Yorkshire mail strike leads to massive backlog

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Yorkshire's strike-hit postal service is facing a massive mail backlog running into hundreds of thousands of items, it was claimed today.
Around 140 delivery drivers at the Yorkshire Distribution Centre in Normanton – the region's largest – yesterday downed tools in the latest in a series of 24-hour stoppages.

The workers are locked in a long-running dispute with Royal Mail over changes which they believe will lead to thousands of job losses and pay cuts of up to £9,000 for many others.

Other hard-pressed workers, some with young families or other commitments, would also be forced to work antisocial shift patterns and could even be forced to give up their jobs, they say.

Today, the Communications Workers Union apologised for the disruption caused by its members' action, which first began in August.

It estimates that there is now "hundreds of thousands" of undelivered mail items backed up in Yorkshire but says it will work hard to catch up.

However, Royal Mail bosses reject suggestions there is any build up and says it has "robust contingency plans" in place.

Area distribution representative Dave Hutchinson said members felt they had no alternative but to go out on strike because Royal Mail refused to take part in meaningful negotiations.

He said: "There are people who are being forced on to the night shift who have children and others whose hours are being cut who could lose between £8,000 and £9,000.

"We agree that things do change and have signed up to a process of modernisation but there has been no consultation from Royal Mail at all.

"Feelings are running very high here and people are staying very strong."

Nationwide yesterday around 12,000 workers walked out from depots including those in London, Cambridge, Birmingham, Bristol, Nottingham and Glasgow. Nationally, there is now said to be a 20 million item undelivered mail mountain.

Meanwhile, all postal workers are currently being balloted on a national strike.

The result is due early next month and if workers vote in favour, it could mean up to 120,000 postal staff walking out, around 9,000 of them in West Yorkshire.

A spokewoman for Royal Mail said it would try to keep services running efficiently wherever possible.

She said: "There is no backlog of mail at the Yorkshire Distribution Centre and we have a robust contingency plan in place which is operating effectively during the strike action by distribution drivers.

"Deliveries in Yorkshire are unaffected by the strikers' action and our delivery postmen and women are working normally.

"Royal Mail calls on the CWU to abandon its unjustified strikes and to help the business deliver the service our customers deserve.

"We also again invite the union to re-engage with our agreed industrial relations framework at national and local level."