Strikes to cost Post Office 60,000 work days
STRIKES at the Post Office are expected to have cost 60,000 working
days by the end of this financial year, nearly treble the amount of
industrial action in the previous year.
The postal workers’ union yesterday threatened more action if the
industry regulator acts quickly to break the Post Office’s monopoly and
allow other companies to compete. The regulator has repeatedly emphasised that
this is his intention.
John Keggie, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers
Union (CWU), said: “We haven’t fought ten years against the threat of Tory
privatisation to see a privatisation by the back door. We will take
whatever steps are necessary to oppose a break-up.” The CWU wants the regulator to delay awarding licences to rivals to allow the Post Office time to prove
its capability.
The Post Office has blamed industrial action and rail problems for a
drop last year in the reliability of first-class post. However, only 20
per cent of post travels by train. The amount of first-class mail reaching its
destination by the following day is expected to drop to 89 per cent by the
end of next month, three percentage points below its target.
(c) Times Newspapers Ltd, 2001
THE TIMES, 20th March 2001
