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Fresh attempt to end post strike Fresh attempt to end post strike
(19 minutes later)
Royal Mail and union leaders have begun more talks aimed at ending the row over pay, conditions and modernisation.Royal Mail and union leaders have begun more talks aimed at ending the row over pay, conditions and modernisation.
If no deal is reached, postal workers are planning three more walkouts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.If no deal is reached, postal workers are planning three more walkouts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU)said it was "looking forward" to the talks. Royal Mail chief Adam Crozier said he hoped "common sense prevails".The Communication Workers Union (CWU)said it was "looking forward" to the talks. Royal Mail chief Adam Crozier said he hoped "common sense prevails".
Meanwhile the volume of delayed mail is expected to fall to five million items by the end of the day, Royal Mail said.Meanwhile the volume of delayed mail is expected to fall to five million items by the end of the day, Royal Mail said.
Royal Mail had previously said that the backlog was 30 million items.Royal Mail had previously said that the backlog was 30 million items.
The CWU had claimed that the backlog was in excess of 100 million items on Saturday morning.The CWU had claimed that the backlog was in excess of 100 million items on Saturday morning.
'Positive change''Positive change'
Postal workers staged two days of strikes on Thursday and Friday last week.Postal workers staged two days of strikes on Thursday and Friday last week.
The talks are taking place at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which helped to resolve a dispute between the two sides in 2007. 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 two 24-hour strikes were held on Thursday and Friday of last weekFresh talks between the two sides are now taking place. At the moment, further UK-wide strikes are planned for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday class="" href="/2/hi/business/8320025.stm">Origins of the Royal Mail strike class="" href="/2/hi/business/8320584.stm">Sorrow and anger on picket line
The latest talks are taking place at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which helped to resolve a dispute between the two sides in 2007.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber will broker the negotiations.TUC general secretary Brendan Barber will broker the negotiations.
The CWU said it was a "huge, positive change" having Royal Mail managing director Mark Higson at the talks, as he had not been present at negotiations up until now.The CWU said it was a "huge, positive change" having Royal Mail managing director Mark Higson at the talks, as he had not been present at negotiations up until now.
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 two 24-hour strikes were held on Thursday and Friday of last weekFresh talks between the two sides due to take place on Monday, with further UK-wide strikes planned for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Origins of the Royal Mail strike Sorrow and anger on picket line
Mr Higson made no comment as he arrived at the TUC.Mr Higson made no comment as he arrived at the TUC.
However, the CWU's deputy general secretary Dave Ward said there were some things the government needed to sort out, including the massive pension deficit at Royal Mail, believed to be about £10bn.However, the CWU's deputy general secretary Dave Ward said there were some things the government needed to sort out, including the massive pension deficit at Royal Mail, believed to be about £10bn.
"We are very disappointed about some of the comments that Lord Mandelson is making about this dispute. He's not telling the truth about what this dispute is about," Mr Ward told journalists on his way into Congress House."We are very disappointed about some of the comments that Lord Mandelson is making about this dispute. He's not telling the truth about what this dispute is about," Mr Ward told journalists on his way into Congress House.
'Total nonsense'
Royal Mail, which has shed 63,000 frontline postal staff in recent years, says it needs to further cut jobs as part of continuing modernisation plans.
The CWU agrees job cuts are necessary, but where the two sides disagree is over their extent, and the future pay and working conditions of the workers that remain.
On Sunday, Mr Crozier told the BBC's Andrew Marr show he hoped an outline deal would see the strikes cancelled.
He said the key to the talks would be a form of words to end the strike action, which the Royal Mail says was formulated last week - but not used - by a team of its representatives and CWU leaders.
The union has described the suggestion that the wording had been agreed as "total nonsense".
Mr Crozier denied accusations he was taking a back seat in the dispute and said he was not involved in the direct talks with the union because his focus was instead on talking to affected customers.
He also denied that he was taking any direction from the government.
The CWU says the government cannot keep "sitting on the sidelines"
Mr Crozier added that while he hoped an outline agreement would stop the strikes, it would take "a couple of months" to agree any final deal.
Reacting to the Mr Crozier's interview, CWU general secretary Mr Hayes told the BBC the union would not accept "any change by imposition".
'Encouraged'
Saying the union would not agree to any compulsory redundancies, he added: "We want change with agreement, with job security at the heart of it".
He added that, if the Royal Mail was "genuinely seeking agreement" at the fresh talks being brokered by the TUC, "I'm sure we can move forward".
Meanwhile, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson denied suggestions by the union that he had orchestrated the Royal Mail's handling of the dispute.
HAVE YOUR SAY A union should rightfully look after the interests of its members, but if the business ceases trading, then there will be no jobs to 'protect' Paul Gowers, Guildford Send us your comments
He added that the talks between the Royal Mail and CWU were an opportunity to end the deadlock and that both sides should seize the opportunity.
Shadow business secretary Kenneth Clarke said he expected Royal Mail privatisation to feature in the Conservative manifesto for the next general election.
He told BBC One's The Politics Show: "I'm not writing the manifesto, but I imagine the document will have this in. Our policy is to privatise the Royal Mail."
If this week's strikes go ahead, they are due to involve:If this week's strikes go ahead, they are due to involve:
The CWU says the government cannot keep "sitting on the sidelines"
• Thursday - 43,700 staff in mail centres, delivery units in mail centres, network logistic drivers and garage staff walking out from 0400 GMT• Thursday - 43,700 staff in mail centres, delivery units in mail centres, network logistic drivers and garage staff walking out from 0400 GMT
• Friday - 400 workers at three sites in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke, who assist mail centres by reading and entering mail addresses• Friday - 400 workers at 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.• Saturday - 77,000 delivery and collection staff across the UK.
Focusing on customers
While both sides agree that job cuts are necessary, they disagree over their extent, and the future pay and working conditions of the workers that remain.
On Sunday, Mr Crozier told the BBC's Andrew Marr show that he hoped an outline deal would see the strikes cancelled.
Mr Crozier denied accusations he was taking a back seat in the dispute and said he was not involved in the direct talks with the union because his focus was instead on talking to affected customers.
HAVE YOUR SAY A union should rightfully look after the interests of its members, but if the business ceases trading, then there will be no jobs to 'protect' Paul Gowers, Guildford Send us your comments
He also denied that he was taking any direction from the government.
The CWU said it would not agree to any compulsory redundancies, adding, "we want change with agreement, with job security at the heart of it".
Meanwhile, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson denied suggestions by the union that he had orchestrated the Royal Mail's handling of the dispute.
He added that the talks between the Royal Mail and CWU were an opportunity to end the deadlock and that both sides should seize that opportunity.