Don't blame me for Royal Mail strike says Peter Mandelson as

[mucker]

Peter Mandelson was forced to deny last night that he was 'orchestrating' the post strike which has already delayed up to 100million letters and parcels.

The Business Secretary countered union claims that he was masterminding the dispute as the scale of the disruption caused by the two- day walkout was revealed.

The Royal Mail claimed that by lunchtime yesterday 30million items - or 40 per cent of the daily post bag - had been held up by the strikers. The firm called the crippling strikes 'unnecessary and irresponsible'.

But its figures were immediately contradicted by the Communication Workers Union, which argued that the true figure was nearer 100million.

Meanwhile, it emerged that the bitter stand-off was likely to escalate with 12,000 Royal Mail managers being encouraged to join the industrial action.

Instead of covering for striking postal workers, they have been urged by their own union, Unite, to down tools 'to help ensure a satisfactory settlement to the dispute'.

The order came as the country's 78,000 postmen and women stopped work for 24 hours to man picket lines.

It added to the chaos sparked on Thursday when the Royal Mail was brought to a halt by action involving 42,000 delivery drivers and backroom staff.

There are mounting concerns that the Christmas post could be wrecked if the nationwide strike continues.

The CWU has already announced a fresh round of walkouts running for three days from next Thursday.

Lord Mandelson was forced to rebut the CWU's accusations that he was pulling the strings of the dispute as 'complete stuff and nonsense from beginning to end'.

He was responding to claims by the union's general secretary, Billy Hayes, that he was being 'extremely unhelpful' by peddling 'blatant untruths'.

Lord Mandelson added: 'The relationship, certainly between the management and parts of the CWU, has broken down, and they have got to put it back together again and they have got to do so by talking, by negotiation rather than strike action.'

Workers and the company are at loggerheads over pay, conditions and a modernisation regime that will involve thousands of jobs cuts and later mail deliveries.

Frantic talks between bosses and union chiefs collapsed, prompting this week's walkout.

Read more: http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti ... z0UqbCyhQh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[shadow]

BUT WE DO! EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON'T SUPPORT THE STRIKES BLAME YOU. :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo :mfo

[not me]

so how exactly was 60% delivered??

The Royal Mail claimed that by lunchtime yesterday 30million items - or 40 per cent of the daily post bag

[postghost]

Word is it will be 300 million by next week!

Can you hear that Crozier........its the sound of walls closing in :cfo

[Stumpy]

Who really believes a word that either Mandelson or Crozier says?

Crozier has proved himself to be untrustworthy and completely lost the trust of postal workers.

Mandelson does not have a shred of credibility and it is only a matter of time brefore the press start dragging his past up.