Postal Strike To Go Ahead Within Hours

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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A national postal strike is to begin within hours, crippling mail deliveries across the country.

It comes after the Royal Mail and union bosses failed to reach an agreement in their dispute over pay conditions and modernisation.

Up to 120,000 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will stage two 24-hour walkouts on Thursday and Friday.

More strikes are planned in the future, the union said.

Leaders of the CWU met today to consider the outcome of marathon talks between the two sides, which ended in the early hours of this morning.

The CWU claimed the Government and Royal Mail were working together to prevent progress in the dispute.

The CWU said "external forces" were trying to "undermine" the talks, citing Royal Mail bosses Mark Higson and Adam Crozier and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

CWU deputy general-secretary Dave Ward, who led the union's negotiators, said he believed progress had been made and a deal could have been agreed which would have averted the strikes.

But he said a letter sent to the union by Royal Mail managing director Mr Higson had "wiped out" progress made during the talks and scuppered the chances of a deal.


Breaking News

6:16pm UK, Wednesday October 21, 2009
Postal Strike To Go Ahead Within Hours
A national postal strike is to begin within hours, crippling mail deliveries across the country.

It comes after the Royal Mail and union bosses failed to reach an agreement in their dispute over pay conditions and modernisation.

Up to 120,000 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will stage two 24-hour walkouts on Thursday and Friday.

More strikes are planned in the future, the union said.

Leaders of the CWU met today to consider the outcome of marathon talks between the two sides, which ended in the early hours of this morning.

The CWU claimed the Government and Royal Mail were working together to prevent progress in the dispute.

The CWU said "external forces" were trying to "undermine" the talks, citing Royal Mail bosses Mark Higson and Adam Crozier and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

CWU deputy general-secretary Dave Ward, who led the union's negotiators, said he believed progress had been made and a deal could have been agreed which would have averted the strikes.

But he said a letter sent to the union by Royal Mail managing director Mr Higson had "wiped out" progress made during the talks and scuppered the chances of a deal.

Royal Mail worker

Post strikes to take place tomorrow and on Friday

In the letter, Mr Higson urged the union to abandon the "totally unjustified" strikes, which he said would have a "damaging and lasting" impact on customers.

And he said the CWU should accept a proposal to provide a "strike free period of calm" in the busy run-up to Christmas so further negotiations could be held.

Mr Higson said the heart of the dispute now centred on concerns of the union in London about changes in line with a pay and modernisation agreement reached two years ago at the end of the last national strike.

Mr Higson noted that the union had already offered a moratorium on strikes in return for talks.

And he agreed that would give an opportunity for officials to "re-engage" to discuss improvements to the changes already made.

Mr Higson proposed that the union did not activate its ballot, saying that the company would agree to suspend the timescale which the CWU has to follow for taking industrial action under employment law.

Mr Higson said he was offering an extension of four weeks to December 1 provided that no industrial action was taken.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Mr Higson proposed that the union did not activate its ballot, saying that the company would agree to suspend the timescale which the CWU has to follow for taking industrial action under employment law.

Mr Higson said he was offering an extension of four weeks to December 1 provided that no industrial action was taken.

Nice try - we agree - they come to no agreement we look bad striking in December - Sneaky but you have to admire the tactics .

[dvbuk55]

I know that customers are going to suffer but in any conflict there are casualties but in this instance they aren't going to be fatal are they? The public should not be in any doubt that this is a war - between the members of the CWU, who are struggling to cope with the horrendous planning for the future of their mail service and Royal Mail bosses who, make no mistake, are looking for the fat payout on privatisation and will leave the public to pay for the pensions deficit and the price hikes that will follow. If only we could let people see the future if we lose this fight - they'd be on the picket line too.

[fishtank]

I know that customers are going to suffer but in any conflict there are casualties but in this instance they aren't going to be fatal are they? The public should not be in any doubt that this is a war - between the members of the CWU, who are struggling to cope with the horrendous planning for the future of their mail service and Royal Mail bosses who, make no mistake, are looking for the fat payout on privatisation and will leave the public to pay for the pensions deficit and the price hikes that will follow. If only we could let people see the future if we lose this fight - they'd be on the picket line too.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

sack them all

I couldn't agree more! £10 million in bonus payments? Yes, sack the board.

[Stormproof]

sack them all

very grown up

[fishtank]

sack them all

very grown up

I think he's gone

[IWW Fellow Worker]

sack them all

very grown up

I think he's gone

Never mind! I expect there will be another one along soon. Dickheads are like busses. None for ages, then three turn up at once!

[ade@cambs]

sack them all

very grown up

I think he's gone

Must of got a phone call to get in and cover those duties

[CustomerConnieagain]

Mr Higson proposed that the union did not activate its ballot, saying that the company would agree to suspend the timescale which the CWU has to follow for taking industrial action under employment law.

Mr Higson said he was offering an extension of four weeks to December 1 provided that no industrial action was taken.

Nice try - we agree - they come to no agreement we look bad striking in December - Sneaky but you have to admire the tactics .

I don't understand. I post in a different thread, get abuse, retaliate to defend myself and get blocked. Those that abuse carry on.
Hardly a balanced forum this is it.
I meant PAWN by the way, perhaps I was blocked for my poor spelling.
Good luck.

[Stormproof]

AFAIK there is no blocking facility on the forum, you can ignore people and the moderators can ban members.

[kwf166]

Ok I am not going to rise to these people anymore,(ill informed public or media in disguise) I am going to count to 10 in future, they are obviously just coming on here to wind us all up don't get me wrong, the majority of the public are on our side, my customers have been coming up to me on my rounds and were very supportive, but it the media, they are playing mind games with us,brain washing the public, and none of them have got the decency to actually find out what it like to be a postman these days,instead in their interest to dig as much dirt as possible on us, so best bet is to ignore them lads, they not worth the time and effort, good luck to my felllow workers over the next 2 days

[POSTMAN]

Mr Higson proposed that the union did not activate its ballot, saying that the company would agree to suspend the timescale which the CWU has to follow for taking industrial action under employment law.

Mr Higson said he was offering an extension of four weeks to December 1 provided that no industrial action was taken.

Nice try - we agree - they come to no agreement we look bad striking in December - Sneaky but you have to admire the tactics .

I don't understand. I post in a different thread, get abuse, retaliate to defend myself and get blocked. Those that abuse carry on.
Hardly a balanced forum this is it.
I meant PAWN by the way, perhaps I was blocked for my poor spelling.
Good luck.

No one has blocked you.

[chewi]

I don't understand!

Dave (a straight bloke, I know cos I've met him) said that the RM negociating team and the union had reached a deal but that the three stooges had vetoed it. Higson's letter reads to me like its my way or the highway. Then on the 7 pm news on R4 Tolhurst says they want to sign. Is this just mind games or what? Mutiny?

[Godric]

sack them all

very grown up

I think he's gone

Never mind! I expect there will be another one along soon. Dickheads are like busses. None for ages, then three turn up at once!

once a screw always a brainless rat faced banker