'Postal strike will hit our businesses'

[Geezer]

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/busin ... 5668296.jp

Published Date: 22 September 2009

A POSTAL strike would cause "serious problems" for Fylde coast firms, leading businessmen have warned.
As more than 12,000 postmen and women are balloted on industrial action, the threat of a strike is causing major worries for Fylde coast businesses.

A long-running row over pay, jobs and services has already sparked a series of walkouts across the country over the past few months, which has disrupted mail deliveries.

The result of the ballot will be known early next month.

Paul Henley, North West policy manager for the Blackpool-based Federation of Small Business (FSB), said: "For many small business in the Blackpool area, a reliable postal service is essential.

"They use the post to contact their customers, to send their products and to receive payment.

"The FSB is already hearing from members who are experiencing serious problems, particularly where they deal with customers in the south of the country where the strike has been the most disruptive.

"With customers' cheques held up in the mail their cashflow is being affected which, in turn, hinders their ability to pay suppliers and their employees.

"This is not what our economy needs as we, hopefully, start to emerge from a damaging recession.

"The FSB makes no comment on whether the current industrial dispute is valid, however we urge both sides to work together to resolve their differences very quickly in order to help the survival of Blackpool's small business at an already difficult time."

A number of business groups have urged the Government to intervene in the dispute, which has already caused a backlog of undelivered mail.

Hugh Evans, director of policy for the Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, based in South Shore (right), said: "The last set of postal strikes left businesses with no choice but to extend their range of delivery options, using private companies where possible.

"Staff at Royal Mail need to understand they will be undermining the future of their organisation if they go out on strike again and force businesses to take their custom elsewhere."

Since June, postal workers have staged a series of localised strikes.
And this week, industrial action will affect deliveries in Glasgow, Cambridge and London.

Communications Workers Union deputy general secretary Dave Ward added: "Without agreement there can be no successful change in Royal Mail.

"This is a simple message which Royal Mail management needs to take on board.

"Small businesses stand to suffer more with reduced services in the future if Royal Mail doesn't reach a national agreement."

[pinstripe]

"Paul Henley, North West policy manager for the Blackpool-based Federation of Small Business (FSB), said: "For many small business in the Blackpool area, a reliable postal service is essential."
Better support us then or your reliable postal service is a thing of the past.

[underpaidoverwalked]

sick listening to this are uk mail, tnt , buisness mail going to start delivering there own mail .dims and royalmail keep saying mail volumes r going down. DONT THINK SO . let ASDA start selling MORRISONS milk 4 them