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A POSTMAN with 25 years’ service was sacked for leaving his van unlocked as he delivered a letter to a farmhouse on a single-lane track.
Peter Baker, 44, is the latest local Royal Mail employee to be dismissed for what they deem ‘trivial’ offences – such as failing to wear a cycle helmet.
Now, colleagues are braced for strike action following a crunch two hour union meeting on Wednesday.
Workers are set to be balloted in September as part of a national walk-out in protest at conditions, jobs and pay.
Mr Baker, a father of four from Southbank Road, was escorted off the premises for ‘gross misconduct’ – his first offence in a distinguished career.
He was seen delivering mail in rural Scarisbrick without turning off the engine and locking the vehicle.
He said: “Royal Mail’s investigation bureau said I had delivered to two addresses with the engine running, which is against rules and regulations.
“I knew that but in reality I was in the middle of nowhere, it was a single track leading to a farm. Nobody was around to steal anything, it was 100% safe. If it had been a busy road, of course I would have secured the van.
“I was just trying to do my job quickly – but I have paid the ultimate price.”
Postmen in Southport have accused bosses of making cuts ‘through the back door’ in a bid to make savings.
It is understood nine staff at the 200-strong Wight Moss Way delivery office have been sacked since Christmas. Three postmen were axed in May for not wearing compulsory helmets.
Mr Baker has the right to appeal against the decision but will contest an industrial tribunal if unsuccessful.
He added: “It is only conjecture that something could have happened. I am prepared to take this all the way to the appeals court.
“Nothing was stolen or pinched. I left the van unattended for about eight seconds.”
Peter has taken his case to Southport MP John Pugh in a bid to be reinstated.
He added: “I might have been careless but does that warrant losing your job?
“What I did was human nature. I was trying to do what the people want; to deliver post quickly. I'm gobsmacked.
“I have delivered post all my working life. I know nothing else.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We do not discuss individual personnel issues.”
Andy Tatchell, of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) which represents postal workers, held a meeting in Southport on Wednesday night to discuss strike action.
The union's executive will hold a national ballot of its 160,000 postal members, which could lead to strikes in the autumn.
Mr Tatchell said: “There are clearly problems at Southport but it is not in isolation.
“There are serious concerns at a national level about pay, jobs and working agreements which are manifesting in different ways at local level.”
:lfo :cfo :mfo
RM 
) . It's a weird village as it starts just after the outskirts of Ormskirk and doesn't really end until you get to the Southport boundary nearly 7 miles away . . There's no heart or centre to the village , everything that you'd expect in a village is all spread out . 
I have my run in with some of my bully managers this week, my mate Andy lost his job last chrismas, the sooner we all out the better, it time to support out each other and our colleagues who are out of a job 