Postal strike brings glimpse of unity to divided west Belfast

A week-long postal strike in the North is uniting Protestants and Catholics from both sides of the community divide in west Belfast.

The stoppage began last week after a postman on the Protestant Shankill Road was promoted to management and allegedly began harassing fellow workers.

The Shankill postmen mounted an unofficial strike in protest at the situation and successfully appealed to their colleagues across the divide on the Catholic Falls Road to support the action.

The Communications Workers Union has condemned the wildcat strike, but both Protestant and Catholic postmen are ignoring the union's leadership and standing shoulder-to-shoulder in an otherwise fiercely divided city.