Post workers take unofficial action hours after strike ends

Postal workers took unofficial industrial action today just hours after ending a 48-hour strike in a bitter row over pay, jobs and pensions.

Workers in several parts of the UK, including Glasgow, Merseyside, Lancashire and parts of London, took action in protest at changes to their hours.

Some protested that they arrived for a shift starting at 5am but were told that the Royal Mail had implemented changes to shifts so they could not start until 6am.

The Communication Workers Union said it could not comment as any action was unofficial.

Up to 130,000 members of the union were due to return to work this morning after industrial action which has crippled services for almost a week.

Union leaders will meet today to review the dispute, which developed into a war of words yesterday after Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier accused the CWU of talking "cobblers".

Workers at the Royal Mail depot at Copperas Hill in Liverpool city centre were said to be sitting in their staff canteen.

Ray Lucas, local spokesman for the CWU, said: "Some workers have returned to work and some haven't. They are not picketing outside but are in the staff canteen at the moment.

"Reps are on their way there to see how many have refused to return to work and to talk to them. Around 500 people work at Copperas Hill and I think most of them are taking part in the action.

"This is an unofficial action and has not been permitted by the union. My understanding is that the workers are still in dispute with management over shift start time changes which are being imposed on the staff."

Mr Lucas said Royal Mail intends to make some workers start later in the day, which had sparked the unofficial action.

The CWU said 131 workers at the Royal Mail sorting office in Victoria Road, Glasgow, refused to work today after being told their hours had changed.

Jim McKechnie, local branch organiser of the CWU, said he had persuaded them to go back to work a few hours later while negotiations took place with the management.

He said: "The workers were due to start at 4.30am or 5am, but were told to come in later by the management.

"The business was ignoring the national talks about working hours and conditions.

"But we have got the people to return to work and we are having a meeting with the management."

Mr McKechnie said staff were now dealing with the backlog of mail that had built up over the past few days.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman in Scotland said: "There was a brief incident of unofficial industrial action at one delivery office in Glasgow this morning, but staff there are now back at work as normal.

"Elsewhere in Scotland all Royal Mail staff returned to work as normal this morning.

"Royal Mail would like to thank all of our people who have supported the company during the strike and enabled us to keep a large part of the postbag moving through our network."

A Royal Mail spokeswoman in Liverpool said: "The vast majority of our people are now back at work.

"Royal Mail is extremely concerned at the unlawful unofficial strike action taking place at a handful of sites this morning, despite the end of the official strike and the fact that the vast majority of our people are back at work.

"Unlawful action is wholly unacceptable and must be condemned by the trade union. People at 99% of our workplaces have returned to work as scheduled."