31/10/2003

Postal strike gathers impetus

Postal workers in Staffordshire and Wiltshire are among the latest to walk out as unofficial strike action continues to spread across the UK.

The main postal workers union the Communications Worker Union (CWU) estimates that at least 20,000 workers are involved in the unofficial wildcat actions that have had serious consequences for the postal delivery service in the UK.

The Royal Mail have been forced to seal post boxes as, with two out of three postal workers in central London said to be involved in strike action, storage space for the increasing backlog of undelivered mail is running out.

Customers have been advised not to post items in the London area, and business losses are mounting as many companies, particularly in the worst affected areas, have received no mail for several days.

Talks at ACAS centred on ending the action resumed on Friday morning with no sign of an agreement being reached after the meeting ended on Thursday.

The union claim the strike is about changes in working conditions, but management are unconvinced claiming that the union is seeking increased London weighting payments.

(SP)

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