UK postal workers strike
Thousands of postal workers manned picket lines across Britain today at the start of national strikes as a war of words erupted over the increasingly bitter mail dispute.
Up to 42,000 mail centre staff and network drivers launched a 24-hour strike today, while 78,000 delivery and collection workers will walk out tomorrow.
A further wave of strikes is likely to be held for three days at the end of next week, involving different groups of workers.
Hopes of reaching a last minute deal collapsed today, leading to bitter recriminations.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) launched an angry attack on Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, saying he was working “hand in hand” with the Royal Mail to “undermine” the dispute.
General secretary Billy Hayes accused him of being the “minister without responsibility”.
Mr Hayes said the union would be taking legal action against the Royal Mail over its plans to recruit 30,000 agency workers to deal with the effects of the strike as well as the Christmas rush.
The Royal Mail condemned the decision to go ahead with the “wholly unjustified” strikes and said it was willing to keep on talking.
Mr Mandelson said he deeply regretted the strike decision, adding that industrial action was not in the best interests of the Royal Mail, the work force or “hard pressed” consumers and businesses.
CWU members voted by 3-1 in favour of a national strike in a ballot complaining that jobs were being axed, pay cut and working conditions made worse.
The Royal Mail maintained it was merely modernising the business in line with an agreement reached to resolve the last national strike.
