Postal disorder

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/money/city ... -19829476/

22/09/2007


The postal dispute has cost taxpayers at least £2.6million ministers revealed yesterday.

The cash was spent on private courier firms hired to deliver pension and benefit cheques during the recent strikes.

Work and pensions minister James Plaskitt said: "In the absence of assurance from Royal Mail that deliveries could be maintained, we used our contingency arrangements to ensure customers - many among the most vulnerable in society - received payments." The bill is likely to soar after union leaders called two fresh 48-hour walkouts by up to 130,000 workers followed by rolling strikes in different parts of the business on consecutive days.

The Communication Workers Union has already called two national 24-hour strikes and a week of so-called "guerrilla" action. The union announced the new action after the breakdown of pay negotiations.

But anger has been fuelled by a series of other sweeping changes Royal Mail claims are vital for it to compete.

These include making posties work five years longer for a full pension and ditching early starts which can mean bonuses of £24 a week.

Union leaders also accuse bosses of trying to "bulldoze" through changes enabling managers to switch posties' duties or shifts with little notice.

And there is anger at the closure of sorting offices in Oxford and Reading revealed by the Mirror yesterday.

Union leaders fear the "modernisation" could cost 40,000 jobs. It said: "Rather than spend £2.6m on couriers, the government should be ensuring Royal Mail engages in meaningful discussions with the unio