Postal drivers take strike action

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A strike by workers at a Royal Mail distribution centre in Cheshire is taking place.

More than 200 lorry drivers are taking part in 24-hour action at a depot in Warrington over a row about pay, jobs and conditions.

The Royal Mail said deliveries would not be affected and asked for plans for a national ballot by workers next month to be called off.

A union spokesman said the action was the last resort.

John Newsome, from the Communcation Workers Union (CWU), said: "We don't want to strike, we actually want an agreement, that's all we're actually asking for.

"At times it's going to be upsetting for the public but unfortunately it's one of the things we have to do to be able to get Royal Mail to sit down and discuss with the union our future terms and conditions and the future of the Royal Mail."

The Royal Mail said it was trying to mitigate the impact of strikes and had met with the union more than 50 times already in recent months.

It said it could not understand why the union was claiming to support modernisation when it was "pursuing a policy of actively opposing the changes needed to make to ensure there's a successful future for the business, its people and its customers".