Postal strike as talks collapse

OLDHAM’S postal service will grind to a halt next week as 250 union members join the national strike.

The Communication Workers’ Union failed to reach an agreement with Royal Mail despite 11th hour crisis talks.

Staff at the processing centre in Oldham Road, Manchester, will strike from 4am on Thursday with employees at Oldham’s Hamilton Street centre following suit on Friday.

Ted Stead, secretary of the Oldham branch of the CWU, said: “Going on strike is the last thing we want to do and we were really hopeful of coming to an agreement with Royal Mail but it never happened.

“Everyone was hopeful of a resolution.”

CWU members want Royal Mail to reveal its future plans to give them more security. Mr Stead said: “We need to know where we stand because when long-term staff leave now they are replaced with part-timers and this affects everybody. Budgets shouldn’t drive staffing levels.

“We also want to bring independent experts in to agree suitable working levels and loads and we will abide by whatever they decide.”

Machines

Advanced sorting machines are due to be brought in next month to cut down on the amount of time postal workers spend dividing mail into districts.

Mr Stead said: “We want to embrace modernisation but I hope these machines don’t lead to instant cuts — let’s get our offices working properly first before long term decisions are made.

“Decisions need to protect the quality of service and protect our members.”

Union members are also concerned about the security of their pensions and want an update on the financial situation.

Mr Stead said: “We thought commonsense would prevail but that was not the case.

“Three quarters of union members nationally voted in favour of a strike. We will not let 100 years of struggling go to waste.”