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Royal Mail workers vote to strike Royal Mail workers vote to strike
(21 minutes later)
Royal Mail postal workers have voted to take strike action over job security and working conditions.Royal Mail postal workers have voted to take strike action over job security and working conditions.
Postal workers voted three to one in favour of action, with 61,623 out of a total of 80,830 workers who voted saying they wanted to strike.Postal workers voted three to one in favour of action, with 61,623 out of a total of 80,830 workers who voted saying they wanted to strike.
The company and unions have been unable to resolve differences on how best to modernise the postal service.The company and unions have been unable to resolve differences on how best to modernise the postal service.
Royal Mail says it needs to make big changes to combat a fall in the number of letter and parcel deliveries.Royal Mail says it needs to make big changes to combat a fall in the number of letter and parcel deliveries.
Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), said his union would work hard to avoid a strike. He said it would give the Royal Mail a "final opportunity" to resolve the dispute. 'Death wish'
He said there would be a minimum of 10 days before any strike would take place in which he hoped an agreement could be reached with Royal Mail. Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), said his union would work hard to avoid a strike. He said it would give the Royal Mail a "final opportunity" to resolve the dispute over the next 10 days.
If we don't take a stand now, postal services in the UK will be destroyed forever Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union Q&A: Royal Mail dispute
He added that union members had delivered a "damning verdict on the way the Royal Mail is run. We understand the need for modernisation, but it needs to be done in a way that protects workers".He added that union members had delivered a "damning verdict on the way the Royal Mail is run. We understand the need for modernisation, but it needs to be done in a way that protects workers".
Mr Ward also said the government had "caused many of the problems" the Royal Mail was now experiencing.Mr Ward also said the government had "caused many of the problems" the Royal Mail was now experiencing.
"If we don't take a stand now, postal services in the UK will be destroyed forever," he said."If we don't take a stand now, postal services in the UK will be destroyed forever," he said.
Postal Affairs Minister Lord Young said: "A national postal strike is completely self-defeating and will only serve to hurt consumers and businesses who rely on the post and drive even more people away from using mail as a means of communication.Postal Affairs Minister Lord Young said: "A national postal strike is completely self-defeating and will only serve to hurt consumers and businesses who rely on the post and drive even more people away from using mail as a means of communication.
"Royal Mail must modernise and these strikes will slow down that essential process.""Royal Mail must modernise and these strikes will slow down that essential process."
He called on the CWU to "do more" in its negotiations with the Royal Mail and said that strike action would simply lead to more jobs being lost.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) also criticised the vote in favour of a strike, describing it as "akin to a death wish".
"This strike announcement defies logic at a time when businesses and government are working hard to move the UK economy back to growth. Postal delays are already hurting small businesses and major companies across the country," said Dr Adam Marshall, director of policy at the BCC.
Modernisation
Royal Mail made an operating profit of £321m in the year to 31 March, but it was the first time in 20 years that all four parts of the business had been profitable.
The company says the number of letters and parcels its core business delivers is falling by 10% each year, losing it £170m per annum.
One major reason for this is increased competition from electronic forms of communication such as e-mail.
Both the Royal Mail and the CWU agree that job cuts are needed as part of a vital streamlining of the mail service to cope with the drop off in postal deliveries.
But the CWU says Royal Mail managers are refusing to meet its demand for a signed agreement determining the scope of cuts, as well as job and pay security guarantees for those workers who will ultimately remain in their jobs.
The Royal Mail says that by signing up to an agreement after the last national postal strike in 2007, the CWU accepted the future job cuts it needed to make in order to modernise the service.