Postal workers plan ballot

Postal workers' leaders are informing the Royal Mail that they are still planning to ballot members over industrial action.

Ballot papers are expected to be sent to 160,000 postal workers at the end of next week and the result will be due in mid-September.

The union said on Thursday that it was seeking further talks with the Royal Mail over the dispute which threatens the first national strike in seven years.

Talks between the two sides ended in failure on Wednesday but the Royal Mail called for formal mediation in a bid to avert the threat of industrial unrest.

The CWU's postal executive decided to seek a meeting with the Royal Mail next week to clarify the terms under which mediation might be held.

Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier previously warned that the service, which is losing £750,000 a day, would not emerge unscathed even from the threat of a strike.

The union has accused the Royal Mail of being "dishonest" by claiming that its latest offer was worth 14.5% over 18 months and said the only definite money was 3% from October and a further 1.5% next April.

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