130,000 postal workers nationwide have begun strikes today (Thursday). The 48 hour action started at 12 noon. Workers will be on strike again from 3am Monday for a further 48 hour period.

Talks continue between Royal Mail and the union, however CWU has made it clear that the strikes will not be called off until an agreement is reached.

Billy Hayes, general secretary, said “We are very disappointed that Allan Leighton and Adam Crozier are nowhere to be seen when the future of British postal services are at stake.

“The government has shown complete disinterest in the fate of this dispute. If this was Northern Rock they would be pouring money in. This is a company that they own and they seem to have no interest whatsoever.”

The dispute is over pay, pensions and proposed changes to the business under Royal Mail’s so called ‘modernisation’ plan. CWU is concerned that these changes, which include later start times, later deliveries and the abolition of Sunday collections, will actually take the service backwards.