Posties get four day weekend for Xmas

File Photo / NZ Herald

Posties are getting an early Christmas present - a four day weekend over the holiday season.

Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to allow postal workers a four day Christmas break plus Easter Saturday off.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce said the variation - to the deed of understanding between the Government and New Zealand Post - would formalise what was already current practice of no postal delivery on public holidays and Easter Saturday.

"Public holidays are times of year when many other workers are taking holiday breaks and postal volumes are not high," Mr Joyce said.

"The variation will mean that postal delivery workers will be able to enjoy a four-day holiday break over the upcoming 2010/11 Christmas and New Year periods where the statutory days fall on the weekend and are observed on the Monday and Tuesday following."

- NZPA