contribution our people deliver every day.

"Robust contingency plans are in place to minimise any customer disruption and keep our commitments should industrial action take place."