Postal strikes continue
- 00:01:17
- ITN
Postal strikes continue
Picket lines have been set up across the country at the start of a fresh wave of strikes after the collapse of peace talks aimed at resolving the bitter mail dispute. Up to 120,000 members of the Communication Workers Union walked out at 4am in a move expected to cause huge disruption to mail deliveries. The strike went ahead after the failure of three days of intensive talks between union leaders and Royal Mail bosses, under the chairmanship of TUC general secretary Brendan Barber. A war of words erupted as the Royal Mail accused the union of walking away from the talks and "playing havoc" with customer confidence. Around 43,700 workers across the UK in mail centres, delivery network logistic drivers and garage staff are striking for 24 hours. A further 400 workers in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke who redirect badly addressed mail will walk out on Friday and 77,000 delivery and collection staff will take action on Saturday. The two 24-hour walkouts last week delayed more than 30 million items of mail. Further strikes could be called by the union unless the deadlocked row over jobs, pay and modernisation is broken.
ITN | October 29, 2009
