Fresh waves of postal strikes

[Geezer]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... rikes.html

Published: 1:22PM BST 25 Sep 2009

A fresh wave of postal strikes will be held next week, with over 15,000 workers walking out in the long-running dispute over jobs, pay and services, it has been announced.

The Communication Workers Union said its members will be striking for 24 hours in areas including London, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Nottingham, Glasgow and Coventry.

Some postal workers will be on strike for the first time since the bitter row flared earlier this year.

The CWU is balloting all its postal members for a national strike after accusing the Royal Mail of cutting jobs and pay and hitting services. The result is due early next month.

Monday will see the 14th week of industrial action by postal workers since the start of the dispute, although the biggest bout of unrest will be on Tuesday when up to 12,000 workers in London will walk out, joined by staff in Bognor Regis, Cambridge, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Skegness, Kent, Ayr and Kilmarnock in Scotland as well as van drivers in Birmingham, Bridgend, Bristol, Nottingham, Chelmsford, Glasgow, Leeds and Swindon.

The union has accused Royal Mail of cutting jobs without agreement, a charge the company denies.

Talks between the two sides will be held next week, with time running out to avert the threat of nationwide strikes.