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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Talks over post strike break down | Talks over post strike break down |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Talks aimed at ending strike action by postal workers have broken down. | Talks aimed at ending strike action by postal workers have broken down. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Both Royal Mail and unions expressed disappointment that negotiations had failed to resolve their differences. | Both Royal Mail and unions expressed disappointment that negotiations had failed to resolve their differences. |
| Differences | Differences |
| The TUC said "real progress" had been made during talks which had continued throughout the weekend. | The TUC said "real progress" had been made during talks which had continued throughout the weekend. |
| But the Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union (CWU) - which represents postal workers - both criticised each other's negotiating positions. | But the Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union (CWU) - which represents postal workers - both criticised each other's negotiating positions. |
| We simply want our people to work the hours they are already paid to work across the working week Adam Crozier, Royal Mail chief executive Postal woes bring cheer for some | We simply want our people to work the hours they are already paid to work across the working week Adam Crozier, Royal Mail chief executive Postal woes bring cheer for some |
| The Royal Mail described union demands as "unrealistic" while union officials accused the company of putting forward "unacceptable" conditions. | The Royal Mail described union demands as "unrealistic" while union officials accused the company of putting forward "unacceptable" conditions. |
| "We simply want our people to work the hours they are already paid to work across the working week using the equipment we are investing in to enable Royal Mail to compete and survive," said Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier. | "We simply want our people to work the hours they are already paid to work across the working week using the equipment we are investing in to enable Royal Mail to compete and survive," said Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier. |
| "The fact that the union leadership finds this so difficult starkly contradicts their public claim to support modernisation and change." | "The fact that the union leadership finds this so difficult starkly contradicts their public claim to support modernisation and change." |
| The CWU said Royal Mail's offer of a 6.9% pay increase over two years was contingent on a cut in pension benefits which it could not accept. | The CWU said Royal Mail's offer of a 6.9% pay increase over two years was contingent on a cut in pension benefits which it could not accept. |
| "Royal Mail's proposals also include flexibility proposals that mean, among other things, that postal workers will not know what job they are doing from one day to the next," a union spokesman said. | "Royal Mail's proposals also include flexibility proposals that mean, among other things, that postal workers will not know what job they are doing from one day to the next," a union spokesman said. |
| 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 |
| Striking postal workers held a rally in central London on Monday as the two sides disputed the level of support for the strike action. | Striking postal workers held a rally in central London on Monday as the two sides disputed the level of support for the strike action. |
| Business groups have warned that the walkouts are causing immense disruption to the economy with reports suggesting the stoppages could cost the firm up to £260m. | Business groups have warned that the walkouts are causing immense disruption to the economy with reports suggesting the stoppages could cost the firm up to £260m. |
| It is feared that costs will rise over the longer term as customers switch to other postal suppliers and electronic forms of communication. | It is feared that costs will rise over the longer term as customers switch to other postal suppliers and electronic forms of communication. |
| CWU members also staged a 48-hour walkout last week in a row with the Royal Mail over the firm's modernisation's strategy. | CWU members also staged a 48-hour walkout last week in a row with the Royal Mail over the firm's modernisation's strategy. |
| Royal Mail argues that reform of the business is vital to ensure it can compete effectively in a fully liberalised market but unions say the proposals will cost 40,000 jobs. | Royal Mail argues that reform of the business is vital to ensure it can compete effectively in a fully liberalised market but unions say the proposals will cost 40,000 jobs. |