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More Royal Mail strikes to be averted?

The Royal Mail and the CWU union are to resume talks with the hope of averting strikes

The Royal Mail and the CWU union are to resume talks with the hope of averting strikes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week. Whilst the level of backlogs is open to debate following the strikes last week, the hope is that the union and Royal Mail can come to an agreement before the situation gets any worse. If this week's strikes go ahead then the possibility that Royal Mail door drop distribution could be cancelled is a worry. The Royal Mail are likely to deem door to door as a non-important delivery item and will cancel the distribution to alleviate the backlogs.

Crozier said on BBC1 yesterday. "One of the ways for common sense to prevail is for people to recognise we're in a goldfish bowl and to stop some of the nonsensical things that are being said - exaggerated claims about backlogs, exaggerated claims about trying to get government involved. I think people would be better placed to, in the nicest possible way, shut up, get on with these tasks and get back to an agreement."

Billy Hayes, the general secretary of the CWU countered in strong words that "Adam seemed to be in denial about the impact the changes are having on people's lives" mentioning also that the workforce is deeply disgruntled. Adding further that "It's not a big ask. If you talk to your postwoman or postman now, it's not a question of them working all the hours. It's the question of them having to deal with increasing workloads, having to work longer ... We want a fair workload and we've asked for independent assessment of the workload, and that's been denied by Royal Mail."

According to Crozier as mail volumes decile 10% year on year the union are being asked to stick to the 2007 agreement with the union where the workforce agreed to work all the hours they are paid, use the modern machinery that the Royal Mail are investing in and show some flexibility in their work practices.

Interestingly echoing our blog from last week the shadow business secretary Kenneth Clarke said the unions statements "sounded like a third-rate replay of newsreels from the late 1970s winter of discontent".

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