Fifth day for wildcat post strike

The Liverpool action is in a dispute over shift patterns

Postal workers in Merseyside are continuing with their fifth day of wildcat industrial action, causing further disruption to mail deliveries.

The action was taken despite a deal aimed at ending their long-running dispute over shift patterns.

At a meeting at Aintree Racecourse on Friday, 800 Merseyside staff voted to reject proposals to return to work.

A meeting will take place later and, if staff agree to the new deal, they could return to work straight away.

Leaders of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will meet later to discuss a proposed agreement aimed at resolving the bitter national row over pay, jobs and pensions.

'Negotiate flexibility'

In Liverpool, CWU branch secretary Mark Walsh said if local workers agreed with the national deal there would be a return to work on Monday afternoon.

"It is in the hands of the management to be reasonable," said Mr Walsh.

"We need safeguards around the ability to negotiate later starts and not have them imposed.

"We believe we can negotiate flexibility rather than have draconian implementations."

The Liverpool postal workers took unofficial action last week after being told that their shift times were changing.

The Royal Mail obtained a High Court injunction on Friday to prevent strikes going ahead on Monday and Tuesday.

A Royal Mail spokesman said 99% of the company's workforce were working normally on Monday.