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Postal strike misery for small firms


The 48-hour nationwide postal workers' strike will heap additional pressure on struggling small firms.  Feedback from LaunchLab.co.uk readers indicates that delays in the delivery of mail-order goods, receipt of payments and orders could add to their existing cash-flow difficulties.

The action by members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are in response to long-running disputes over pay, jobs and modernisation plans which Royal Mail management and the Government ministers say are essential if Royal Mail is to survive.

About 42,000 mail centre staff and drivers walked out early in the morning and 78,000 delivery and collection staff will
strike on Friday - action which is expected to completely disrupt mail deliveries.

The CWU blamed Royal Mail bosses and Business Secretary Lord Peter Mandelson for the breakdown in talks, saying they sought revenge for the staff's opposition to privatisation.

Operations director Paul Tolhurst said Royal Mail wanted the union to sign up to agreements apparently reached this week.  "We are waiting for a call from the CWU - our phones lines are open, our doors are open," he told BBC radio. "We will meet them as soon as we can. What we've got to get away from is these damaging strikes."

The CWU said it would announce further strike dates next week while Royal Mail has said it would hire 30,000 temporary staff to help cope with the expected seasonal backlog.

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By LaunchLab.co.uk  on   Oct 22,2009

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