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| Talks bid to avert strike action | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Postal workers across Northern Ireland are due to begin the first of two 48-hour strikes. | Postal workers across Northern Ireland are due to begin the first of two 48-hour strikes. |
| The Communication Workers Union said it was taking industrial action because of a row over pay and jobs. | The Communication Workers Union said it was taking industrial action because of a row over pay and jobs. |
| The strikes will take place from lunchtime on Thursday to lunchtime on Saturday and from Monday to Wednesday next week. | The strikes will take place from lunchtime on Thursday to lunchtime on Saturday and from Monday to Wednesday next week. |
| Royal Mail said it was still talking to the union in an attempt to avert the strike. | |
| It said it was disappointed at the prospect of industrial action and was advising customers not to post mail on strike days. | |
| Julie McMaster from the customers' watchdog Postwatch said small business would suffer very badly. | Julie McMaster from the customers' watchdog Postwatch said small business would suffer very badly. |
| "OK, you have electronic e-mails and that sort of thing, but if you are waiting for that cheque, that one cheque can be the breaking of a business," she said. | "OK, you have electronic e-mails and that sort of thing, but if you are waiting for that cheque, that one cheque can be the breaking of a business," she said. |
| "They need to be aware of what actually is happening and try to make other arrangements." | "They need to be aware of what actually is happening and try to make other arrangements." |
| In a statement, Royal Mail said talks were continuing in a bid to resolve the situation. | |
| "We continue to urge the CWU to work with us to modernise the business and to help secure a successful future for the company and its people in the competitive market in which we now operate," the company said. |