13/07/2007

Second postal strike underway

Post will again go undelivered again today (Friday) as postal workers take part in the second round of industrial action over pay and conditions.

The 24-hour strike called by the Communication Workers Union commenced on Thursday July 12 at 7pm.

The union say that representatives had again met with Royal Mail on Thursday in an attempt to resume talks but were disappointed that Royal Mail simply reiterated their previous 2.5% pay offer that the workforce has already "overwhelmingly rejected."

The union is concerned that modernisation proposals from Royal Mail could result in 40,000 jobs losses.

Royal Mail said that further disruption of mail deliveries was inevitable, and Chairman Alan Leighton said that the union had "failed to grasp the harsh commercial reality of the market."

The Federation of Small Business has called for the government to intervene in the strike saying that payments delayed in the post could mean "life or death" for small businesses.

(SP)

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