Postal strikes continue across London

Thousands of City postal workers have today walked out for 24 hours in a dispute over Royal Mail ‘modernisation plans’ to cut pay and jobs.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) began the strike – the 11th 24-hour stoppage this year – from 3am on 9 September, in delivery offices and collection hubs across the city, the BBC has reported.

It follows a series of local strikes last month over Royal Mail efficiency plans, which unions claim will amount to cutting pay and jobs “without consultation”.

The CWU warned about industrial action earlier this year after it claimed the postal delivery organisation was pressing ahead with “arbitrary” job cuts.

Royal Mail said it was “getting on with modernisation in an entirely fair and reasonable way”.

Up to 20 million items of mail are clogging up London’s sorting offices due to the strikes, a union spokeswoman said.

Yesterday Royal Mail operations director Paul Tolhurst said: “It is now more clear than ever that the CWU is focussing all its efforts on strike action and political posturing.”

London-wide walkouts will continue until Saturday, when CWU members nationwide will take industrial action.