Saturday, 28 November 2009

Postal workers could strike again within weeks

LONDON, November 28 - British postal workers could renege on an agreement to suspend strike action until after Christmas because of a lack of progress in talks aimed at resolving a dispute on pay, jobs and modernisation. Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), has written to members saying more strikes could be called within weeks because Royal Mail is refusing to offer enough concessions, British media reported on Saturday.
“Unless there is sufficient evidence of a change in management’s attitude, local agreements being reached and significant progress towards a full and final agreement, then we will have no alternative other than to return to strike action before Christmas,” The Daily Telegraph quoted Mr Hayes’ letter as saying.
Earlier this month Brendan Barber, the head of union umbrella group the Trade Union Congress and a mediator in talks between the two sides, said strike action had been suspended pending further efforts to settle the dispute and to prevent disruption of deliveries at the busiest time of year.
But the CWU letter goes on to say that a “strike-free Christmas” was not part of the interim agreement, the newspaper reported.

 More Here

This is like drawing teeth, as even these threats of strike action must be damaging business, as companies and people wonder if they should make other arrangements, or even not bother buying from an online retailer and  just save the worry and go into town.

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