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| Further postal strikes announced | |
| (1 day later) | |
| Postal unions have announced a further wave of strike action in an escalation of their dispute with Royal Mail over pay and modernisation. | |
| The current period of staggered stoppages was due to end on 7 August. | The current period of staggered stoppages was due to end on 7 August. |
| But the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) said stoppages will now also be held from 9 to 17 August. | |
| The union has called for "serious negotiations", but Royal Mail has said its pay demands threaten efforts to make the business more efficient. | |
| Disruption | Disruption |
| "Despite Royal Mail's stated position and with the prospect of imposed change, the Union has made a fresh offer for a period of calm," said CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward. | |
| We deplores the move by the union, in spite of these (conciliation) talks, to attempt to cause further disruption to customers' mail, Royal Mail Q&A: Postal strike and you | |
| "We have made yet another offer... to call off the next planned strikes. All Royal Mail have to do is take a step back and engage in meaningful negotiations." | |
| Exploratory talks facilitated by the mediation group Acas have taken place this week between the CWU and Royal Mail. | |
| Royal Mail said it was at a loss to understand why the union had announced more strike dates while conciliation talks were taking place, and urged the CWU to call off the action. | |
| "Royal Mail...deplores the move by the union, in spite of these talks, to attempt to cause further disruption to customers' mail," a spokesman said. | |
| "As the CWU is responsible for calling the strikes, they are clearly free to stop this damaging action at any time." | |
| Post backlog | |
| Workers are in the middle of a two-week period of staggered stoppages designed to maximise disruption to the business. | Workers are in the middle of a two-week period of staggered stoppages designed to maximise disruption to the business. |
| They have already staged two 24-hour strikes in protest at what they say is an inadequate 2.5% pay offer and modernisation plans which threaten 40,000 jobs. | They have already staged two 24-hour strikes in protest at what they say is an inadequate 2.5% pay offer and modernisation plans which threaten 40,000 jobs. |
| More than 98% of staff took part in Tuesday's stoppages at mail centres across the country, the union said. | More than 98% of staff took part in Tuesday's stoppages at mail centres across the country, the union said. |
| Further stoppages at delivery and collection centres are due later this week. | Further stoppages at delivery and collection centres are due later this week. |
| The CWU said a backlog of 80 million items of mail had now built up in the system. | The CWU said a backlog of 80 million items of mail had now built up in the system. |
| Royal Mail has said it has made contingency plans for further stoppages to ensure that services are not affected. | Royal Mail has said it has made contingency plans for further stoppages to ensure that services are not affected. |
| The company has called for a return to negotiations but has warned unions that fundamental changes are needed if it is going to survive in a fully competitive market. | The company has called for a return to negotiations but has warned unions that fundamental changes are needed if it is going to survive in a fully competitive market. |