UK postal strike ends but chaos continues

UK postal workers will end a 48-hour strike at noon today but mail deliveries will be crippled until the end of the week because of another walkout in a bitter row over pay, jobs and pensions.

The Communication Workers Union said the stoppage by up to 130,000 of its members had “been solidly supported” although the Royal Mail claimed more people worked than during previous strikes in the summer.

Talks between the two sides will continue today but there is little sign of an end to the deadlock.

Postal workers will walk out again for 48 hours at 3am on Monday and will launch a rolling programme of strikes on October 15 unless the dispute is resolved.

The British Chambers of Commerce said the strikes were causing “immense disruption” to the British economy.

Natalie Evans, the group’s head of policy, said: “The reputation of Royal Mail is being battered and businesses are going without vital post whilst looking for alternative ways to get their mail delivered in the future.

“This dispute needs to be resolved and normal service resumed as quickly as possible.”

The union’s general secretary, Billy Hayes, has attacked the Government for staying out of the dispute and has urged ministers to do more to resolve the row.

“If this was Northern Rock they would be pouring money in. There is no indication of their concern in the slightest.”

The Royal Mail said attendance at mail centres across the country varied during the strike and claimed 35,000 people went to work as usual during the first 24 hours of the action.

“This is around a third of the people due to be at work,” said a spokesman.

The Royal Mail said it was continuing to process mail and make some deliveries although customers were still urged not to post letters while the strikes were on.

Businesses have warned they are losing millions of pounds because of the strikes – the worst bout of industrial unrest for almost 20 years.