Mail crisis averted as post workers call off wildcat strike

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POSTAL officials will be working around the clock to ensure that a six-hour wildcat strike at Peterborough's postal centre does not affect deliveries to thousands of city residents.

More than 100 staff at the sorting office, in Papyrus Road, Werrington, took to the picket line at 9am on Thursday to stage the walkout in a row over "intolerable" working conditions.

The Royal Mail delivery drivers arrived in the morning to form the line and managed to collar many more staff who arrived for their day shifts, refusing to cross the line.

Royal Mail bosses feared the worst, as 131 out of 156 deliveries in the PE1 to PE7 postcodes were affected. Everything from birthday cards to business mail was left sat in sacks at the centre.

The action caused the company to call in emergency drivers to ensure some deliveries got away as a stand-off ensued between the strikers and the management.

Local trade union representative for the Communications Workers Union (CWU), Mark Cook, speaking to The Evening Telegraph from the picket line, originally warned the strike could last for days.

He said: "Basically, we decided to call a strike as CWU members were tired of being bullied and humiliated in their workplace, and the management have not been sticking to the national agreement.

"We do apologise to readers as we appreciate that this will mean a delay in their letters being delivered, but we had to do something."

Talks ensued throughout the day, but the workers remained place on the picket lines until late into the afternoon.

However, a huge stockpile of undelivered mail was averted when the staff agreed to end the illegal action.

Today, a Royal Mail spokesman said: "We are working hard to clear the disruption caused by the unlawful action yesterday.

"Royal Mail is now handling 10 per cent fewer letters than a year ago and there are almost 10 million fewer letters a day being handled than in 2006, so it is essential that Royal Mail continues its drive to modernise and increase efficiency."