Posties call off strike

A 24-hour strike planned by postal workers in five mail centres, which would have disrupted Christmas deliveries, has been called off.

Members of the Communication Workers Union in Crewe, Coventry, Bolton, Stockport and Oxford had planned to walk out in a row over office closures.

The union had threatened strikes in seven offices, but workers in Oldham and Liverpool called off their action earlier.

Oldham’s Hamilton Street processing office is due to close with the loss of up to 150 jobs. The work will move to Manchester and Preston.

Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the CWU, said: “For the last five years we have been fighting attempts by Royal Mail management to chip away at the foundations of a universal postal service.

“We are calling off the strikes as some progress has been made.”

Mr Ward said Government plans to partially privatise Royal Mail meant the stakes were “even higher”, adding: “We want the public to join with us in a nationwide campaign to defend a vital service.”