UK postal strike looms as talks break down

Last-ditch talks aimed at averting the first national mail strike for seven years were adjourned tonight – just hours away from a crucial ballot result.

Negotiations between the Communication Workers Union and Royal Mail managers broke up at conciliation service Acas without any sign of agreement, a spokesman said.

Postal workers across the country are currently awaiting the result of the vote – expected to be announced by the CWU tomorrow – which could see walkouts begin as early as next week.

The union has balloted 160,000 workers on whether to strike in protest at an offer said by Royal Mail to be worth 14.5% but linked to productivity.

The last national strike was in 1996 when mail deliveries were crippled by a series of stoppages, also over pay.

The CWU has complained that the offer contained “more strings than the Philharmonic orchestra” and said it was determined to achieve a basic minimum of £300 a week for its Royal Mail members.

Plans to cut 30,000 jobs are also being resisted by the union.

The union insisted the offer was only worth 4.5% over 18 months, with additional payments linked to major changes to delivery systems, mail centre and transport operations.

The union said it accepted that the postal service needed to be reformed, but it had to protect its members from redundancies and “vastly increased” workloads.

The CWU has complained about high salaries and bonus payments given to Royal Mail executives and suggested that postmen and women should be given “golden hellos” for accepting changed working practices.

Royal Mail has pointed out that it was losing £750,000 a day and made it clear the offer, which would cost £340 million, was all it could afford.

Royal Mail chairman Allan Leighton has warned that strikes would be “commercial suicide”, costing the business around £20 million a day.