On Wednesday more than 50 staff, 40 of them delivery staff, did not go to work at the Australia Post centre, and a large group maintained a peaceful picket line.

“We are definitely resolved to fight this,” one employee said.

“It is not about dollars, it is about maintaining full-time positions.”

He said a regional manager recently told Bendigo staff that if people quit or retired they would not be replaced by full-time employees.

Only one part-time postie worked on Wednesday, and half of the night sorting team.

Communication Workers Union Victorian secretary Joan Doyle said the union would take further action next week, possibly Christmas Eve.

On Thursday, Australia Post agreed to the CWU’s suggestion for a meeting with chief operating officer Jim Marshall, subject to the removal of notices of intention to take industrial action and current bans.

Union national president Ed Husic wrote to Australia Post refusing to rule out a Christmas strike and offering to remove bans that have only a limited effect on the mail system.

Australia Post spokesman Alex Twomey said the development showed the real strategy of the union - interfere with Christmas cards and presents and not make every attempt to avoid a strike.

Australia Post said it had contingencies in place to minimise disruptions and it expected 75 per cent of its staff not to participate in stoppages.

Ms Doyle said the CWU was not happy with the timing of the strike.

The union had first tried to vote on protected industrial action in September but that was quashed by Australia Post in the courts.

She said the members were also fighting for the right to visit their own doctor.

The union has accused company-appointed doctors of sending staff back to work too soon.

This week Fair Work Australia ruled that the union could not take industrial action on December 17, 18, 19 and 21. The union has sent Australia Post notices of industrial action for December 22 and 23.