More workers join post strikes

Britain's postal network could soon become blocked after hundreds more staff across the country walked out on strike today.

Workers as far afield as Swindon and Gravesend joined the dispute which has left millions of homes without post for days.

Postal workers in Bristol also took unofficial strike action today, the Royal Mail said.

Up to 20,000 postmen have now joined the strike, leading to fears that mail deliveries across the country could soon be at a standstill.

The news comes as business leaders warned that small firms have been devastated by the action.

Thousands of companies which operate on small profit margins and rely on getting their cheques and invoices through the post, have been without mail for up to a week.

Today there were calls for the Government to urgently intervene in the dispute, which has left millions of customers without mail.

The Federation of Small Businesses, which represents 185,000 companies, said many of the one million cheques normally delivered by the Royal Mail every day were now caught up in the backlog.

John Walker, the federation's policy chairman, said: "The wildcat nature of these strikes has made them particularly damaging as it has prevented businesses from planning ahead or seeking alternatives. Despite email, the business community is still paper-driven and most of that paper arrives in the post."

Malcolm Bruce, the Liberal Democrats' trade and industry shadow, has written to Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt to urge her to "intervene to bring to an end the escalating and deeply damaging disputes affecting Royal Mail".

Mr Bruce said: "Accusations between management and employees appear to becoming increasingly bitter, clearly suggesting that urgent arbitration is required."

He added: "Legislation should be introduced to require compulsory arbitration in cases where the critical national infrastructure of the country or essential public services are threatened."

Today, Royal Mail managers claimed that staff who were continuing to turn up for work were being threatened by striking colleagues on the picket line.

They said that depots in the capital are being policed by a small number of activists determined to frighten off staff trying to get to work.

Types of intimidation included verbal abuse towards those walking into work and records being made of the names of staff loading up delivery vans.

One manager said that while some threats were subtle, others were much more direct, leaving workers fearful of turning up for their shift.