business to suffer as posties vote to walk out this friday
THOUSANDS of postal workers are set to strike on Friday, bringing chaos to businesses across London, as a row over jobs, pay and modernisation at Royal Mail intensifies.
Over 12,000 members will stage a 24-hour walk-out on Friday, the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) said yesterday, accusing Royal Mail of cutting wages and jobs without discussing it with unions, and of trimming services.
Small business leaders in London said that the strike would hit cash-flow, which is already struggling in the downturn, while London’s Chamber of Commerce (LCCI) hit out at the union.
“The disruption and delay caused by the postal strikes is the last thing businesses need in the middle of a recession,” LCCI policy director Dr Helen Hill said.
“Wildcat strikes by postal workers cost London businesses an estimated £304m in 2007,” she added.
The industrial action, which will take place in the capital, Bristol, Edinburgh and Plymouth, among other cities, is the latest in a series of walkouts among postal workers.
Dave Ward, CWU’s deputy general secretary, said yesterday there were “serious and growing problems in the postal sector which urgently need resolving.” He added that stress was at “breaking point” for workers.
Both the union and Royal Mail are blaming each other for abandoning a pay and modernisation programme which had been agreed in 2007.