Royal Mail strike set to see postal services grind to a halt

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Postal services could grind to a halt with Royal Mail workers expected to have voted for their first national strike in two years.

The results from a ballot of 121,000 postmen, delivery drivers and delivery office workers will be announced by the Communication Workers Union on Thursday afternoon.

Although the results are closely guarded, union sources said they expected strong backing for their call for a national stoppage.

Exit polls have showed that between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of postal workers are backing the call for industrial action.

The expected result will mean that the Communication Workers Union has to stage some sort of strike action within 28 days, or the ballot will become invalid.

Officially, the CWU has to give Royal Mail seven days’ notice of any strike action – which could mean that industrial action could start as soon as next week.

Royal Mail managers are in further talks this week to avert the national strike. A positive vote for a national stoppage could force the two sides to closer together in the talks.

In a further blow to Royal Mail a report in The Guardian said it had lost a contract worth at least £25 million with its second largest customer, the online retailer Amazon, in favour of a rival service. Neither Amazon nor Royal Mail were available for comment on Wednesday night.

The last national postal strike in October 2007, which had the backing of 77.5 per cent of CWU members, accounted for two-thirds of all days lost to strikes in Britain that year.

Then, an estimated 200million letters and parcels – including millions of cheques, bank statements, credit card and utility bills – were snarled up in the backlog.

The CWU has been co-ordinating a series of rolling stoppages around the country for the past 15 weeks. Since June 19, The Daily Telegraph has calculated that postal workers have been on strike somewhere in the country once every other day.

More than 230 different Royal Mail facilities, including night offices, distribution centres and mail centres, have stopped work on at least one occasion.

The result has been an emerging “mail mountain” at delivery and sorting offices containing more than 30 million items in London alone – although this figure is disputed by Royal Mail.

The timing of the strike action could mean that birthday and Christmas presents which are ordered online or from a catalogue are delayed.

Children could lose out on their first choice secondary schools, with many councils asking for postal applications to be with them by the end of this month or early November.

Business groups have already warned that the strike could cost the economy £200million. Helen Hill, policy director at the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “Businesses are now resigned to Royal Mail staff voting for strike action across the country.

“Initially the strikes may seem to be little more than an inconvenience, but for a significant number of firms they will lead to considerable losses in revenue, particularly if there is no swift resolution.

“Those going on strike need to take on board that they are damaging their own firm’s reputation and are pushing vital business customers in to the hands of rival mail providers.”

A CWU spokesman declined to comment, ahead of the official result.

Mark Higson, Royal Mail's managing director, said: “There is still time for the union to abandon its national strike ballot and instead of hurting customers, focus on delivering quality service as we get into the vitally important run-up to Christmas.

“The CWU has repeatedly offered a strike-free moratorium - we call on the union to honour that commitment.

“It makes absolutely no sense for the union to threaten and call strikes when Royal Mail is not planning any further efficiency changes for the rest of the 2009 calendar year and the priority facing everyone in Royal Mail is to deliver the best possible service to customers in the run up to Christmas.”

[nelson]

Mark Higson, Royal Mail's managing director, said: “There is still time for the union to abandon its national strike ballot and instead of hurting customers, focus on delivering quality service as we get into the vitally important run-up to Christmas.

“The CWU has repeatedly offered a strike-free moratorium - we call on the union to honour that commitment.

“It makes absolutely no sense for the union to threaten and call strikes when Royal Mail is not planning any further efficiency changes for the rest of the 2009 calendar year and the priority facing everyone in Royal Mail is to deliver the best possible service to customers in the run up to Christmas.”

What a two faced git.
What about the changes already made?
Why did he not take up the offer before?
Get Christmas over then start again. He must think posties are stupid, and it goes to show the arrogance of the man.

[bandit1157]

Mark Higson, Royal Mail's managing director, said: “There is still time for the union to abandon its national strike ballot and instead of hurting customers, focus on delivering quality service as we get into the vitally important run-up to Christmas.

“The CWU has repeatedly offered a strike-free moratorium - we call on the union to honour that commitment.

“It makes absolutely no sense for the union to threaten and call strikes when Royal Mail is not planning any further efficiency changes for the rest of the 2009 calendar year and the priority facing everyone in Royal Mail is to deliver the best possible service to customers in the run up to Christmas.”

What a two faced git.
What about the changes already made?
Why did he not take up the offer before?
Get Christmas over then start again. He must think posties are stupid, and it goes to show the arrogance of the man.

absolutely right. the customers have been hurt more by the changes imposed by royal mail and what about royal mail hurting it's employees. the time for a strike free moratorium has passed. if we withdraw now before christmas we will be sh1t on from a great height for ever more, show them you've got a pair this is the time for action. strike now they don't like it up em

[andy2007]

It's Media Spin. He's hoping that the Public will read that, and be taken in. Hopefully, they won't be fooled.