Mail deliveries to be hit with 24-hour strike (From Southend Standard)

Mail deliveries to be hit with 24-hour strike

8:00am Tuesday 1st September 2009 in Southend By James Colasanti

POSTAL workers have voted for a further one-day strike over job cuts and working conditions.

Thousands of Royal Mail workers from across south Essex were balloted on industrial action on Friday and 90 per cent voted to stage a 24-hour walk-out, beginning at 5am on Monday.

The move will prompt a one-day closure of the delivery offices in Basildon and Southend as part of the ongoing dispute between the Communication Workers’ Union and Royal Mail over plans to modernise the service.

The union claims the plans have seen managers forcing through job cuts and extra hours to save money.

Union secretary John Hunt said: “We are not opposed to modernisation, but what Royal Mail is proposing will lead to job losses and office closures.”

Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail’s operations director, said: “It is now more clear than ever that the union is focusing all its efforts on strike action and political posturing.

“Its claimed support for change is no more than lip service, but its determination to damage services and undermine the future health of the business and the service is increasing.

“Royal Mail is getting on with modernisation in an entirely fair and reasonable way which is completely in line with our existing agreement with the union on flexible working practices.”