Postal workers to stage walkout

More than 250 postal workers based at delivery offices in Grangemouth, Alloa, Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath are set to strike.

More than 250 postal workers based at delivery offices in Grangemouth, Alloa, Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath are set to strike.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the action was in response to the introduction of modernisation plans without due consultation.

The action will take place from 9am on 9 May until midnight on 10 May.

Royal Mail said it was still working to determine whether deliveries in the towns would be affected.

In a statement Royal Mail said mail volumes were falling by 8-10% a year as a result of competition from the internet and email and the recession.

The statement added: “To help meet this challenge Royal Mail has re-organised its delivery operations in the Alloa, Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline and Grangemouth areas, in line with changes across the UK.

“The reorganisation has been implemented and involved changes to delivery routes. Change such as this can take time to settle-down.”

The company said that no one was losing their job as a result of the changes and that workers were not “being asked to do anything that is not part of their job”.

However, Willie Marshall from the CWU said postal workers were having changes to mail sorting speeds and delivery times imposed upon them.

He said: “We want Royal Mail to sit down and negotiate at a national level the future of delivery services.

“Instead they have held consultations but have refused to negotiate.

“Royal Mail are bringing forward modernisation plans that are unachievable by slashing budgets and cutting the tools available to our workers.”

The strike action coincides with a rally by members of the CWU in Kirkcaldy on 9 May, protesting at government plans to sell off part of Royal Mail.