Post delayed by rooftop protest

A strike was held over the suspensions in December 2007

Some postal deliveries in Staffordshire have been delayed by a worker's protest on a roof.

Paul Dawson went onto the roof of the sorting office in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, to demand an apology from Royal Mail over an alleged incident in 2007.

Mr Dawson, who later came down, was among 12 workers suspended over allegations of bullying and harassment.

Royal Mail said some deliveries in the ST6 area had been delayed. It would not comment on the original suspensions.

Monday's roof-top protest meant about 100 workers could not return to the sorting office because of health and safety reasons.

Royal Mail said it worked with police for a "swift resolution".

'Clears his character'

It apologised to customers in ST6 1 to ST6 8 areas for the disruption, and said deliveries would still be held on Monday.

In December 2007, postal workers at the Burslem depot went on strike over the suspension of their colleagues three months earlier.

Andy Plant, branch secretary of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU), said Mr Dawson was reinstated after an investigation but had never received an apology.

He said: "The letter that Paul received on his initial suspension said that if he was found to have done nothing wrong and no charges stuck to him, he would receive an unequivocal apology which basically clears his character.

"Paul's never had that to date - hence he's on the roof."

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said the firm would not discuss details of individual cases.

She said: "All cases are handled in accordance with our conduct procedures which are agreed with the CWU."