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| UK-wide postal strike announced | UK-wide postal strike announced |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| More than 12,000 postal workers are to strike on Friday in a row over jobs, pay and services, the Communication Workers Union has announced. | More than 12,000 postal workers are to strike on Friday in a row over jobs, pay and services, the Communication Workers Union has announced. |
| The 24-hour strike will affect cities ranging from Edinburgh to Plymouth. | The 24-hour strike will affect cities ranging from Edinburgh to Plymouth. |
| It follows a series of strikes in cities in recent weeks, with workers in London taking part in a three-day strike earlier this month. | It follows a series of strikes in cities in recent weeks, with workers in London taking part in a three-day strike earlier this month. |
| The union has accused Royal Mail of cutting the pay of employees and reducing services. | The union has accused Royal Mail of cutting the pay of employees and reducing services. |
| Dave Ward, the union's deputy general secretary said: "There are serious and growing problems in the postal sector which urgently need resolving. | Dave Ward, the union's deputy general secretary said: "There are serious and growing problems in the postal sector which urgently need resolving. |
| "We have renewed our offer of a three-month no-strike deal to Royal Mail in return for meaningful talks over modernisation. | "We have renewed our offer of a three-month no-strike deal to Royal Mail in return for meaningful talks over modernisation. |
| "The current cuts, bullying managers and ever-increasing workloads on a shrinking workforce cannot continue. | "The current cuts, bullying managers and ever-increasing workloads on a shrinking workforce cannot continue. |
| "Pressure and stress is at breaking point for postal workers." | "Pressure and stress is at breaking point for postal workers." |
| Ballot requests | |
| Workers based in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke-on-Trent, Plymouth, Norfolk and Essex will be taking part in the strike. | Workers based in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke-on-Trent, Plymouth, Norfolk and Essex will be taking part in the strike. |
| Protest letters will be delivered to the Royal Mail's chief executive, Adam Crosier, and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. | Protest letters will be delivered to the Royal Mail's chief executive, Adam Crosier, and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. |
| The union said it was receiving an "ever-growing" number of requests for industrial action from postal workers across the country. | The union said it was receiving an "ever-growing" number of requests for industrial action from postal workers across the country. |
| It said 400 requests for ballots on strike action have already been made and Mr Ward warned that without progress the dispute would turn into a national strike. | It said 400 requests for ballots on strike action have already been made and Mr Ward warned that without progress the dispute would turn into a national strike. |
| Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told the business and enterprise select committee last week that the union was "boycotting" agreed procedures for implementing changes. | |
| "If we are going to sustain the letters delivery service, however, there is a crying need for modernisation of this business. Both management and unions have said they are up for this," he said. | |
| "I wish they would find the agreement to implement this rather than dragging the Royal Mail and the changes needed into a frustrating and never-ending, tedious process of endless negotiation, from which insufficient change follows at too slow a pace." | |
| Controversial plans to part-privatise Royal Mail we put on hold by the government in June. | Controversial plans to part-privatise Royal Mail we put on hold by the government in June. |
| The bill, opposed by many Labour MPs, was due to go before Parliament before the summer break, but Lord Mandelson said it would not happen until "later". | The bill, opposed by many Labour MPs, was due to go before Parliament before the summer break, but Lord Mandelson said it would not happen until "later". |
| Do you work for Royal Mail? Will you be taking part in the strike? Send us your comments using the form below: | Do you work for Royal Mail? Will you be taking part in the strike? Send us your comments using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |