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Postal workers in wildcat strike Postal workers in wildcat strike
(about 3 hours later)
About 100 postal workers have called an unofficial strike at Edinburgh's main sorting office after being asked to sort what they dubbed "scab" mail. Royal Mail deliveries to parts of Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Ayrshire have been disrupted due to an unofficial strike.
Staff at the Sighthill sorting office walked out on Wednesday after claiming four workers had been suspended. The industrial action has spread to Edinburgh, where sorting staff walked out after claiming they were asked to process "scab mail".
The suspended staff are said to have refused to handle mail transferred from Glasgow following unofficial strike action there. Royal Mail said in some areas it had only been able to make key deliveries.
Royal Mail was unable to say whether there would be an impact on deliveries. Talks between the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Royal Mail management on Wednesday failed to find a solution.
The strike was sparked by postal workers at Glasgow's mail centre in Springburn walking out on Tuesday. The wildcat strike began at the Glasgow Mail Centre in Springburn on Tuesday and spread throughout greater Glasgow.
Talks in Glasgow between the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Royal Mail management on Wednesday failed to find a solution to the dispute. On Wednesday, about 100 postal workers called an unofficial strike at Edinburgh's main sorting office at Sighthill.
A spokeswoman for Royal Mail condemned the action, which she said played directly into the hands of their competitors, and urged the striking workers to return to recognised negotiating procedures. They claimed four workers had been suspended for refusing to handle mail transferred from the strike-affected Glasgow sorting office.
'Unlawful action'
A spokeswoman for Royal Mail condemned the action and urged the striking workers to return to recognised negotiating procedures.
Julie Morrison, head of external relations at the Royal Mail Group, said: "Royal Mail's utmost concern is to continue to provide a service to our customers and this kind of unlawful action plays directly into the hands of our competitors.Julie Morrison, head of external relations at the Royal Mail Group, said: "Royal Mail's utmost concern is to continue to provide a service to our customers and this kind of unlawful action plays directly into the hands of our competitors.
"We hope that the union will encourage staff back to work and allow this matter to be handled following proper agreed procedures. We remain open to dialogue in this matter.""We hope that the union will encourage staff back to work and allow this matter to be handled following proper agreed procedures. We remain open to dialogue in this matter."
The wildcat strike has been called against the backdrop of a Scotland-wide dispute over pay, pensions and future industry changes that has seen the CWU call a series of official 24-hour strikes.The wildcat strike has been called against the backdrop of a Scotland-wide dispute over pay, pensions and future industry changes that has seen the CWU call a series of official 24-hour strikes.
A further 24-hour official strike by delivery staff is expected across the UK on Thursday.A further 24-hour official strike by delivery staff is expected across the UK on Thursday.