Postal worker strikes solidly supported

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Postal workers in London and Scotland went on strike today in disputes over jobs and services, disrupting mail deliveries.

The Communication Workers Union said thousands of its members in London and Edinburgh walked out, setting up picket lines outside mail centres, with further action planned in Scotland tomorrow.

A union spokeswoman said the strikes had been "solidly supported", with workers in London staging a protest outside the Royal Mail's new head office in Blackfriars.

The union has accused the Royal Mail of cutting jobs and services which it said broke a national agreement and threatened modernisation.

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "We are now seeing cuts but not modernisation in the postal industry and there's only so long before this is going have a major impact on services.

"We are offering Royal Mail and the Government a three-month no-strike deal if they fulfil the agreement to engage the CWU over modernisation and move to get the company on a sound footing for the future."

A company spokesman said: "All the union will achieve by strike action is to hurt customers and undermine our drive to build a successful future for this business and its people."

Royal Mail said the three largest offices in London were not involved in the action, adding that management volunteers would help deliver post in the capital during the strike.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "It is disappointing that CWU members in London have felt driven to take industrial action in a dispute over jobs and conditions.

"Royal Mail industrial relations need a real overhaul and I hope that they will act on the CWU's bold and imaginative proposals for three months of intensive talks on the modernisation of the industry and a new industrial relations framework, accompanied by a moratorium on any industrial action during that period."

A company spokesman said: "Royal Mail apologises to its customers for any disruption to the service caused by the strike action and assures them that we are doing all we can to deliver the mail.

"Around a third of our operational people due to work today are collecting, sorting and delivering the mail, including in the three biggest units, which are not part of today's strike.

"Some 1,400 management volunteers are also providing a service to customers across London.

"We have urged the union repeatedly to honour its public statements and not to call our people out on strike action which can only hurt our customers and damage our drive to build a strong and sustainable future for Royal Mail and its people - and to protect the universal service in the competitive marketplace."

[Rowdy]

"Some 1,400 management volunteers are also providing a service to customers across London."

"Volunters", is that what they call them now. I have another word for them but I don't think I'm aloud to say it on here. Here is a definition, "a person who works despite strike action or against the will of other employees".

[axeman]

Not before doing star jumps to the tunes and chants of '''we love lil ad''

[baldrick]

"Some 1,400 management volunteers are also providing a service to customers across London."

Well they didn't 'provide a service' to my address. :cfo