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Unions warn of Christmas delays and longer strikes as second walk-out begins
Dick Murray29.10.09
Christmas deliveries will be hit and postal strikes will get longer as union chiefs escalate action against Royal Mail, it emerged today.
A backlog of 100 million items is expected to result from the next three days of walk-outs after the two sides failed to reach agreement this week.
About 43,700 workers across thecountry in mail centres, delivery network logistic drivers and garage staff began action at 4am today. Pickets were on duty across the capital at the Mount Pleasant, Nine Elms and East London sorting offices.
As the second phase of action began, the Communication Workers Union general secretary warned it could escalate into longer walkouts. Billy Hayes said there was "every prospect" that industrial action will now be stepped up.
Mr Hayes said: "We will be upping the dispute. We will not be scaling it down. There is every prospect that we will increase the action and we could be looking at longer strikes."
Tomorrow 400 workers in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke, who redirect badly-addressed mail, will walk out, while 77,000 delivery and collection staff will strike on Saturday.
Mr Hayes revealed that the union was close to making a decision on whether to take legal action over Royal Mail's move to hire 30,000 agency workers to deal with the backlog of mail caused by the strike and the Christmas rush.
The union is deadlocked with Royal Mail management over the threat to jobs and pay. Both sides blamed the other for the collapse of talks at TUC headquarters earlier this week, saying the failure to safeguard Christmas deliveries was a key factor.
Royal Mail wanted "real security" over the period, which sees a doubling of the 75 million letters normally posted each day, while union chiefs refused to rule out further strikes. Royal Mail also refused to agree to union demands for staff to be paid overtime to clear the backlog. This reached 30 million items after last week's 48-hour stoppages, but has been reduced to two million.
The London Chamber of Commerce estimates the dispute has cost London firms more than £500million, with nearly half of that due to last week's 48-hour strike. Losses could now more than double. A senior CWU official said: "We are in this for the long haul. We don't want small businesses not to get post or us to lose money but realistically there is nowhere else for us to go."
Royal Mail managing director Mark Higson said the sides were on the "verge of a sensible agreement" but claimed a split within the CWU, led by London members, resulted in the deadlock. He said: "We have asked for a common-sense approach that allows a strike-free Christmas while we talk yet even that seems too much for the CWU."
Dave Ward, the union's deputy general secretary, said: "Had that proposal been agreed this would have enabled further talks at Acas."
Reader views (7)
The people who really suffer during a prolonged postal strike are small businesses and private individuals who don't use the internet.
All unions have been allowed to get too powerful. Holding the country to ransome never gets anywhere, it only produces more hatred on all sides. Strikes should be banned. The only way to solve disputes is by both sides talking to each other, but they must also realise that they might have to compromise because you can't always get 100% of what you want.
- Judith, KIng's Lynn, Norfolk, UK
The end of Royal Mail, and a return to the strike-bound U.K. of the 1970s.
- Phil Jones, London UK
I'm shocked! Who could have expected it of them.
Yeah, right!
- Rogan, Irving
There is only one letter the Union members can look forward to at X-Mas and that will contain a P45.
RIP Royal Mail.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
It's about time the Royal Mail Executives were seen to be seriously negotiating with these people. The strikers are winning public sympathy because it is becoming apparent that the Executives are not being seen to approach resolution negotiations with serious intent.
If these managers are not careful the tide of public anger will turn , demand their heads on a platter and require that the Government puts in temporary managers to fully resolve this issue.
P.O. Executives get your finger out, your actions are not doing the economy of the nation any favours. Be seen to be taking the matter seriously and find a solution that keeps everybody happy. This strike is increasingly appearing that YOU, the managers are the SOLE cause of the strike.
- James, City of London
Whilst I empathise with the Postal Workers' grievances about bullying Management introducing huge changes without consultation (welcome to Nu-Labour's Britain where the real workers are always ignored by the incompetent,self-aggrandising middle/senior managers), I think it's not the right option to hold the public hostage like this.
Don't the CWU realise that they are shooting themselves in the foot by causing so much disruption to ordinary people's lives?
From what it seems, the Royal Mail Management couldn't give a flying foxtrot about the mayhem Postal Strikes are causing, but I can tell you small businesses and families are suffering needlessly.
And more importantly where's "Ditherer Brown" in this fiasco? If I were PM I would not let the entire country be held hostage, but hey, Gordon doesn't care - he's probably too busy calling the X-Factor contestants!
- Anon Pc, London Compound,Londongrad,EUSSR
I notice that most website are now advertising " we won't be affected by the postal strike as we no longer use the Royal Mail". How much longer can the Royal Mail go if they constantly lose contracts due to strikes, I'd give them until after Christmas before they lose everything.
- Bob, Cheam
