Post workers in new walkout (From York Press)

Post workers in new walkout

11:40am Thursday 12th July 2007 in

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POSTAL workers in York are set to walk out on strike for the second time in the space of two weeks.

York's 800 Royal Mail staff are expected to strike for 24 hours, from 7pm today to 7pm tomorrow - only special delivery and certain other items of post stand a chance of being delivered in the city on Friday.

A spokesman for the Communication Workers Union (CWU) said its members were taking part in the nationwide strike because of Royal Mail's refusal to negotiate pay, its plan to cut investment from the business and to modernise and automate the industry.

Paul Clays, north east regional secretary for CWU, said the strike would be another massive inconvenience for people in York. "In York deliveries and collections of mail will just grind to a halt," he said. "There will be a backlog for the following week, because the business is refusing to put extra resources in to clear it."

However, Royal Mail said: "Royal Mail is deeply disappointed that the union has again decided to take strike action that will cause more disruption for customers.

"The union is saying nothing new and is simply ignoring the challenge confronting everyone in Royal Mail, which is the absolute need to modernise - as all our major rivals have already done - to reduce our costs in order to ensure we can compete successfully in an increasingly tough market.

"Royal Mail's offer is a 2.5 per cent increase on basic, pensionable pay, plus an £800 dividend payment if performance targets are met, plus a 50 per cent share of any savings made at local office unit with the people who work in it."

There will be a single collection from post boxes outside post offices not affected by strike action and Royal Mail's Branch Direct, Sameday and Door to Door services will remain unaffected.