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Fresh mail strikes get under way Fresh mail strikes get under way
(10 minutes later)
The second phase of nationwide postal strikes by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) is now under way.The second phase of nationwide postal strikes by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) is now under way.
On Thursday, 43,700 union members in mail centres, delivery units in mail centres, network logistic drivers and garage staff are on a 24-hour strike.On Thursday, 43,700 union members in mail centres, delivery units in mail centres, network logistic drivers and garage staff are on a 24-hour strike.
Further 24-hour strikes are due to take place on Friday and Saturday.Further 24-hour strikes are due to take place on Friday and Saturday.
Royal Mail management and union bosses have been meeting all week at TUC headquarters, but each is blaming the other for the lack of agreement.Royal Mail management and union bosses have been meeting all week at TUC headquarters, but each is blaming the other for the lack of agreement.
Royal Mail said they had been close to agreement on Tuesday evening but that on Wednesday morning the CWU had made fresh demands. 'Deadlock'
"We're very frustrated and disappointed that we were unable to break the deadlock yesterday," Dave Ward, the CWU deputy general secretary, told the BBC.
He added that Wednesday morning's proposal was a chance for the Royal Mail to end the strikes.
How the strike might change Britain Your comments on the strikeHow the strike might change Britain Your comments on the strike
"Today we came in to be faced with a new set of demands from the CWU, which we were in the process of responding to and discussing," Mark Higson, managing director of Royal Mail Letters told the BBC. "We tabled a proposal at ten o'clock yesterday morning and we waited some eight hours for Royal Mail to respond to that proposal."
"We find it really quite extraordinary that in the midst of those productive talks taking place under the auspices of the TUC they would go ahead and call strikes." Mr Ward also said he didn't think Royal Mail were being honest about their willingness to negotiate.
"In addition to that, I spoke to Royal Mail and was prepared to go over and meet Royal Mail last night and carry on negotiating," Mr Ward said. "Unfortunately, Royal Mail didn't want to do that."
On Friday, 400 workers at three sites in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke, who assist mail centres by reading and entering mail addresses, are due to strike.
Then on Saturday it will be the turn of 77,000 delivery and collection staff across the UK.
Backlog of mail
Royal Mail said they had been close to agreement on Tuesday evening but that on Wednesday morning the CWU had made fresh demands.
"Early yesterday the CWU came up with a fresh set of demands, and we considered those and we were in fact at the TUC all day," Mark Higson, managing director of Royal Mail Letters, told the BBC.
"But really in an extraordinary action, the CWU then decided to carry on calling the strikes, while those talks were in progress."
Mark Higson, managing director of Royal Mail Letters, is disappointed at the strike
Mr Higson said that his focus would now move to making sure that customers were affected as little as possible by the three days of industrial action.Mr Higson said that his focus would now move to making sure that customers were affected as little as possible by the three days of industrial action.
He said he hoped to have the backlog of mail cleared by early next week.He said he hoped to have the backlog of mail cleared by early next week.
'Period of calm' Mr Ward said in a statement that the last three days had been "the most useful and productive discussions" since the dispute started.
Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said in a statement that the last three days had been "the most useful and productive discussions" since the dispute started. Those talks have been chaired by TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.
Mark Higson, managing director of Royal Mail Letters, is disappointed at the strike The TUC head helped to draw up a deal that ended the last national postal strike two years ago.
He added that Wednesday morning's proposal was a chance for the Royal Mail to end the strikes.
"Had that proposal been agreed this would have enabled a period of calm and allowed further talks through Acas with the intention of concluding a full and final agreement."
Union leaders have blamed Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Royal Mail chiefs for the failure to reach a deal.Union leaders have blamed Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Royal Mail chiefs for the failure to reach a deal.
On Friday, 400 workers at three sites in Plymouth, Stockport and Stoke, who assist mail centres by reading and entering mail addresses, are due to strike. Royal Mail says that it is trying to modernise, saying that letter volumes were dropping by 10% a year as people switched to other forms of communication such as emails and texts.
Then on Saturday it will be the turn of 77,000 delivery and collection staff across the UK.