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| Post workers stage second strike | Post workers stage second strike |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Households and businesses face another week of little or no mail after postal workers started a second 48-hour strike over pay, pensions and job cuts. | Households and businesses face another week of little or no mail after postal workers started a second 48-hour strike over pay, pensions and job cuts. |
| Marathon talks over the weekend failed to resolve the bitter dispute and up to 130,000 postal workers walked out of work from 3am on Monday. | Marathon talks over the weekend failed to resolve the bitter dispute and up to 130,000 postal workers walked out of work from 3am on Monday. |
| Royal Mail said customers should expect severe disruption to services during the strike and for some time after. | Royal Mail said customers should expect severe disruption to services during the strike and for some time after. |
| Striking postal workers will hold a rally in central London on Monday. | Striking postal workers will hold a rally in central London on Monday. |
| Further strike action will do nothing to change the harsh competitive realities we face Royal Mail spokesman Postal woes bring cheer for some | |
| "The talks are now at a critical stage with only a few issues left to be resolved," said a TUC spokesman. | |
| A Royal Mail spokesman urged the Communication Workers Union (CWU) to call off the industrial action and said that support for the strike had weakened. | A Royal Mail spokesman urged the Communication Workers Union (CWU) to call off the industrial action and said that support for the strike had weakened. |
| "Further strike action will do nothing to change the harsh competitive realities we face," the spokesman added. | "Further strike action will do nothing to change the harsh competitive realities we face," the spokesman added. |
| Immense disruption | Immense disruption |
| Business groups have warned that the walkouts are causing immense disruption to the economy. | Business groups have warned that the walkouts are causing immense disruption to the economy. |
| The action could end up costing Royal Mail as much as £260m, according to sources quoted in the Sunday Telegraph. | The action could end up costing Royal Mail as much as £260m, according to sources quoted in the Sunday Telegraph. |
| It says that by the end of the second 48-hour strike the cost to Royal Mail will have been between £50m and £60m. | It says that by the end of the second 48-hour strike the cost to Royal Mail will have been between £50m and £60m. |
| But it warns that costs will rise over the longer term as customers switch to other forms of communication because of the strikes. | But it warns that costs will rise over the longer term as customers switch to other forms of communication because of the strikes. |
| A senior executive estimated that people shunning postal services in favour of electronic forms of communication, so that they will not be affected by future strikes, could cost an extra £200m. | A senior executive estimated that people shunning postal services in favour of electronic forms of communication, so that they will not be affected by future strikes, could cost an extra £200m. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I appreciate they do a lot of work but the strike could lead to more job losses Kim Wood, Macclesfield Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY I appreciate they do a lot of work but the strike could lead to more job losses Kim Wood, Macclesfield Send us your comments |
| CWU members also staged a 48-hour walkout last week in a row with the Royal Mail over pay and pensions. | CWU members also staged a 48-hour walkout last week in a row with the Royal Mail over pay and pensions. |
| Royal Mail said that about 35,000 of the 110,000 staff due to work on Friday had come in despite the strike. | Royal Mail said that about 35,000 of the 110,000 staff due to work on Friday had come in despite the strike. |
| It said that they had handled about 45% of mail in the system, although there had been less than usual because the strike had been well publicised. | It said that they had handled about 45% of mail in the system, although there had been less than usual because the strike had been well publicised. |
| The union has rejected a pay offer of 2.5% and is also worried about modernisation plans, which it believes will threaten about 40,000 jobs. | The union has rejected a pay offer of 2.5% and is also worried about modernisation plans, which it believes will threaten about 40,000 jobs. |
| The two sides continued to hold talks over the weekend, but negotiations broke down without agreement. | The two sides continued to hold talks over the weekend, but negotiations broke down without agreement. |