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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Postal workers in 24-hour strike | Postal workers in 24-hour strike |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Postal workers from seven sorting offices are to take part in a 24-hour strike over the merger of some depots. | |
| Mick Kavanagh, from the Communication Workers Union, said they would strike on 19 December as 500 jobs may be lost. | Mick Kavanagh, from the Communication Workers Union, said they would strike on 19 December as 500 jobs may be lost. |
| Workers from centres at Coventry, Crewe, Liverpool, Stockport, Bolton, Oldham and Oxford are set to take part. | |
| Mr Kavanagh said there could be further action at the end of December and early January but the door was "still open" for talks with Royal Mail. | Mr Kavanagh said there could be further action at the end of December and early January but the door was "still open" for talks with Royal Mail. |
| We'll do everything we can when we return to work to make sure we clear it [post] before Christmas Mick Kavanagh, CWU | We'll do everything we can when we return to work to make sure we clear it [post] before Christmas Mick Kavanagh, CWU |
| "It really is in Royal Mail's hands to get this sorted out," he said. | "It really is in Royal Mail's hands to get this sorted out," he said. |
| Among the firm's plans work from the mail centre in Weston, Crewe, and the Copperas Hill sorting office in Liverpool will be transferred to a new regional centre in Warrington. | Among the firm's plans work from the mail centre in Weston, Crewe, and the Copperas Hill sorting office in Liverpool will be transferred to a new regional centre in Warrington. |
| Royal Mail, which announced its £50m regional plans at the start of August, said Copperas Hill was no longer viable in the face of falling mail volumes. | Royal Mail, which announced its £50m regional plans at the start of August, said Copperas Hill was no longer viable in the face of falling mail volumes. |
| It said it wanted staff at both sites to work at the new centre, but unions said many workers would not be able to afford to travel or relocate. | It said it wanted staff at both sites to work at the new centre, but unions said many workers would not be able to afford to travel or relocate. |
| Mr Kavanagh said 400 to 500 people could lose their jobs as a result of the plans. | Mr Kavanagh said 400 to 500 people could lose their jobs as a result of the plans. |
| More talks | More talks |
| He said 60% of CWU members who voted in a ballot were in favour of taking strike action and that the union "had no choice" but to take strike action because of the possible job losses. | He said 60% of CWU members who voted in a ballot were in favour of taking strike action and that the union "had no choice" but to take strike action because of the possible job losses. |
| He said he expected any industrial action would hit the postal service over the festive period. | He said he expected any industrial action would hit the postal service over the festive period. |
| "From our point of view there will be an effect and we'll do everything we can when we return to work to make sure we clear it [post] before Christmas." | "From our point of view there will be an effect and we'll do everything we can when we return to work to make sure we clear it [post] before Christmas." |
| On Thursday, Coventry MP Jim Cunningham asked the government to step in to try and head-off the potential strike. | On Thursday, Coventry MP Jim Cunningham asked the government to step in to try and head-off the potential strike. |
| He told the Commons he wanted ministers to arrange more talks between the Royal Mail, MPs and unions. | He told the Commons he wanted ministers to arrange more talks between the Royal Mail, MPs and unions. |