Royal mail postal workers to go on three day strike

The Communications Union (CWU) that represents the postal workers called for the three day London strike over job and pay cuts and conditions.

Recently the government had to put its plans on hold for part privatising the Royal Mail. The CWU has bitterly opposed plans by the government of part privatising Royal Mail.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary said "When presented with the best deal we - or any other union - can offer, which is for three months of no industrial action and focused negotiation on modernisation, they [Royal Mail] refuse."

Moreover, the Ward blamed Royal Mail chairman Donald Brydon of incapability and said "He was clearly brought in to oversee a part sell-off and his skills are not suited to the current problems facing the company."

"The problems that Royal Mail face are not going away. The pension deficit in particular needs to be resolved along with the increasingly important outstanding issues of modernisation. The government is allowing the same management that was criticised for failure to continue mis-managing the company.

"Strike action in London is in response to Royal Mail's continuing executive action of cuts without modernisation. There's no machinery, no redesigning of deliveries and no improvement on industrial relations," added Ward.

Meanwhile, Lord Mandelson, the UK Business Secretary slammed CWU for boycotting talks on Royal Mail modernisation. Mandelson accused the union of backtracking from a 2007 agreement of introducing new technology into the business. He said: "They are boycotting the agreed process for making changes to the Royal Mail."

Royal Mail has a pension deficit of £10 billion, which the business secretary said was inconceivable for the tax payers to bail out without any changes in the Royal Mail working structure.

The strike, spread over three days, will start on Wednesday 8 July when the delivery staff will take part. On Thursday 9 July, the distribution and logistics staff will be out participating in the strike and on Friday 10 July, mail centres will be striking.