23/02/2006

Postal workers may resume strike action

Postal Workers in Northern Ireland are to hold a ballot on whether or not to take official strike action against Royal Mail.

This announcement comes less than a week after staff returned to work following a two-week unofficial strike over disputes with bosses regarding disciplinary procedures and alleged cases of bullying.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has accused Royal Mail of going back on the deal struck last week, which eventually brought an end to the protest. They claim that staff who took part in the unofficial action, which had brought mail services in Belfast to a standstill, had been the subject of victimisation since returning to their jobs last weekend.

A spokesman for CWU has claimed that Royal mail has refused to give overtime to workers involved in the action in order to help clear the immense backlog of delayed post.

Royal Mail has said that the suggestion of further industrial action "simply beggars belief".

The postal service is already under huge pressure to sort through the backlog of around seven million items of mail, which is expected to take up to a month to clear.

Extra staff and vehicles have been brought into Belfast, with other mail centres across the UK assisting to ease the strain.

Under labour legislation, the Communication Workers Union must give seven days notice before balloting can commence.

(EF/SP)

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