Worthing post backed up by strike

The latest walk-out, which follows a series of 24-hour strikes earlier this year, lasts for 48 hours from Monday, October 8 until Wednesday, October 10.

Another 48-hour strike was held from Thursday, October 4 to Saturday, October 6.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in the town are unhappy with the pay deal offered by Royal Mail and the terms of their pension plan.

They are also angry about plans to close around a fifth of post offices across the UK in the next few years.

Terry Jackson, south east regional secretary for the CWU, said: "The strike action here has been very well supported with around 90 per cent of workers taking part.

"Obviously we want to get back to work, but on the other hand there has to be a deal that satisfies our aspirations."

Nationally, a backlog of 32 million letters built up, but according to a Royal Mail spokesman this would have been larger if it were not for some staff choosing to carry on working and managers pitching in.

If the dispute is not resolved, it is thought more strike action will take place next week, but the Royal Mail spokesman said: "Further strike action will do nothing to change the harsh competitive realities we face.

"We need to press on with the essential task of modernising the company to enable it to compete successfully."