Published: June 29, 2007
Burnham-On-Sea Royal Mail staff join nationwide post strike

Postal deliveries and collections were cancelled in Burnham-On-Sea on Friday (June 29th) as Royal Mail staff in the town joined a nationwide strike over pay and conditions.

This was the picket line outside the town's Royal Mail sorting office in Dunstan Road on Friday morning, where only senior management were working.

Burnham postman Mark Penfold, pictured second from left, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "This dispute is about a lot more than just pay. We've been offered a tiny 2.5 per cent pay increase with so many strings attached."

"They want us to work later, forgo sick pay and deliver more 'junk mail' without extra pay. It's not on.

"The nationwide strike is being strongly supported here in Burnham, with only management working."

Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier said in a statement on Friday: "Royal Mail will do all it can to mitigate the impact of strike action but we are very disappointed for our customers at the disruption they are now facing."

"We remain very willing to sit down with the CWU to explain again the absolute need for Royal Mail to modernise and to underline how damaging a strike would be for postmen and women, and our customers. We are losing business because we have failed to change and modernise – and as a result our costs and therefore our prices are higher than those that rivals are charging in the intensely competitive business mail, which makes up 90% of all postings."