Postal bosses dig in for a long strike

ROYAL Mail bosses are facing up to the prospect of a long strike by postal workers this winter.

Though they believe there will be a majority in favour of action in a national ballot, they say they will not increase their pay offer of 14.5% over 18 months.

Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier believes the union will call out only the more militant sorting offices once or twice a week rather than risk an all-out strike.

But he is convinced the management will win, arguing that the union's 160,000 members are split over the issue and the public will put pressure on the strikers.

Royal Mail is determined to face down its employees because next year, competition from other companies will be introduced into the letterdelivery system.

Crozier believes that the Royal Mail will have no chance of competing commercially unless changes are made.

He is banking on the fact that a strike that would be unpopular with the public would boost the management's determination to change working practices.

Royal Mail, which delivers 82 million letters a day, is losing £11 million a week. An all-out strike would cost the company £20 million a day.

The union leadership insists that not only is the

14.5% offer conditional, but that only about

4.5% of the money offered is guaranteed to reach their pay packets - a claim denied by Royal Mail.