In photos released on Friday by the Communications Workers Union (CWU) on its social networks, employees with their characteristic red vests are seen standing outside post offices in different parts of the country.

Many shops and homes also display posters in support of the walkout, which according to CWU General Secretary Dave Ward is the biggest in the UK since 2009.

According to the union leader, the Royal Mail group made a profit of 758 million pounds sterling (about 915 million dollars) last year, and its shareholders pocketed 400 million pounds ($482 million).

Ward added that despite those huge profits, the company only agreed to give a 2 percent pay raise to a sector he said is part of the country’s social fabric.

The strike of postal employees adds to others carried out in recent weeks by railway workers, public transport bus drivers, lawyers, health workers and port workers, demanding a wage increase in accordance with inflation of 10.1 percent.

This Friday’s strike could be repeated on August 31st and on September 8th and 9th, if an agreement is not reached with the Royal Mail board.

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