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| Talks over post strike break down | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Talks aimed at ending the current strike by postal workers have broken down, unions have said. | |
| A second 48-hour strike over pay, pensions and job cuts began early on Monday morning with up to 130,000 staff staying away from work. | |
| Households and businesses face another week of little or no mail with a warning of severe disruption during the strike and for some time after. | |
| Striking postal workers held a rally in central London earlier on Monday. | |
| Union officials had earlier said that talks were "at a critical stage" and only a few issues were left to be resolved. | |
| Further strike action will do nothing to change the harsh competitive realities we face Royal Mail spokesman Postal woes bring cheer for some | Further strike action will do nothing to change the harsh competitive realities we face Royal Mail spokesman Postal woes bring cheer for some |
| 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. |