POSTAL workers in Cornwall have taken to the picket lines once again with strike actions resuming as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has accused Royal Mail of planning changes which would see its employees turned into a "casualised, financially precarious workforce overnight".

The CWU said the plans included delaying the arrival of post to members of the public, cuts to sick pay and worse terms for new employees.
The union has announced that a further 19 days of strike action would take place over the coming weeks. 

General secretary Dave Ward said: "Postal workers face the biggest ever assault on their jobs, terms and conditions in the history of Royal Mail.

"The public and businesses also face the end of daily deliveries and destruction of the special relationship that postal workers and the public have in every community in the UK.

"It is insulting the intelligence of every postal worker for Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson to claim that their change agenda is 'modernisation'.

"It is nothing more than an asset-stripping business plan that will see the break-up of the company and the end of Royal Mail as a major contributor to the UK economy.

"Royal Mail Group claim to be losing £1 million a day. The CWU believe these figures need to be scrutinised."

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Three weeks ago, Royal Mail invited the CWU to enter talks through Acas to find a resolution to our change and pay dispute. We have not reached an agreement with the CWU on this request.

"Royal Mail is losing £1 million a day and must change faster in response to changing customer demands.

"The CWU leadership's choice of damaging strike action over resolution is weakening the financial position of the company and threatening the job security of our postmen and women.

"We call on the CWU leaders to cancel their planned strike action and accept our invitation to enter talks through Acas without further delay.

"We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience the CWU's continued strike action will cause.

"We are doing all we can to minimise any delays and keep people, businesses and the country connected."