This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/8096717.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Postal workers decide on strike | Postal workers decide on strike |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of postal workers in London are to strike on 19 June. | |
| Up to 10,000 Communication Workers Union (CWU) members will walk out for 24 hours, causing disruption to mail deliveries across the city. | Up to 10,000 Communication Workers Union (CWU) members will walk out for 24 hours, causing disruption to mail deliveries across the city. |
| They claim the "arbitrary" job cuts, affecting about 1,600 workers, would threaten services and downgrade staff into part-time positions. | |
| The Royal Mail said a fall in mail volumes meant modernisation was needed and this meant fewer jobs. | The Royal Mail said a fall in mail volumes meant modernisation was needed and this meant fewer jobs. |
| CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "Royal Mail is blocking modernisation by refusing to negotiate change with the CWU. | CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "Royal Mail is blocking modernisation by refusing to negotiate change with the CWU. |
| A strike will not modernise Royal Mail - it will simply disrupt the service to which customers are entitled Royal Mail spokesperson | |
| "We have offered a moratorium on all strike action if Royal Mail will suspend executive action and enter into meaningful negotiations." | "We have offered a moratorium on all strike action if Royal Mail will suspend executive action and enter into meaningful negotiations." |
| Mr Ward added: "The future of the business must be safeguarded through careful planning, not shooting from the hip." | Mr Ward added: "The future of the business must be safeguarded through careful planning, not shooting from the hip." |
| But a Royal Mail spokesman said: "A strike will not modernise Royal Mail - it will simply disrupt the service to which customers are entitled, lead to an even greater loss of business and leave Royal Mail far less able to protect full time jobs. | |
| "Productivity in Royal Mail offices in London already lags behind the rest of the UK with the productivity in parts of London now 10% worse than the UK average." | |
| He added: "We are only putting in place changes which are already agreed with the CWU as part of the 2007 deal." |