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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Postal union plans legal action | Postal union plans legal action |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Communication Workers Union (CWU) plans to go to the High Court to stop Royal Mail using agency staff to clear the post backlog caused by the strikes. | The Communication Workers Union (CWU) plans to go to the High Court to stop Royal Mail using agency staff to clear the post backlog caused by the strikes. |
| Royal Mail had planned to hire 30,000 temporary workers to deal with the backlog of post and the Christmas rush, which it insists complies with the law. | |
| The CWU hopes to show that the company is breaking employment law. | The CWU hopes to show that the company is breaking employment law. |
| Meanwhile, Royal Mail and union leaders are holding a second day of talks at the TUC aimed at averting more strikes. | |
| Both sides failed to break the deadlock after seven hours on Monday, but TUC brokers said the meeting was "useful". | Both sides failed to break the deadlock after seven hours on Monday, but TUC brokers said the meeting was "useful". |
| Up to 120,000 CWU members will stage three 24-hour strikes from Thursday if no deal on pay and working conditions is reached. | |
| 'In line with the law' | |
| "We are taking legal advice and are assessing the evidence," a CWU spokeswoman said. | |
| "We are expecting a decision later today." | |
| The law states that firms cannot recruit workers to do the job of employees called out on a legitimate strike. | The law states that firms cannot recruit workers to do the job of employees called out on a legitimate strike. |
| 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 Origins of the Royal Mail strike Sorrow and anger on picket line Send us your comments | |
| Royal Mail says its recruitment is "fully in line with all employment law". | |
| "The recruitment is not to bring people in to do our postmen's work when they are out on strike," the company said in a statement last week. | |
| It insists its action is designed "to make sure that we have people to help clear any backlogs between strikes as well as to help - as happens every year - with the seasonal build up of mail in the run up to Christmas". | |
| Royal Mail told the BBC it had nothing further to add to last week's statement on the issue. | |
| 'Useful discussions' | 'Useful discussions' |
| Royal Mail expects its backlog to have fallen from 30 million to five million items since last week's strikes. | Royal Mail expects its backlog to have fallen from 30 million to five million items since last week's strikes. |
| The company said employees returned to work on Saturday to start clearing the piles of letters and parcels delayed by two 24-hour walkouts last Thursday and Friday. | The company said employees returned to work on Saturday to start clearing the piles of letters and parcels delayed by two 24-hour walkouts last Thursday and Friday. |
| The CWU had claimed the backlog was in excess of 100 million items on Saturday. | The CWU had claimed the backlog was in excess of 100 million items on Saturday. |
| Neither Royal Mail nor the CWU would comment after Monday's talks but TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said "we have had useful discussions". | Neither Royal Mail nor the CWU would comment after Monday's talks but TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said "we have had useful discussions". |
| CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said the dispute was "fundamentally" about jobs but the issue of the Royal Mail's £10bn pension deficit also needed to be resolved urgently. | CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said the dispute was "fundamentally" about jobs but the issue of the Royal Mail's £10bn pension deficit also needed to be resolved urgently. |
| He said: "There's no prospect of us building a successful future for the Royal Mail and for the workforce unless the government actually deal with that issue." | He said: "There's no prospect of us building a successful future for the Royal Mail and for the workforce unless the government actually deal with that issue." |
| The talks are taking place at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which helped to resolve a dispute between the two sides in 2007. | The talks are taking place at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which helped to resolve a dispute between the two sides in 2007. |
| If this week's strikes go ahead, they are due to involve: | If this week's strikes go ahead, they are due to involve: |
| • 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. |