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Postal strike delays 40% of mail Postal strikes delay 40% of mail
(about 2 hours later)
The nationwide postal workers' strikes have delayed about 30 million letters, some 40% of a typical day's post, Royal Mail has said.The nationwide postal workers' strikes have delayed about 30 million letters, some 40% of a typical day's post, Royal Mail has said.
A second day of strikes is under way, with delivery and collection workers walking out, following Thursday's 24-hour strike by mail centre staff.A second day of strikes is under way, with delivery and collection workers walking out, following Thursday's 24-hour strike by mail centre staff.
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are protesting about pay, conditions and modernisation.Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are protesting about pay, conditions and modernisation.
The CWU says the delays are unfortunate but it had no choice but to strike.The CWU says the delays are unfortunate but it had no choice but to strike.
"We have to do it for the reason that we are backed into a corner. If we don't do it, Royal Mail won't exist as we know it," said Paul Moffett, Suffolk regional secretary of the CWU."We have to do it for the reason that we are backed into a corner. If we don't do it, Royal Mail won't exist as we know it," said Paul Moffett, Suffolk regional secretary of the CWU.
But not all staff have taken part in the strikes, and Royal Mail thanked its workers who turned up.
STORY SO FAR... Postal workers, especially in London, have been holding intermittent one-day strikes for months in a row over the way Royal Mail is to be modernisedEarlier this month, postal workers voted three to one in favour of nationwide industrial action (though Royal Mail said 60% of the total number of postal workers in the UK did not vote to strike)The CWU set dates for the first nationwide postal strikes in two yearsLast-gasp talks failed to reach an agreement and indeed the split between the union and Royal Mail management became more acrimonious, with the CWU announcing further strike dates Q&A: Royal Mail dispute Postal Strike: Business reactions Origins of the Royal Mail strike Royal Mail's one-man competitor How is the strike affecting you?
"We are very grateful to the 20% of our delivery staff who have chosen to come to work today, and who are doing everything possible to get all delayed mail delivered to customers as quickly as possible over the next few days," the company said in a statement.
'Appalling''Appalling'
About 78,000 people began the latest action at 0400 BST.About 78,000 people began the latest action at 0400 BST.
Further strikes at Royal Mail are planned for next week, starting on Thursday 29 October.Further strikes at Royal Mail are planned for next week, starting on Thursday 29 October.
STORY SO FAR... Postal workers, especially in London, have been holding intermittent one-day strikes for months in a row over the way Royal Mail is to be modernisedEarlier this month, postal workers voted three to one in favour of nationwide industrial action (though Royal Mail said 60% of the total number of postal workers in the UK did not vote to strike)The CWU set dates for the first nationwide postal strikes in two yearsLast-gasp talks failed to reach an agreement and indeed the split between the union and Royal Mail management became more acrimonious Q&A: Royal Mail dispute Postal Strike: Business reactions Origins of the Royal Mail strike Royal Mail's one-man competitor How is the strike affecting you?
News of the next wave of action was described as "appalling" by Royal Mail.News of the next wave of action was described as "appalling" by Royal Mail.
Details of how long the new strikes will last and which group of workers will be involved will be announced in the coming days. But the CWU again offered "unconditional" talks at the conciliation service Acas, saying further strikes could be avoided.
The union offered "unconditional" talks at the conciliation service Acas in a bid to break the deadlocked row over jobs, pay and modernisation - saying further strikes could be avoided. "We have six days before any further strike action would take place," said Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the CWU.
No tax return extension "Given the progress we were making in talks earlier this week this should be enough time to reach an agreement."
If they do go ahead, the strikes next week will involve:
• Thursday - 43,700 staff in mail centres, delivery units in mail centres, network logistic drivers and garage staff walking out from 0400 BST
• Friday - 400 workers in three sites in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke, who assist mail centres by reading and entering mail addresses
• Saturday - 77,000 delivery and collection staff across the UK
No tax extension
Postal workers say they have been backed into a corner by Royal Mail
Meanwhile, HM Revenue & Customs has said it will not extend the 31 October deadline for filing tax returns because of the postal strike, but added that any returns received late because of the strike are unlikely to incur a fine.Meanwhile, HM Revenue & Customs has said it will not extend the 31 October deadline for filing tax returns because of the postal strike, but added that any returns received late because of the strike are unlikely to incur a fine.
"It's a statutory deadline. It can't be changed," a spokesperson for HMRC said."It's a statutory deadline. It can't be changed," a spokesperson for HMRC said.
"Anyone missing the deadline purely because of the circumstances of the strike will almost certainly not attract a penalty. Having a paper return stuck in a postal strike counts as a reasonable excuse under our long-standing guidelines.""Anyone missing the deadline purely because of the circumstances of the strike will almost certainly not attract a penalty. Having a paper return stuck in a postal strike counts as a reasonable excuse under our long-standing guidelines."
Last year 2.4 million people sent returns by post. If people miss the postal deadline, they can still file online by 31 January.Last year 2.4 million people sent returns by post. If people miss the postal deadline, they can still file online by 31 January.
'Vindictive' 'Complete nonsense'
The strikes - the first nationwide disruption for two years - followed the CWU and Royal Mail being unable to reach an agreement on pay and modernisation. The first national postal strikes for two years began after the CWU and Royal Mail were unable to reach an agreement on pay and modernisation.
The prime minister has urged both sides to resume negotiations to bring an end to the "self-defeating" strike. The CWU has blamed the company and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson for the failure to reach a deal.
A BBC poll of more than 800 adults found that twice as many people sympathised with the postal workers than with the Royal Mail management.
Union leaders have blamed Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Royal Mail chiefs for the failure to reach a deal.
But ministers say the suggestion that an agreement was vetoed is "fantasy".
Dave Ward, CWU deputy leader, said his message to Royal Mail and Lord Mandelson was to "get your hands dirty" and meet the union at the conciliation service Acas.
He also criticised Lord Mandelson, describing his actions as "vindictive".
The business secretary said that trading insults would not help resolve the dispute.
"Politicising it or dramatising it is absolutely useless," Lord Mandelson said.
"I'm not sure that my intervening would be welcome by both sides. Both sides within the Royal Mail itself need to resolve this."
'Period of calm'
The decision to go ahead with strike action came after several meetings between Royal Mail and the union this week.
Delivery is absolutely key for online retailers, and customers need to be confident that their orders will arrive in time for Christmas. Graham Charlton, econsultancy.com Post strike divides commentators In pictures: UK postal strike
Royal Mail had called for the strikes to be called off to allow a "period of calm".
"There are huge areas where we both agree on what we need to do. There are some areas we still need to work on," said Paul Tolhurst, operations director at Royal Mail.
Some companies, including John Lewis and Amazon, have said they are using alternative delivery services.
The Federation of Small Businesses estimates that 70% of the 4.8 million small firms in the UK rely on the Royal Mail for their post. It says that every postal strike costs its members, who have up to 20 staff, £300 each.
The FSB's Stephen Alambritis said that his members were struggling to find alternatives to the Royal Mail.
HAVE YOUR SAYI support the posties, it's not Labour's Royal Mail to sellUncle Giblets, London Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYI support the posties, it's not Labour's Royal Mail to sellUncle Giblets, London Send us your comments
"Our members have tried to shift to other companies - they've found them expensive and actually a number of them have been turned away because the other service providers can't meet the demand," he told the BBC. Lord Mandelson denied that he was to blame for the strikes going ahead.
"We really want these postal workers and the Royal Mail to get back to work." "The CWU know that is complete stuff and nonsense from beginning to end," he said, speaking on a tour in Newcastle.
If the strikes continue for a prolonged period, contingency plans for delivery of hospital appointments and medical test results have been drawn up, MPs were told earlier this week. Royal Mail has called the union's strikes "unnecessary and irresponsible".
And it has emerged that the Ministry of Defence may charter extra aircraft to ensure serving troops get their Christmas post. A BBC poll of more than 800 adults found that twice as many people sympathised with the postal workers than with the Royal Mail management.
The prime minister has called for both sides to "get round the table" to bring an end to the "self-defeating" strike.