Tonight:
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Striking Royal Mail workers target Christmas post
Benedict Moore-Bridger and Dick Murray22.10.09
Union chiefs were tonight threatening Christmas postal chaos by announcing three more days of strikes next week.
The Communication Workers Union ratcheted up pressure on Royal Mail with the expected announcement of further walk-outs from next Thursday. The union is required by law to give seven days' notice of action.
The first national strike for two years saw some deliveries getting through today. Mail executives warned of items being stuck in the post - but for "days, not weeks".
Postmen take the place of drivers and mail centre staff on the picket lines tomorrow. More than 120,000 postal workers are taking action in a protest over modernisation and a feared loss of more jobs.
This evening's announcement - in the face of calls for the CWU to return to the negotiating table - shows the union's determination to hold out against management as Royal Mail faces its busiest time of year.
Some 15 million items are already stuck in the post and the new threeday action could take that figure to 135 million.
London is believed to be facing losses of up to £300 million because of the strikes. That was the bill after the national strike two years ago.
Pickets were in place outside the capital's three main sorting offices today as Royal Mail bosses accused workers of deliberately “maximising the damage” to customers.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research said the total bill to the UK economy of a prolonged strike could be £1.5 billion. Some £270 million of this will be a loss to retailers.
Mail bosses said the present two-day national stoppage was staggered to hold up as many postal items as possible, while minimising the effect on workers' pay packets.
Operations director Paul Tolhurst said some items posted yesterday would be delivered today, but admitted letters posted today would be delayed for “days rather than weeks”.
Mr Tolhurst admitted the UK-wide action, involving 42,000 mail centre staff and drivers today and 78,000 delivery and collection staff tomorrow, would hit services. He said: “Clearly backlogs will build up. We handle around 75 million letters a day. The purpose of the strike is to damage customer service.”
Hopes of an early resolution were clouded by claims and counter-claims over who blocked a potential deal on Tuesday night that could have averted the strike.
The unions accused ministers or Royal Mail of vetoing the draft agreement, but government sources claimed that the CWU negotiator Dave Ward agreed it, only to be over-ruled by the union's executive.
Mr Ward joined strikers outside the Mount Pleasant sorting office and directed blame at Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. He said: “Lord Mandelson is being vindictive. We need him to stop sitting on the sidelines.
“After 30 hours of talks we seemed to be making progress and there was a period of calm, then all of a sudden the chief executive of Royal Mail threw it all out. It's very obvious there were external forces at work here.
“It seems Lord Mandelson is seeking revenge on us over the whole privatisation battle. This is payback time for us defeating his plans.”
CWU leader Billy Hayes branded him “the minister without responsibility” and said: “He seems to want to wash his hands, to walk away.”
But Lord Mandelson hit back and called on workers to go back to work, saying the two sides needed to get back round the negotiating table.
Gordon Brown condemned the strike but turned a deaf ear to increasingly angry union demands that the Government get embroiled in negotiations.
“This strike will be self-defeating if all it means is that less people use the Royal Mail,” the Prime Minister warned. He said that the strike was “solvable” by both sides.
CWU members backed a national walk-out — 76 per cent voted in favour — because they fear mechanised sorting of post rounds will lead to further job losses.
Pickets were out this morning at Mount Pleasant, in Clerkenwell, Nine Elms, in Vauxhall, and the sorting office in Bromley-by-Bow.
Reader views (32)
I'm still waiting for a package that was posted in MAY and I don't think it is delayed because of any strike. I wonder if the "subbies" will be able to deliver it for me.
- Jon Vickers, S.C.USA
This is a message to Gordon Brown, just get on and do something about the strikes. Enough of your big talk about helping the economy and people into jobs.
If you do not step in and sort this matter out, many more jobs will be lost. Act now and show the country that you are about action and not just lip service.
- Helen, London
The Post Office is to be broken up on the orders of the EU under a directive issued several years ago.
The misguided membership of the CWU are playing right into the hands of the Liars of NuLiebour and slitting their own throats.
Shame on those who claim to represent grass roots postal workers.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
Perhaps they should get second jobs like Postman Pat who is currently promoting glasses for specsavers.
- Simon, London
Spare a thought for small businesses. My husband and I run an online business and we have had no orders today. This is the first time this has happened since the last strike two years ago. We make most of our money over Christmas. This strike could ruin us. The bigger companies can absorb the extra costs by dipping into reserves etc but we operate on very tight margins and are genuinely scared by these developments. Many self-employed people will also be waiting for cheques for work completed - as many employers still refuse to pay by BACS. These strikes have a huge knock-on effect and we can ill afford them at a time when the first green shoots are reappearing in the economy.
- Lj, London
WELL, WELL, WELL! Being held to ransom by Postal Workers AGAIN! Every year without fail they cripple the Country with their own greed.
The only way we can stop them doing it is to:
Pay them on the day of the month they join the Company (ie: 1st, 5th, 8th 21st etc...)
Pay them by cheque
Put the cheque in the post.
Then see if they are willing to strike and miss their payday due to greed. They signed T&C's like most of us do when we join a Company therefore they should work to them.
Nice work if you can get it! CWU should wash their hands of the Royal Mail, they are the only communications company that constantly give them bad press.
- Martin, West Ham exiled in Bristol
Sack the lot of them. There are many people out of work that would appreciate a job working for Royal Mail.
Who do these people think they are? Most people are taking pay cuts, having to do extra hours, and changing their work conditions just to keep their jobs!
All the post office staff got pay rises this year so they should expect to have to do a little bit more. Everyone in the private sector has to work their contracted hours so why not the post office?
- Matt, London, England
I think the workers have been treated unfairly and they have good justification for discussions with Royal Mail's management. However, unlike the rest of us who discuss issues when they arise, the union's reluctance to work with the Management or meet through ACAS is clear.
It is also stating the obvious (well to rest of us but clearly not the union) more they strike the more of there work will pass over to other delivery companies. The union is clearly not representing the interests of their members if by their actions a large percentage will be made redundant as a result of insufficient work for them.
- Colin, London
The strikers should consider themselves they have still got jobs. I was made redundant this year have been rejected for jobs so many times it's humiliating and to see all these postal workers doing this is just sickening to a lot of people. Be happy you've got a job because soon if you carry on this way you may not have one....
- Ziz, Farnham uk
Belive it or not we actually got a delivery today. I guess maybe the people near us value thier jobs more. Perhaps they realise we are all in this together.
Plus they probably realise you cant strike if not even you know why you are striking.
- Steve, Ruislip
Whilst I do have some sympathy for the posties, the countries mail needs to be delivered. The regulator needs to open up the market properly. I'm sure all the corner shops could become UPS or DHL "Post Offices".
- Eastender, London
Our post has been delivered today as normal by our usual postman. Cycling round this and the neighbouring borough I've seen loads and post men and women out delivering.
- Celia, Richmond, UK
The story tells it all... Secret Depots with casual staff deliberately hired well in advance of any possible strike date with linguistically challenged individuals hired without proper vetting or training on minimum wages . Just the sort of staff you would choose to deliver your mail & employ in any PLC. Royal Mail owned by the Government who cannot even get their MP's to pay back their expenses stolen from the taxpayers. A Company run by remote controlled lackeys whose strings are pulled by the puppetmaster Mandelson. The strikers will soon find themselves sacked & on the dole thanks to a Labour Government which is no friend of the people and waiting in the wings is Cameron who will reduce us all to an East European style workforce on minimum wages prepared to do anything for a crust. Wake up people, time for A REALLY BIG CHANGE AT THE ELECTION that does not include Cameron or Brown who are only feathering their own nests.
- Frank, UK
"UPS, DHL, TNT offered a superb service"
A superb job my foot!
The one in yellow managed to "lose" the paperwork for a £300k yacht, then when they found it, they failed to deliver it to my address here in West London on 3 separate occasions alleging my address was not on the map.
After the highly "successful" privatisation of the utilities resulting in the highest consumer prices on the planet, we need the Royal Mail privatisation like a hole in the head. When this happens forget about maintaining a universal service.
- John Smith, Londonistan, Bankrupt Britain, EUSSR
Paralysed Labour government. MPs fiddling while Brown burns. Welcome to Britian 2009. Pathetic mess.
- Philip, London, England
The mail service is still vital for the 40% of the population, many elderly, that do not have the Internet.
A degree of give and take by both sides is needed.
- John Jones, Westminster
Dont forget if these workers are talking home £37 a day the Post Office is paying £60 or £70 a day to the agency.
- Howard Expat, Malaysia
I must be one of the lucky ones as I have noticed no difference yet, just had a delivery of 5 letters as well.
- P Staker, London
The Royal Mail now offers an appalling service,in recent years householders have gone from two daily letter deliveries down to one,and the remaining one could arrive anytime between 10am and 2pm,thats assuming it doesn't go missing in the meantime.
- Auf Deutsch, Bent Kent in Broken Britain.
22-year-old worker Wayne: it was a rubbish job anyway, getting up at 4am each day.
Worker Joe, 21: we don't get paid for the half-hour break.
What planet do these youngsters live on? Welcome to the world of work. No wonder EU migrants have to take up the slack for lazy British "workers"! This country would have gone to the dogs a long time ago if it wasn't for immigrant labour. It seems a large proportion of UK natives just want to drink themselves into a stupour every day, breed, and collect benefits.
- Alex, London
So we are buying stamps and suffering. It took seven days for a letter I sent from Kensington to Chiswick to not arrive so far before the mains strike even starts.
The idiot workers will lose more jobs for themselves than would modernisation. Being self employed and having my tax support public worker pensions and state workers while seeing my own go down the drain is great.
- Michael, London, UK
Come on UPS, DHL, TNT start opening offices in all our large stores like Tesco's etc. Then sack all the posties, most are over weight now to deliver the mail.
- Lee, middlesex
The possibilities from privatisation are grim. A private company will think nothing of raising stamp prices dramatically, cutting delivery times etc. as the aim will be to bring in profits, not just cover costs. You can hardly claim that courier companies will provide "competition" - they already charge about a fiver for basic delivery.
I am sure those screeching about posties "shooting themselves in foot" will be happy to to trundle down to some central collection agency at Bluewater or somewhere to collect their mail in future.
- David, N10
Of what use is the legislation that stops the Royal Mail from employing temps in their place? It doesn`t benefit consumers, the RM trying to run a business in their competitive industry, or people who DO want to work. Its all too clear - LABOUR legislation to appease the unions, everyone else suffers.
- Nickspurs, London
How selfish are they?! My DVD rental arrives late now because of this fiasco 
On a serious note... no sympathy! They should count themselves blessed to be in jobs when lots of people are losing theirs.
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
Thomas,
I have known people who have or currently work for RM and they have all, over a period of around thirty years, told me what went on but in the majority of that time post got delivered and to the right place.
A few years back the Royal Mail, under pressure from the Commission for Race Equality, ceased their entrants exam, which was put in place to ensure that posties had a reasonable command of English and were therefore in a position to do their jobs.
Apparently Camberwell sorting office has just taken on a load of casuals and for for every twelve people there is an interpreter. On top of this is if there is nobody around to show them what to do then they sit around doing nothing.
If that's what you want the Royal Mail to be don't expect anything to be delivered.
- Mark, South-East London
Don Elwin,UPS,DHL,and TNT,might offer a superb service,but they will not deliver a letter for 30p.
- Michael, London
UPS, DHL, TNT offered a superb service. Don't often see their delivery guys sitting in their vans fast asleep when they should be delivering. Shame the striking postmen don't realise that it is just a matter of time before they are out of work, but the CWU leaders will still be employed. Get real, guys.
- Don Elwin, Landeleau France
Thomas,I look forward to reading your comments when,following privatisation you will find yourself going to a central collection point to pick up your mail, as doorstep deliveries will be a thing of the past, and forget the 30p stamp,more like £3.
- Joe, Streatham
There is nothing like shooting yourselves in the feet is there Posties?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Can't they just sack the lot and take away their pensions? There are plenty of people including Poles etc. keen to do the work.
The quality of the Royal Mail is so lousy that I have zero sympathy for their whinging and moaning.
- Thomas, London
Privatisation by the back door. Why would anyone pay the failed F.A. chief Adam Crozier (the man who hired Sven-Goran Eriksson) £3 million a year to run their organisation. Unless you want to run it into the ground that is.
- Mick, London, England
